Album Review – Hammerhands / Largo Forte (2016)

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The soundtrack to your darkest days is here, courtesy of a talented Canadian band and their sluggish, heavy and rowdy music.

Rating4

hh-largo-forte-coverFew subgenres of heavy music can be so disturbingly awesome as Sludge and Doom Metal thanks to those low-tuned sounds, wicked screams and sluggish beats that penetrate our hearts and souls every single time we listen to them, making our lives a little more miserable just the way we like it. Hailing from the city of Mississauga, Ontario (extremely close to our “headquarters”), here comes Canadian Sludge Metal quartet Hammerhands offering their moodiness, blasphemy and grudge in their brand new album, entitled Largo Forte, a solid display of atmospheric and doomed heavy music that will accompany your misery during those dark and rainy days.

Formed in the year of 2012, Hammerhands released their debut album, Glaciers, one year later in 2013, also releasing that same year a special covers EP named 1995 containing their versions for two of their biggest influences in music (“X.Y.U.” by The Smashing Pumpkins, and “To Bring You My Love” by PJ Harvey). It might have taken three years for the band to release new original material, but based on the music found in Largo Forte it was definitely worth the wait. Featuring a dark and pensive artwork by their own bassist Justin Hunt, Largo Forte brings forward the band’s trademark Atmospheric Sludge and Doom Metal blended with Alternative Metal and other subgenres of heavy music, generating a metallic ambience tailored for fans of sheer heaviness.

The rumbling bass by Justin kicks off the groovy Eighteen, a sluggish composition that becomes a dark feast of modern and crude Sludge Metal when the inebriate and desperate vocals by NJ Borreta join the musicality, with its anguish ending only increasing its impact even more; followed by THUNDERCHUNK, a dense Stoner Metal chant emanating pure anger from its lyrics (“You are a brave man, / some father’s son. / Hammer your hard head, / against the ground. / You’re going to flex your muscles, / and bare your teeth. / Break everything around you, / you know I’ll hold my god damn stance.”). Guitarist Collin Young does a superb job with his wicked noises while drummer Jon Galletly delivers those slow and extremely heavy beats we love in this type of music, with yet another ending transpiring hopelessness and anguish.

hammerhandsHigh Plains is just perfect for an eerie strip-tease done by a mischievous and devilish woman, an obscure Sludge and Doom Metal tune led by the thunderous bass by Justin and the slow and steady beats by Jon, not to mention the spot-on vocals by Collin throughout the entire song. And the title-track Largo Forte begins as obscure as its predecessor, with the bass lines kicking you in the face while Collin fires some Sabbath-inspired riffs in the background. Moreover, the music is kept low and dark almost in its entirety, suddenly exploding into pure hatred through the desperate screams by NJ. Mezzo Grave, displaying some wicked noises and screeches, works as a bridge to If You’re Not Part of the Party, You’re Part of the Problem, showcasing downright distortion and an endless dosage of aggressiveness. The thunderous sounds blasted by bass and drums will pierce your mind, whereas NJ continues delivering his anguished lines until the song’s chaotic and heavy ending.

With a start lot lighter than all previous tunes, Where We Go brings forward more melodious and melancholic sounds thanks to the guitar lines by Collin. Albeit being a good composition, it’s slightly below the rest of the album in terms of quality and creativity, but fortunately that doesn’t last long as we’re treated to the almost pure Doom Metal tune Darkerness with its low-tuned sonority and slow, heavy pace. This song presents a tormented intro that goes on for over two minutes, warning the listener that darkness is upon us, which is only confirmed through its macabre lyrics (“We’ll gut them, / and bleed them dry. / They’ll scream for hope, / but die inside. / Now that they plunge, / there is no right. / This place, / no light.”). Furthermore, as already happened in previous songs, its ending is a noisy and deranged chaos. In The Hardest Thing we have one final blast of distress, with Collin declaiming the lyrics through his somber and funereal vocals while the rest of the band plays some sort of Tarantino-inspired noisy Blues, an interesting way to close such a substantial album.

There’s a nice way to enjoy the whole album on YouTube in the 49-minute official video crafted by the band, displaying deserted landscapes, predatory reptiles, burning lava, among other beautiful scenes from Mother Nature, and you can also visit their Facebook page and YouTube channel to know more about their music and future projects. Obviously, you can purchase Largo Forte at Hammerhands’ BandCamp page to show your true support to these talented Mississaugans whose job is to provide us fans of Sludge metal exactly the type of music needed on our gloomiest days.

Best moments of the album: THUNDERCHUNK, High Plains and If You’re Not Part of the Party, You’re Part of the Problem.

Worst moments of the album: Where We Go.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Eighteen 4:58
2. THUNDERCHUNK 7:11
3. High Plains 4:57
4. Largo Forte 6:44
5. Mezzo Grave 2:34
6. If You’re Not Part of the Party, You’re Part of the Problem 3:39
7. Where We Go 5:50
8. Darkerness 7:58
9. The Hardest Thing 5:25

Band members
NJ Borreta – vocals, guitar
Collin Young – guitar, vocals on “High Plains”, “Where We Go” and “The Hardest Thing”
Justin Hunt – bass, backing vocals
Jon Galletly – drums, backing vocals

Guest musician
Andrew Couto – saxophone on “Darkerness”

Album Review – Rigor Mortis BR / The One Who… (2016)

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Feel the stiffness of death dominate your body after being crushed by the brutal Death Metal blasted by this old school quartet made in Brazil.

Rating5

capa02-grandeRigor mortis (or “stiffness of death” from Latin), is one of the recognizable signs of death caused by chemical changes in the muscles post mortem, which cause the limbs of the corpse to stiffen. Just add to that a “BR”, and the final result will exhale putridity and toughness, the two main elements found in the impetuous Death Metal played by the excellent Brazilian underground squad Rigor Morts BR, who are releasing a feast of old school extreme music entitled The One Who… for the delight of fans of Suffocation, Cryptopsy, Dying Fetus and Cannibal Corpse. If you’re ready to bang your head like a maniac until your neck stiffens to the point you cannot move it anymore, then Rigor Mortis BR will definitely help you achieve your main objective.

Formed in the 90’s by guitarist Alexandre Rigor in the city of Porto Alegre, the capital of Brazil’s most southern state, Rio Grande do Sul, Rigor Mortis BR offer fans of heavy music a lecture in brutality mixed with a refined technique, always loyal to the foundations of Death Metal by keeping their musicality extremely raw and visceral. Going beyond the limits of the human mind and especially of our actions and primeval nature in their lyrics, Rigor Mortis BR have been fighting for years against financial setbacks and the hassles of finding a record label, but it seems they have finally found the right partner for the release of The One Who…, as the entire team from Sangue Frio Produções are huge supporters of the Brazilian underground scene and certainly provided everything Rigor Mortis BR needed to spread their carnivorous Death Metal all over the world.

A short macabre Intro prepares the listener for Dialeto de Morto (“dialect of the dead”), a putrid Death Metal composition that takes violence to the limit, with bassist Christian Peixoto blasting some low-tuned punches before drummer Ricardo “Chakal” Chiarello begins his furious performance. Their sonic carnage continues with the demented Psychotropic Illness, where lead singer Leafar Sagrav (or Rafael Vargas backwards) sounds truly possessed due to his bestial deep gnarls while Alexandre Rigor delivers old school riffs through his evil guitar; followed by Human Flesh Juice, with the putrescent growls by Leafar and the insane beats by Chakal leading this infernal tune that brings forward traditional Death Metal with hints of Black Metal. Despite being cavernous at all times, it’s still very technical, showcasing how skillful the entire band is, as for example the wicked solos by Alexandre.

Medieval Impalement, the longest of all tracks, presents elements from sluggish and evil Doom Metal with Leafar offering some hellish gnarls commonly found in Black Metal, therefore enhancing the song’s obscurity. It’s tailored for fans of the heaviest form of Death Metal you can think of, where the sounds brought forth by Alexandre on guitars are insanely menacing. Following that damned song, Rigor Mortis BR keep paving their furious path of devastation with Find Body Parts Toy, with highlights to its unstoppable beats and another demented performance by Leafar on vocals. The second song of the album sung in Brazilian Portuguese and a demonic composition that sounds absolutely demolishing, Febrônio Índio do Brazil, is about a famous Brazilian serial killer known as “Filho da Luz” (or “son of light”), with the entire band translating the violence and bloodshed of his lunatic acts into their merciless Death Metal.

Interlúdio is a very quick break before all hell breaks loose once again with Raw Meat Sugar, with Chakal sounding as if he’s pounding his drums with a sledgehammer, consequently reaching a whole new level of heaviness and being highly recommended for some sanguinary mosh pits and ferocious headbanging. And closing the album we have the title-track The One Who…, bringing forward some modern elements without losing its old school essence. While Leafar’s growls and screams get deeper and deeper, Alexandre fires razor-edged riffs that will cut your ears mercilessly until the end of this bestial song.

In order to explode your ears and stiffen your neck headbanging to the music by Rigor Mortis BR, go check their Facebook, YouTube and ReverbNation. There are several locations where you can purchase The One Who…, as for instance the Sangue Frio Produções’ webstore, The Metal Vox, Heavy Metal Rock, the Odicelaf webstore and directly from the band’s Facebook shop. By supporting bands like Rigor Mortis BR, you are not only providing your neck an endless source of pain due to the brutality emanating from their music, but you’re also helping underground Death Metal to stay alive, which is always a good thing.

Best moments of the album: Dialeto de Morto, Human Flesh Juice and Raw Meat Sugar.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Sangue Frio Records

Track listing
1. Intro 0:23
2. Dialeto de Morto 2:31
3. Psychotropic Illness 4:45
4. Human Flesh Juice 3:26
5. Medieval Impalement 6:14
6. Find Body Parts Toy 3:58
7. Febrônio Índio do Brazil 3:28
8. Interlúdio 0:24
9. Raw Meat Sugar 3:56
10. The One Who… 2:48

Band members
Leafar Sagrav – vocals
Alexandre Rigor – guitar
Christian Peixoto – bass
Ricardo “Chakal” Chiarello – drums

Album Review – Eteritus / Following the Ancient Path (2016)

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Follow the ancient path of old school Death Metal engendered by another promising band from the underground of Polish music.

Rating4

eteritus_coverOnce again, it’s time to take a direct flight to the beautiful Republic of Poland, more specifically to the city of Toruń, for another blast of high-quality Polish metal music. Located in northern Poland, Toruń is not only one of the oldest cities in the country, but also the birthplace of the renowned astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. This charming and important city, which was was added to the list of Seven Wonders of Poland in 2007, might have the nickname “City of Angels” due to the angel in its coat of arms, but after listening to Following the Ancient Path, the debut full-length opus by Death Metal quartet Eteritus, we should also start calling it as “City of Death Metal”.

The band was founded in February 2013, when guitarist Zimny (also known as Zima) and drummer Nitro met, and after vocalist Liam Tailor joined the band one month later they already started working on new material. One year after the band’s inception, the EP Tales of Death was born and Eteritus’ lineup was completed by bassist Greg. After receiving many positive reviews from fans and critics, the band began working on what would become Following the Ancient Path, a storm of old school Death Metal for fans of sheer aggressiveness in music. Featuring a dark and traditional artwork by Polish artist Bartek Kurzok (who has already worked with other amazing underground bands such as Abigail, Ulcer and Deathstorm), this is one of those albums that despite knowing what you’re going to get, you always feel positively surprised with the level of professionalism and dedication from all band members, which always translates into kick-ass metal music.

A metallic Intro presenting eerie guitar sounds warms up the listener until Biocentric kicks off emanating aggressiveness, with vocalist and guitarist Liam Tailor leading the band’s sonic attack boosted by the sharp sounds and endless electricity flowing from the guitars. Moreover, this tune is tailored for some sick headbanging due to its menacing rhythm, which can also be said about the heavy and barbaric Hellish Imagery, where Liam delivers anger and darkness through his growls while Nitro varies between pure groove and demonic blast beats, living up to the tradition of old school Death Metal. And in the demonic composition The Unliving Thing, Liam becomes the creature exhaling brutality through its horror movie-inspired lyrics (“Dark moon reflects in the eye of the beast / He longs for his brood, calls for his kin / Watching with dead eyes / Searching for blood / Running from daylight / Hiding from sun”), with Nitro and Zima supporting him with his blazing beats and riffs, respectively.

eteritus_bandConsider yourself in the eye of a metal storm while listening to the vicious Eye of the Storm, a pure Death Metal chant where all instruments sound boisterous, especially the bass lines à la Alex Webster by Greg. Due to its awesome rhythm, the song never gets boring or tiresome; quite the contrary, it’s bestial in its entirety, maintaining the fire burning in the fantastic Incinerator, with its flammable lyrics (“Walking on the ashes of a scorched, dead world / Burned to the ground in a fiery storm / Cemetery silence, instilling fear / The light in your eye like a tip of a spear”) and its accelerated rhythm led by Nitro. Blending elements from Thrash Metal to their traditional Death Metal, this is not only one of the top moments of the album, but it will also work perfectly when played live.

The bestiality in Following the Ancient Path goes on with another carnivorous composition titled Somber Mind, with the band generating the perfect dark ambience for Liam to fire some really deep gnarls, including some obscure guitar solos and crushing beats, followed by the also solid End of Line.  The second to last song of the album brings forward sheer darkness, with the cutting bass guitar by Greg igniting a feast of visceral growls and intricate drumming, also showcasing poisonous riffs and endless aggressiveness. And if you love kick-ass high-octane Death Metal with hints of Black and Thrash Metal let me tell you that Mortal Prophecy will certainly satisfy your needs, being vile and thunderous from start to finish, also presenting interesting tempo changes and a fiery guitar solo at the end.

You can follow the ancient path of old school Death Metal engendered by Eteritus by liking their Facebook page, and grab your copy of the album at the Godz ov War Productions’ webshop or BandCamp page, as well as at Discogs. Yet again, we’re facing an up-and-coming band from Poland delivering top-of-the-line extreme music, consequently carving their names in the underground Polish scene, and I believe they will soon conquer other parts of Europe and the rest of the world thanks to their honesty, their talent, their passion for heavy music and their electrified attitude.

Best moments of the album: Eye of the Storm and Incinerator.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Intro 1:25
2. Biocentric 4:23
3. Hellish Imagery 4:32
4. The Unliving Thing 4:04
5. Eye of the Storm 3:07
6. Incinerator 3:16
7. Somber Mind 3:41
8. End of Line 3:41
9. Mortal Prophecy 4:16

Band members
Liam Tailor – vocals, guitars
Zima – guitars
Greg – bass
Nitro – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Esthibaliz Rojas

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esthibaliz01

Oh mother night put thy arms around me…

Fans of Symphonic Metal with operatic vocals, rejoice! Let me introduce you to one of the most promising and accomplished female singers in the entire Latin America, a woman who, despite being really young at age, has already built a respectful career and a more than solid background in music, which obviously translates into pure delight when she hits the stage and treats us with her potent and delicate vocals. Her real full name is Rebeca Estibaliz Ramos Rojas, but you might already know her by Esthibaliz Rojas, Estibaliz Ramos or even by her artistic nickname Esthibaliz Bathory, a stylish wordplay with her own name and the name of Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Well, let’s say that this vampirical moniker totally suits our charming and metallic diva, and I’ll show you why.

Born on October 4, 1983 in Mexico City, capital of the always fun country of Mexico, and raised in a small family by her mother, grandmother and older brother, our talented Mexican lyric-coloratura soprano (who’s also an actress, composer and teacher) has nurtured a profound passion for performing arts since she was a little girl, taking part in school choirs and “estudiantinas” (or student music groups), studying classical dance and watching musical plays with great interest, especially the ones from English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. At the age of 15 she was advised by her friends and family that she should take singing lessons and pursue a professional career in music, and that’s exactly what she did by studying for two years at the Escuela Superior de Composición y Arreglo Musical (ESCAM), and by getting a bachelor’s degree in singing at the Escuela Superior de Música (CNA). In addition, Esthibaliz has also taken private singing classes with Mexican soprano Guadalupe Pérez Arias and with Mexican-Italian mezzo-soprano Eugenia Sutti. During her studies, she already started her career in music by joining the Sociedad Coral Cantus Hominum, a symphonic choir led by Mexican tenor Leonardo Villeda.

However, if there’s one type of music that truly touches her heart, it’s our beloved Heavy Metal, especially its subgenres Symphonic and Progressive Metal as they represent the perfect fusion of opera and metal music, with bands such as Rhapsody (or Rhapsody of Fire), Dream Theater and Nightwish becoming an important part of her life and the biggest inspiration for her career. It was then in 2006 when she replied to an ad requesting a female singer for a Gothic Rock band that she met guitarist Christian García, who invited her to join Mexican Gothic Metal band Erszebeth, leading to the recording of the album La Condesa Inmortal (or “The Immortal Countess”, in English) in 2007, and the album Equilibrio in 2013. By the way, all lyrics and vocal melodies found in Equilibrio were written by Esthibaliz. If you want to take a listen at the music by Erszebeth, simply go to YouTube where you’ll find excellent songs such as Equilibrio.

In 2008, Esthibaliz started a relationship with singer and composer Mario del Rio, founder and leader of the bands Oblivion Requiem and Rip Rapunzel, consequently becoming the female singer for Rip Rapunzel and releasing in 2010 their first album entitled Broken Tales. For instance, you can listen to her beautiful voice with Rip Rapunzel in the song Corazon de Plomo, and with Oblivion Requiem she recorded the song Time to Say Goodbye, for the 2008 album Sampler Carpe Noctem Vol. 1. As a matter of fact, there are so many other bands, projects and live performances where we can admire the gentle vocals by Esthibaliz it’s hard to name all of them without forgetting a few, but I’ll try my best. Our Mexican diva has already lent her voice to the eccentric project Dueto Amaterasu, as you can see in the song Terra (Wanderer of Time), from Final Fantasy VI; doing vocals and choirs in a Mexican project focused on cover songs named Los Abortos De Tu Jefa; singing the song In Dreams live in 2008 with Mexican Heavy Metal band Exsecror Vecordia, and recording the studio song Soledad, from the 2009 album Escapulario by Mexican Gothic Rock band Vía Dolorosa; as well as participating in the personal project by Oswaldo de León, guitarist for Mexican group La Castañeda.

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Perhaps the most promising project/band in heavy music featuring Esthibaliz nowadays is Mexican/Argentine Symphonic Metal band Melphomene, and this one deserves a more detailed explanation so distinct it is. In Greek mythology, Melpomene (without the “h”) is one of the two theater Muses, initially being the Muse of singing and musical harmony but later being recognized as the Muse of Tragedy. A myth says that Melpomene had all the riches that a woman could have, such as beauty, money and men, but even having it all she could not be happy, leading to the true drama of life. This is the perfect depiction of the music played by Melphomene, which can be testified in songs such as Mother Night and Maiden & Death, and many others in their official YouTube channel.

Apart from all those metal and non-metal bands, our Mexican beauty has also taken part in several plays and musicals, only showcasing how limitless her talent and passion for music and arts are. In 2010, she played a role in “Alicia Más Allá Del Espejo” by Adrian Gallardo, and adaptation of the 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; and in 2012, Philip von Reutter, director and founder of  “Canto en Movimiento”, invites her to be part of their cast for a series of presentations in Florence, Italy, becoming part of their coaching team (one of her favorite duties, by the way) in 2013 and getting ready to perform the plays “Verdi Ritrovato” and “Future Sound” in London, England that same year.

And in case you thought she would simply settle down after all that, you might be surprised with everything else she’s also engaged in. In 2011, Esthibaliz becomes interested in the Speech Level Singing technique, learning its vocal technique, style, scenic expression and contemporary interpretation at the International Vocal Training school founded by Seth Riggs and Michael Jackson. In addition to that, she also joined the Centro Cultural Virginia Fábregas to begin a career in Musical Comedy, taking theatrical dancing, Jazz, tap, ballet, acting, vocal and speech classes. Well, it looks like there isn’t a limit for our tenacious “mamacita” when it comes to expanding her boundaries in music and arts.

Lastly, if you know Spanish or if you’re studying it and already have a relatively good understanding of the language, there is a 20-minute interview Esthibaliz gave to a program called CINECAFÉ & + in 2015 where she talks about her personal life and career in a nice and relaxed way. Although I could have translated everything she’s talking about and made your lives a little easier, I won’t do that because I consider this a great motivation for you all to learn one of the top languages in the world. I guess watching the gorgeous Esthibaliz talking about heavy music and arts in her mother tongue for 20 minutes beats any grammar book hands down, no matter how good the book might be, don’t you agree? And as today, November 2, is the popular Mexican holiday named “Día de los Muertos” (or “Day of the Dead” in English), why not enjoying Esthibaliz providing her own medley for Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist and The Omen themes as part of the celebrations? Or maybe you prefer watching our screaming diva unleashing hell in her cover version for the unparalleled classic Nemesis, by Arch Enemy, or even Chop Suey, by System Of A Down? There’s a lot more to relish at her official YouTube channel, in case you’re interested in seeing more of our Mexican babe in action. I’m sure you’ll have a very good time enjoying Esthibaliz and her unique voice, no doubt about that.

Esthibaliz Rojas’ Official Facebook page
Esthibaliz Rojas’ Official YouTube channel
Esthibaliz Rojas’ Official Twitter
Esthibaliz Rojas’ Official Instagram
Erszebeth’s Official Facebook page
Melphomene’s Official Facebook page

Album Review – Lordi / Monstereophonic (Theaterror vs. Demonarchy) (2016)

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This Halloween let’s all eat, drink, be scary and listen to another kick-ass Rock N’ Roll party brought forth by the most awesome horde of hair-raising monsters in the universe.

Rating4

lordi-monstereophonicOnce again it’s Halloween, or All Hallows’ Evening as many people prefer, a day dedicated to remembering the dead and to many distinct activities such as trick-or-treating, attending costume parties and carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, and there’s nothing better to set fire to that amazing celebration than the top-notch Hard Rock and Heavy Metal played by the most awesome horde of scary monsters in the universe, Finnish icons Lordi. With that said, put on your most spine-chilling costume, grab some chocolate (or beer) and head to the nearest Halloween party blowing your speakers to the music by Mr. Lordi and his (were)wolfpack, who are back with another excellent release entitled Monstereophonic (Theaterror vs. Demonarchy), the eighth studio album in their solid career.

And let me tell you that Monstereophonic (Theaterror vs. Demonarchy) is different from everything these guys have done since their inception back in 1992, with the album being divided in two distinct parts. While the first half of the album (Theaterror) showcases their classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, the second half of the album (Demonarchy) is conceptual and includes 6 or more minute songs that sound a lot heavier than what we’re used to, talking about the unholy gathering of The Undead Son, The Bloodsucking Count, The She-Wolf and The Witch, and their story with a little girl named Lizzy. The band also announced that their new costumes would be split in half, representing the two sides of the album. The overall production of the album is outstanding as usual, enhancing the experience of listening to our beloved monstrosities transforming the fusion of fear, love and electricity into old school heavy music.

In THEATERROR, we’re treated to one of those wicked intros by Lordi, entitled SCG8: One Message Waiting, this time with a freak named Ruiz threatening a woman from right outside her house, before the band kicks off Let’s Go Slaughter He-Man (I Wanna Be the Beast-Man in the Masters of the Universe), showcasing that great Hard Rock from the 80’s with the crisp keyboards by Hella adding an extra touch of nostalgia to the song. Moreover, as cheesy as the song and its lyrics might sound, it ends up working extremely well, being fun and energetic in its entirety. Besides, who doesn’t want to see He-Man dead, right? Anyway, Hug You Hardcore is another mid-tempo classic composition displaying a fantastic main riff by Mr. Lordi’s right-hand man Amen (just don’t ask me to talk about the lyrics), whereas Down with the Devil can be considered a newborn Hard Rock hymn, from its hellish riffs and keyboards to its spooky lyrics (“They say the devil dressed me / They hear him speak when I speak / They say I’m lost and damned / But I know damn well just where I am”). It’s a mandatory choice for the soundtrack to the most awesome Halloween party you can think of (and the best song of the album in my opinion), with its catchier-than-hell chorus getting even more awesome due to the song’s classy backing vocals.

Slowing down and getting more obscure, Mary Is Dead tells the sad story of how the death of a woman was kept a secret by her lover (who was also her killer, by the way), with Hella kicking ass with her melancholic notes while Mana delivers his precise doomed beats; followed by Sick Flick, another old school Lordi chant offered to the listener.  The band makes a statement that the Rock N’ Roll party is just starting through the song’s upbeat rhythm and the excellent riffs and solos blasted by Amen. Once again we face cheesy lyrics inspired by classic Hard Rock from the 80’s with a horror movie twist, and once again that works perfectly. And the end of Theaterror couldn’t sound more Lordi than None for One, bringing forward all the elements we expect in their music. Furthermore, Lordi’s kitchen architects Ox, Mana and Hella craft such an inspiring ambience with their instruments it’s impossible to stand still to the beat of the song.

lordi-2016An eerie intro named SCG VIII: Opening Scene informs the listener the second part of the album, the conceptual DEMONARCHY, is about to begin, and it’s time for some brutal Heavy Metal with Demonarchy, with Mana pounding his drums while Amen is on fire with his riffs. This is by far the most aggressive composition of the whole album, a sensational display of what Mr. Lordi and his crew can do when they get truly heavy with the creepy keyboards by the sexy doll Hella embellishing the overall result even more. A lot more melodious, the slow-paced The Unholy Gathering continues from where the previous song stopped in the storyline, and when they speed up the musicality it becomes a heavy music extravaganza with highlights to the potent vocals by Mr. Lordi and the spooky notes by Hella. And it looks like the second half of the album is indeed dedicated to much heavier and darker material based on what the band delivers in Heaven Sent Hell on Earth, one of those headbanging badass compositions with a gripping story in the background and a chorus that is yet again a beautiful option to sing along with the band.

The final triumvirate of Hard Rock blasted by Lordi is pure awesomeness, starting with And the Zombie Says, a first-class Heavy Metal tune with brilliant guitar lines and keyboards, not to mention the thunderous drums by Mana and the song’s beautiful chorus. It’s a nonstop action-packed song that transpires adrenaline until its very last second, with Mr. Lordi providing an amazing performance on vocals as usual.  In the neck-breaking chant Break of Dawn, another song to scream the chorus together with Mr. Lordi and a song also played to perfection by all band members, Amen kicks some serious ass with his sharp riffs. And last but not least, The Night the Monsters Died is the perfect climatic ending to the story being told and to the whole album, full of breaks and soulful passages and solos, and having as its main element a more-than-addictive chorus (“It’s the morning after the night / The night the monsters died / Don’t have to be afraid / Cause we’re already dead / It’s the morning after the night / The night the monsters died / We’ll never say goodbye / For the final time”). Put differently, this is a full-bodied composition that will put a smile on the face of everyone that listens to it, no matter how angry or sad that person might be.

There’s that Halloween quote by an unknown author that says we should all “eat, drink and be scary”, but after listening to such an entertaining album of kick-ass melodic old school Hard Rock and Heavy Metal I guess we need to change the saying to something like “eat, drink, be scary and listen to Lordi”. It’s insanely hard for a band to top a once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece like The Arockalypse, but Mr. Lordi and his living-dead crew have been on a roll since their 2013 release To Beast or Not to Beast, constantly producing high-end material for the undead masses. Could it be the charming spell Hella put on Lordi when she joined the band back in 2012? Or has Mr. Lordi found a special full moon that fully recharges his monster power endlessly? Either way, it looks like it will need a lot more than just garlic, silver bullets, sunlight and any other known weapon to kill the music by this iconic herd of rockin’ monsters from Finland.

Best moments of the album: Down with the Devil, Demonarchy, And the Zombie Says and The Night the Monsters Died.

Worst moments of the album: The Unholy Gathering.

Released in 2016 AFM Records

Track listing
1. SCG8: One Message Waiting 1:10
2. Let’s Go Slaughter He-Man (I Wanna Be the Beast-Man in the Masters of the Universe) 4:30
3. Hug You Hardcore 3:40
4. Down with the Devil 4:29
5. Mary Is Dead 4:37
6. Sick Flick 4:00
7. None for One 4:15
8. SCG VIII: Opening Scene 1:22
9. Demonarchy 6:01
10. The Unholy Gathering 5:09
11. Heaven Sent Hell on Earth 5:43
12. And the Zombie Says 6:23
13. Break of Dawn 5:47
14. The Night the Monsters Died 7:13

Band members
Mr. Lordi – vocals
Amen – guitars
OX – bass
Hella – keyboards
Mana – drums

Album Review – Testament / Brotherhood Of The Snake (2016)

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Join the Brotherhood of Thrash Metal spearheaded by one of the heaviest, most technical and most electrifying bands on the entire planet or die.

Rating1

testament_brotherhood-of-the-snakeRight after taking your first listen at Brotherhood Of The Snake, the eleventh studio album by American Thrash Metal servicemen Testament, you’ll realize what you have in your hands is a newborn metal classic. From start to finish, Brotherhood Of The Snake offers fans of both old school and modern Thrash Metal everything we love and crave in this type of music, from deep guttural vocals and supersonic blast beats to intricate and hellish guitar riffs and solos. And after Brotherhood Of The Snake, we can also say Testament brought into being a new first-class trilogy in heavy music, as all albums released after the band’s huge time off from studio in the early 2000’s, those being The Formation Of Damnation (2008), Dark Roots Of Earth (2012) and now Brotherhood Of The Snake, are beyond magnificent.

Featuring a menacing and classy artwork by Israeli artist Eliran Kantor, who has been working with Testament in all their releases since 2008, Brotherhood Of The Snake transpires pure Thrash Metal in all its 45 minutes of duration. Of course there are also their classic mid-tempo and slow, heavy tunes, but more than half of the album is comprised of high-speed thrashy material that will certainly ignite some demented mosh pits during their live concerts. Regarding the main concept of the album, Chuck has stated in one of his interviews that the album draws lyrical inspiration from the ancient astronaut hypothesis, namely through the Ancient Aliens television program. Furthermore, he said the title comes from the name of an ancient secret society (set up thousands of years ago by an alien named Ea or Enki, by the way).

The initial cavernous roar by Chuck in the title-track Brotherhood of the Snake is the epitome of the whole album, being barbaric, intimidating and thrilling at the same time. Moreover, the perfect riffs by both Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick are mightily enhanced by the thunderous beats blasted by the juggernaut Gene Hoglan, making the lyrics sound even more meaningful in the end (“They’ve taken the tablets and hidden the scrolls / To deceive the ones they protect / The truth of creation, mutation of man / Entombed in the vatican walls”), with the song’s heavier-than-hell ending being just the icing on the cake. And it looks like their Thrash Metal onslaught has no time to end based on the amazing The Pale King, where it’s possible to savor the potent sound emanating from each instrument due to the crystal clear production of the album, in special the rumbling weapon carried by Steve Di Giorgio. In addition, Chuck treats us all with another of his flawless performances on vocals in this rhythmic and raw composition, something only a band like Testament can provide.

testament-2016Stronghold feels like a tribute to themselves and to the golden years of Bay Area Thrash, a fuckin’ kick-ass mosh pit-generator with bestial vocals and even more bestial backing vocals with the guitars by Eric and Alex penetrating our bones and lacerating our spinal cords mercilessly. In other words, this is a sonic orgasm for fans of fast and furious Thrash Metal from the 80’s, and I guess I don’t need to repeat myself and say it will sound absolutely perfect when played live. Following that thrashy storm, we have Seven Seals, showcasing beautiful guitar solos by Eric and Alex as well as intelligent and meaningful lyrics powerfully declaimed by Chuck, all embraced by heaviness to the second power, and it doesn’t matter if Gene is playing at full speed or if the song demands groovier and more rhythmic beats, he always delivers. And Born in a Rut, another groovy composition with fierce drums and a more serene (but also obscure) aura, concludes the first half of the album on a high note, perfect for enjoying a cold a beer while banging your head to another lesson in heavy music by Testament.

Another sensational hymn by Chuck and his unstoppable horde in undoubtedly Centuries of Suffering, where the dynamic duo Eric and Alex are once again on fire with their boisterous guitars, delivering riffs and solos that sound like if they were forged in the fires of the underworld. Not only that, what Gene does with his drum kit at around two minutes is truly impressive, increasing the song’s quality and ferocity to a whole new level. That guy is indeed a human wrecking machine. In Neptune’s Spear (a beautiful name for a first-class song), I can’t decide if the pounding drums by Gene or the blazing guitar riffs and solos by both Eric and Alex are the best elements of it, not to mention the aggressiveness brought forth by Steve and his unique bass sounds; whereas Black Jack is the ultimate soundtrack for an insane cards game “in the city of sin”, with its straightforward lyrics being boosted by its demolishing instrumental.

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Brotherhood Of The Snake Limited Edition Book Boxset

I’m neither pro nor against the theme explored in Canna-Business as I believe each one of us has the freedom to do whatever we want with our lives, and that’s why I want to focus on the music itself rather than on the discussion if that’s right or wrong. The whole song is evidently overpowering and electrifying, as expected in any composition by Testament, a high-octane chant with Chuck barking like a beast as well as providing some really deep vocals and vociferations. And lastly, The Number Game keeps the fire of Thrash Metal burning high and bright, with the performances by Chuck and Gene trespassing the frontiers of aggressiveness. No words can describe their awesomeness, especially the crazy beats and fills by Gene, therefore I suggest you simply go listen to it nonstop and don’t forget to break your fuckin’ neck headbanging to its brilliant hellish riffs.

There’s a series of videos on Nuclear Blast’s YouTube channel where Testament discuss each song of the album, their inspiration to write Brotherhood Of The Snake and the ancient alien theme, among other topics, like you can see for example HERE. I personally recommend you go watch those videos to get more involved with such an epic album, and of course if you’re planning on buying this instant classic just go for the Limited Edition Book Boxset, which includes the CD, the complete album on five brown 7 inch EP’s, an oversized 7 inch booklet, a 40×60 inch poster flag and a metal pin. Join the Brotherhood of Thrash Metal spearheaded by Testament, one of the heaviest, most technical and most electrifying bands on the entire planet or die. As simple as that.

Best moments of the album: Brotherhood of the Snake, Stronghold, Centuries of Suffering and The Number Game.

Worst moments of the album: Obviously none.

Released in 2016 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Brotherhood of the Snake 4:14
2. The Pale King 4:51
3. Stronghold 4:00
4. Seven Seals 5:38
5. Born in a Rut 4:57
6. Centuries of Suffering 3:34
7. Neptune’s Spear 5:27
8. Black Jack 4:21
9. Canna-Business 3:47
10. The Number Game 4:38

Band members
Chuck Billy – vocals
Eric Peterson – guitar
Alex Skolnick – guitar
Steve Di Giorgio – bass
Gene Hoglan – drums

Album Review – Hostis / Hostis (2016)

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Experience all the destruction caused by the first-class fusion of Death and Thrash Metal by this technical band from Montenegro, blasting their austere message against politics, religion and media manipulation.

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1-cover-artFans of the demolishing sound bred by extreme music giants such as Kreator, Sepultura, Exodus and Cannibal Corpse have a very good reason to turn their eyes to the cities of Budva, a Montenegrin town on the Adriatic Sea, and Tivat, a coastal town in southwest Montenegro located around 40 minutes from Budva. If you truly enjoy breaking your neck headbanging to traditional Death and Thrash Metal, I recommend you take a shot at the self-titled debut album by Montenegrin act Hostis, a 6-track album containing 6 crushing composition by a band whose name has 6 letters. Hence, the final number is 666, which means no further explanation is required regarding the core essence of Hostis and their purpose in our dying world.

Founded in 2010 by Srđan Mišović (vocals and programming), Miloš Klikovac (guitars) and Aleksandar Dragojević (bass guitar), all members of Montenegrin Atmospheric Death Metal band Abhoth, Hostis base their lyrics on social issues, mostly against political and religious dogma and indoctrination and media manipulation. Their debut album also features special guitar solos by Montenegrin musician Stefan Stanišić, as well as solos by Luka Milošević (Deadly Mosh, Istrulity) and Dušan Mlađenović (Alister), both hailing from Serbia. In addition, the stunning old school artwork drawn and initially coloured by Zvonimir Grabić, with the whole graphic design and editing done by Milena Nićić (Myllen), increases the darkness and impact of the music found in Hostis to a point the whole album feels like a classic Death Metal album from the 90’s and not like the debut release from a brand new band.

Tailored for admirers of the cutting and sharp sound of old school Thrash Metal riffs, the opening track Hostis is an instrumental extravaganza containing all elements we love in extreme music such as technical solos, nonstop drums and endless heaviness. In other words, a great display of modern Thrash and Death Metal flawlessly delivered by all band members, getting the listener more-than-ready for the havoc beautifully entitled Beneath The Machinery Of Demise. When Srđan starts growling the song’s lyrics like a demonic beast (“Throne of megalomania / Upon the ashes of scattered lives / Twisting the fragments of reality / Beneath the machinery of demise”), supported by the piercing guitar lines by Miloš, you’ll definitely feel tempted to bang your head like a maniac or slam into the pit to this brutal and dense Death Metal chant.

hostisThe sensational Mutilation Of Truth kicks off as pure Bay Area Thrash the likes of Exodus and Testament, with the vocals by Srđan leaning towards the deepest guttural found in Death Metal. Moreover, it’s amazing how Hostis sound so polished and crude at the same time, with the potent sounds of all instruments being enhanced by the album’s outstanding production, not to mention all the song’s tempo changes that end up increasing its overall quality and potency. Demigods is another bestial fusion of Death and Thrash Metal led by the scorching riffs by Miloš, with the bass guitar by Aleksandar truly adding the world “metal” to the musicality. It’s another song that sounds like two or three in one, showcasing the band’s versatility and dexterity to keep their music interesting all the time.

There isn’t a single song that doesn’t sound brutal and technical in Hostis, which is also the case in the seven minutes of low-tuned progressive and demonic sounds found in In Shadow Of The Crucified, a rhythmic aria of darkness exhibiting awesome guitar lines and solos and the always cavernous growls by Srđan. And how do you think the album ends? Well, obviously with more devastation brought forth by such talented band, this time named Gods Are Dead. We must admit it’s pretty hard for most human beings to reach such demented level of guttural growls, which makes the work done on vocals by Srđan even more impressive. And after a creepy break halfway through the song, Hostis return in full force and keep delivering first-class Extreme Metal until all is said and done.

Do you want to experience all the destruction caused by the infernal and intense music crafted by this high-skilled band from Montenegro? Simply go check their Facebook page for news, tour dates and future projects, and their YouTube channel to listen to their music at top volume just like any good Death and Thrash Metal band deserves. And if you want to buy this excellent album, you can find it on sale at Discogs by clicking HERE or HERE. The extreme aggression of Death and Thrash Metal, together with an acid message against politics and religion, always results in top-notch music, and with Hostis that magic formula will certainly continue to have an amazing impact on fans of extreme music for many years to come.

Best moments of the album: Mutilation Of Truth and Demigods.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Miner Recordings

Track listing
1. Hostis 5:44
2. Beneath The Machinery Of Demise 6:35
3. Mutilation Of Truth 6:16
4. Demigods  6:25
5. In Shadow Of The Crucified 7:02
6. Gods Are Dead 7:28

Band members
Srđan Mišović – vocals, programming
Miloš Klikovac – guitars
Aleksandar Dragojević – bass

Guest musicians
Stefan Stanišić – lead guitar
Luka Milošević – lead guitar
Dušan Mlađenović – lead guitar

Interview – Cadaveria

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Descend into the dark world of Cadaveria and Necrodeath in this exclusive interview to The Headbanging Moose where Cadaveria herself and Flegias discuss the past, present and future of their music, their high-yielding longtime partnership and the metal scene in Italy, among other topics.

cadaveria

Cadaveria

The Headbanging Moose: First of all, could you please give a brief introduction of who Cadaveria is for the readers of The Headbanging Moose who for some reason don’t know you and your music yet? How would you define your style, and what’s your main objective with your music?

Cadaveria: CADAVERIA was formed in 2001 by Marçelo Santos (Flegias) and I with the intent to create a virtual space where to freely express ourselves as musicians and extreme artists. Since then we released five full length albums, a double DVD and, recently, an EP, entitled Mondoscuro, with the cooperation of Necrodeath. Basically our music is a personal mix of Black Metal and Death Metal with Doom and Gothic influences. Fans and critics have labeled it Horror Metal, not just for my dark and pale image, but rather for the obscure atmospheres evoked by our songs. This definition leaves us free to experiment while we compose and to play the music we like and feel, with no particular boundaries and without following any trend.

THM: What was the main idea that originated the amazing and distinct project Mondoscuro? You defined it as “a blood pact between two diabolic entities that will give life to a new irreligious and obscure soul”. Could you please explain that in more details for our readers?

Cadaveria: The idea to work with Necrodeath was flowing in our minds since a long time. These two bands have an individual history and they have always walked along parallel paths without meeting each other, but at the same time there is a strong connection between them, for the fact we share two band members: our drummer, Marçelo Santos/Flegias, is Necrodeath’s singer and GL/Peter Dayton plays the bass in both the bands. Last year we felt the time has come to make it real, so we started thinking about this EP and its contents. We wanted to create something special, not an ordinary split EP, and we wanted the two bands interact on the same songs. Finally Mondoscuro features two brand new and co-written songs, two covers (one of The Beatles and one of Type O Negative) and two unusual “exchange of roles”, that see CADAVERIA reinterpreting a classic by Necrodeath and Necrodeath performing a CADAVERIA hit. The EP title reminds of “Mondocane Project One” split by Necrodeath and Schizo, released in 1990, and it also refers to the cinematographic genre “Mondo film” of explicit documentaries, born in the 60s and depicting sensational, bloody and shocking scenes. The cover artwork synthesizes this topics in some way.

THM: How is your relationship with the other half of Mondoscuro, the unstoppable Black/Thrash Metal band Necrodeath? As you and Flegias have been together for decades already, since your time with Opera IX from 1992 to 2001, how easy was the process for you to compose songs together for this very special album, as well as playing each other’s songs (Cadaveria playing Mater Tenebrarum and Necrodeath playing Spell)?

Cadaveria: The creation of Mondoscuro was quite demanding. The involved bands have different methods concerning songwriting, so sometimes it was hard to merge forces. I enjoyed a lot to write the lyrics for Necrodeath’s song “Rise Above”, to cover “Mater Tenebrarum” and of course to duet with Flegias. This was a great for us both, although we play together since 1991. Recordings took place in two different Italian studios, so that each band preserved its own sound, vocal duets took place in the same studio where CADAVERIA recorded the rest of the EP and the recording studios worked in connection, in order to give unity to the final product.

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Album Review – Mondoscuro / Mondoscuro EP (2016)

THM: Two tracks in Mondoscuro that certainly caught my attention were your cover version for Type O Negative’s classic Christian Woman, and Necrodeath firing a sick version for The Beatles’ Helter Skelter. Why did you and Necrodeath chose those specific songs to be part of Mondoscuro? What do they represent to your life and career?

Flegias: “Christian Woman” is part of “Bloody Kisses”, an album that Cadaveria and I have consumed and listened to so many times in our early years, it is part of our background. It formed that particular “doom-and-romantic” soul that you can often find in CADAVERIA compositions. The rest of CADAVERIA band love it as well and when we proposed to cover Christian Woman there was a standing ovation. For what concerns “Helter Skelter” we wanted to pay homage to a song that is considered the first heavy metal track ever composed in all the history of heavy metal. In addition, Peso, Necrodeath drummer, is a great expert of The Beatles and of Ringo Starr, a genius and a great innovator of the drums.

THM:  Another interesting detail in Mondoscuro is that, in the brand new song Rise Above, the first few sentences of the lyrics are in Italian, your mother tongue. English might be the “official language” of Dark Metal, but don’t you think more songs in Italian would bring an extra layer of obscurity and lust to the music? I’m asking this because I personally enjoyed a lot the energy of the Italian words in Rise Above and I would love to see more of that in the music by Cadaveria.

Flegias: Despite the fact the last full length from Necrodeath, “The Seven Deadly Sins”, was half written and sung in Italian, for me to sing in Italian was more difficult than to do it in English. By the way I’m very satisfied of this choice made by Cadaveria concerning the language to use in this song, the parts to leave in Italian and the parts of the lyrics I had to sing.

Cadaveria: I usually write lyrics in Italian then I translate them into English. Sometimes I feel English doesn’t get the proper synonym for a word. In those cases the temptation to leave it in Italian is strong, but usually I search and find a satisfying solution. This time, with Rise Above, I decided in advance what parts to compose and leave in Italian. The very beginning is a prologue, a sort of ritual or a prayer and it sounded so good like this. The following verses came to me in rhyme, so they were born to live in Italian.  But I don’t think an entire album in Italian would be a good idea. I like to use this language when verses are particularly poetic and the music is very atmospheric, but I think Italian lyrics would sound a bit punk-hardcore on a fast tempo.

THM: In regards to your career, what has changed in the music by Cadaveria from when the band started back in 2001 (with the release of The Shadows’ Madame in 2002) until today, and what have the biggest challenges been for the band to stay alive and kicking ass through the years?

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Flegias (Necrodeath)

Cadaveria: We grew up as musicians and producers of ourselves. And we grew up as human beings, so the music we play now is on a higher level, enriched by our experiences. Passion and independence are still the same. This is probably what made us survive in the music business. I’m very proud of the fact we have our own style, that makes us be noticeable among so many clones.

THM: What’s next for Cadaveria? After the excellent album Silence, from 2014, and now Mondoscuro, what does the future hold for the band? Can we expect another project like Mondoscuro soon, or is it time for a brand new Cadaveria album to become alive?

Cadaveria: In the last four years we never stopped working, we have released the Horror Metal album, re-mastered and released our debut full length The Shadows’ Madame, we gave life to the retrospective double DVD Karma, then it was the time for Silence album and now Mondoscuro EP, without counting we played about 60 live gigs in Europe and outside it. It’s time to take a short break. I need to recharge energy and to find new inspiration before starting working on a new album, that could be the last one for us. And so it must be unique and perfect. In the meanwhile Mondoscuro will be released on vinyl by the end of this year and in Spring 2017 we will re-release our 2nd album Far Away From Conformity (2004). Both releases will be via Sleaszy Rider records. We will continue to play live here and there and I hope to be invited to play in places where we have never been before.

THM: Talking about your personal life now, what does Raffaella Rivarolo do in her free time that Cadaveria doesn’t do, and vice-versa? How do you work on the transition between the two, and how do you manage to keep both entities separate in your life? Or are Raffaella and Cadaveria the exact same person, sharing all their likes and dislikes all the time?

Cadaveria: Well, basically Cadaveria and Raffaella are the same person, it’s just a matter of names… (but many people call me Cadaveria or Cada in private life too). I love art and when I’m not busy with music I make videos (music videos, institutional, etc) to pay my bills. I travelled a lot in the last two years to follow an Italian athlete who cycled the world by bike. I made some video documentaries about this. You will find a lot of Raffaella in CADAVERIA lyrics… the experiences I live flow into CADAVERIA songs.

cadaveria_silence

Album Review – Cadaveria / Silence (2014)

THM: I’ve been reviewing so many incredible Italian bands lately it’s hard to name just a few, for example we have the electrified Metalcore by Moth’s Circle Flight, the fusion of Black and Heavy Metal blasted by Malamorte, the badass Rock N’ Roll by Helligators and Roadless, the beautiful Gothic and Doom Metal by Witches Of Doom, among many others. How do you see the state of the underground metal scene in Italy today? What have been the biggest improvements in Italian metal, and what’s still far from being acceptable in your opinion?

Cadaveria: Italy counts many new bands that try to emerge and be noticed in the underground music scene. But in Italy everything connected to culture is very difficult to carry out and unfortunately music is not considered a major art here. I always say to new comers: do it just for yourself, release your passion and don’t think about success. Rather try to make the difference.

THM: Here at The Headbanging Moose we have a special section called Metal Chick of the Month, where every month we pay a tribute to an already established and prominent woman in metal such as Masha Scream (Arkona) and Lena Abé (My Dying Bride), or to an up-and-coming lady from an underground band that’s starting to make a difference in heavy music. How do you see the importance of women in metal today? And who are your biggest female idols in music?

Cadaveria: Yes and I can see it today and, however, I have never experienced any discrimination for being a female. Male or female it doesn’t matter. The most important thing is to be strong and faithful to yourself. Music has no sex. The first female voice I heard in extreme metal was Sabina Classen. I was in the beginning of my career so I’m in a certain sense connected with her. I do not have idols but I like Skin’s voice very much.

THM: How about your current and upcoming tour dates to support the release of Mondoscuro? How have the fans reacted to the new songs and to the overall project during your live performances? And can we expect a Cadaveria tour to Canada and the United States in a not-so-distant future? We have a huge Italian community here in Toronto that would love to have you perform in front of them, no doubt about that.

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Beautiful witch give light to this black muddy sky…

Flegias: We did a unique show for Mondoscuro at an important festival in Italy last month. We had the opportunity to play a great show with a specific scenic design that evoked the birth and death theme of Mondoscuro. Just to mention a detail, Cadaveria appeared on stage in a mortuary body bag… and we performed some songs singing together. All was perfect and really great, but this will remain unique and once in a lifetime. The effort to bring two bands like this on the same stage into the same show is very big. We spent a lot of energies in this and we decided that it will not be possible to replicate this project live on stage in the future.

Cadaveria: We will bring at least one song from Mondoscuro in CADAVERIA future set list. As I said I need a pause, so next shows will happen in 2017. We would love to tour your country! We had received a couple of offers in the past but we need also a US tour segment to add, to make costs be covered. We really hope the Italian community in Toronto who wants to see us playing there will make their voices be heard by local promoters. Ask them to invite us. We are available and ready to kick ass.

THM: Thank you very much for your time, I truly appreciate that.  Please feel free to send a final message to all our readers and all metalheads not only in Canada, but everywhere else in the world.

Cadaveria: Flegias and I want to thank you a lot for your attention and interest. Hail to all CADAVERIA and Necrodeath fans. Check out Mondoscuro!

Links
Cadaveria Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
Necrodeath Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Concert Review – Gojira (Metropolis, Montreal, QC, 10/21/2016)

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And Gojira melted the spinal cords of all metallers in Montreal with the scorching magma flowing from their kick-ass neck-breaking music.

OPENING ACTS: TesseracT

gojira-fall-2016If you can move your neck, feel your back, walk and breathe normally, that means you didn’t attend the pulverizing performance by French icons Gojira this Friday at the neat and well-located Metropolis in Montreal, Quebec. Who cares if it was only 8 degrees outside and raining nonstop? It was a night of heavy music played to perfection, which means no weather could stop us metallers from leaving our places and head to the venue to bang our fuckin’ heads to the most important metal band in the history of France. Very few times I’ve seen such flawless interaction between band and crowd, a night that will forever be kept inside our hearts and remembered as the night Gojira beautifully conquered “La Métropole du Québec”.

img_1842Before we get to the Armageddon generated by Gojira, let’s talk about the opening act, British Progressive Metal/Rock band TESSERACT. Founded in 2003 and having released three full length albums and a few EP’s, including the 2016 EP Errai, The band formed by the talented musicians Daniel Tompkins, Acle Kahney, James Monteith, Amos Williams and Jay Postones provided the fans at the venue a very professional and technical performance, but that didn’t mean it was exciting. Quite the contrary, their whole concert felt like one endless 45-minute song so tiresome it was. I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between songs, and I was about to fall asleep after just a few minutes. Well, there were many fans that had a good time during their concert, but for fans of old school stuff like Slayer, Pantera and Anthrax, for example, the concert never really clicked. They are all awesome musicians, especially Amos with his brutal and thunderous bass sounds, but overall they sound like a less metallic version of the latest (boring) album by Dream Theater. If you enjoyed the concert that’s fine, I respect it, but we must admit there were tons of other better choices to warm up the crowd for the main attraction of the night.

Setlist
Phoenix
Concealing Fate, Part 2: Deception
Concealing Fate, Part 3: The Impossible
Of Matter – Proxy
Of Matter – Retrospect
Dystopia
Survival
Of Mind – Nocturne 

Band members
Daniel Tompkins – vocals
Acle Kahney – guitar
James Monteith – guitar
Amos Williams – bass
Jay Postones – drums

GOJIRA

img_1843After TesseracT was over I was feeling so bored I chugged a beer to see if that would wake me up, but I didn’t realize that wasn’t necessary because when GOJIRA started, they needed less than a second to make my blood boil again with excitement. I’m pretty sure they are considered the active volcano of their hometown Bayonne in France, in special after the release of the marvelous Magma earlier this year. When the heavier-than-hell Only Pain kicked off the concert, that’s exactly what every single person present on the floor section felt: a lot of pain in their entire bodies caused by the demented circle pits that started right at the first notes played by Gojira, and that madness didn’t stop until the very end of the night.

After that spine-crushing beginning, Gojira showed no mercy for our souls and blasted three songs made in the depths of hell aiming at destroying our necks, the amazing The Heaviest Matter of the Universe (obviously played by one of the heaviest bands on the entire planet), and their two newborn classics Silvera and Stranded. Yes, they played those three in a row for our total delectation. Not that after that it wasn’t heavy, because they only played brutal material, as for example the bestial Backbone, but that initial sequence was memorable. The only moment of peace was during Terra Inc., but that didn’t last long because Wisdom Comes came crushing our souls like there was no tomorrow. There were beer flying all over the places, fists and horns in the air, pure anarchy and tons of screaming and headbanging. I was just sweating like a wild boar, with my Pantera T-shirt, my pants and even my underwear soaking wet with my own sweat, with many other people’s sweat and with a considerable amount of beer.

img_1851I really don’t know what to say about the rest of their setlist as everything was superb, like for instance the demonic Oroborus and Vacuity. Perhaps the moment where the connection between band and fans reached its peak was during the stunning circle pit generated by the melancholic hymn Pray, a song you don’t usually expect to see that type of aggressiveness coming from the crowd. Or maybe it was when bassist Jean-Michel Labadie threw himself into the crowd in wat can be called an “enhanced stage-diving” as he was still holding (and playing) his low-tuned ax? Anyway, brothers Joe and Mario Duplantier, as well as Jean and guitarist Christian Andreu, were absolutely flawless with their instruments, captivating everyone with their powerful performances during the entire concert. Furthermore, Mario’s drum solo even made me forget how boring drum solos usually are, just for you to have an idea of how good he was.

Well, it’s already Sunday night, I’m back to Toronto and my neck still hurts to the point I have to move around like the old Robocop from the 80’s, but it’s that kind of pain we all love to endure after such an incredible concert of first-class heavy music. I might be getting old for the level of devastation brought forth by Gojira in Montreal, but you know what? The day I cannot get into a pulverizing mosh pit like that, the day I don’t consider the pain in my body caused by a Heavy Metal concert a good thing, I’ll call it a day. Merci beaucoup pour cette nuit incroyable, Gojira! À bientôt, j’espère!

Setlist
Only Pain
The Heaviest Matter of the Universe
Silvera
Stranded
Flying Whales
The Cell
Backbone
Terra Inc.
Wisdom Comes
Drum Solo
The Shooting Star
Toxic Garbage Island
Pray

Encore:
Clone
Oroborus
Vacuity

Band members
Joe Duplantier – vocals, guitar
Christian Andreu – guitar
Jean-Michel Labadie – bass
Mario Duplantier – drums

Album Review – Soulwound / No Peace (2016)

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This berserk quintet from Finland brings forward absolutely no peace with their high-end assault of visceral Death and Thrash Metal.

Rating4

soulwound-cover640Carrying a robust and ominous name taken from a Fear Factory bonus song from the limited edition of their 1998 classic album Obsolete, Finnish Death/Thrash Metal group Soulwound are releasing their second opus entitled No Peace, offering fast, brutal, heavy and aggressive metal music with both old school and more contemporary influences, picking up where their 2013 debut full-length album Seeing Red left off. While listening to No Peace, you’ll find hints of the unique sonority crafted by Sepultura, the sonic havoc brought forth by Testament, the intricate and thunderous beats by Slayer, among other elements from several Thrash Metal giants, all enhanced by the band’s own Death Metal touch. In other words, if you’re looking for soft and romantic music, forget about Soulwound, as they’re among us to crush and destroy.

Forged in the fires of the small village of Myllykoski in Kouvola, Finland (located around 130 kilometers northeast of the capital Helsinki) by brothers Niko (guitar) and Janne Huusari (drums) in 2005, and having released a few demos before Seeing Red became a reality in 2013 with Arto Jauho stepping in as the band’s vocalist, Soulwound’s current lineup took form in 2014 when Mikko, the youngest of the Huusari brothers, joined the band as their second guitarist, resulting in all three brothers playing in the same band. And it’s perhaps that family unity that helped Soulwound achieve such a high level of professionalism in a short span of time, sounding like long-serving defenders of extreme music.

An eerie female voice explaining what impulsive aggression is makes the Fear Factory-inspired metallic Intro: Impulsive Aggression one of those creepy album starts that enfolds the listener before the neck-breaking Hurt Me Plenty kicks off, which despite showcasing lots of modern elements added to its background, in essence it’s old school visceral Death Metal. Moreover, while Arto fires his potent harsh growls, Janne delivers an avalanche of groovy and fierce beats and fills for the delight of lovers of the genre. As violent as the opening track but slightly heavier due to the kick-ass riffs by the guitar brothers Niko and Mikko (as well as the low-tuned sounds by bassist Joni Järvenmäki), Altars of Skin feels like a hybrid of Cavalera Conpiracy and Fear Factory with a Scandinavian twist, translating into pure awesomeness, whereas Alone Against All brings forward high-octane Death Metal highly influenced by the rebellious sound of Bay Area Thrash. Its sick guitar solos and endless amount of electricity turn it into one of the best moments of the album, being strongly recommended as the soundtrack for some insane circle pits.

p7172350-02Wasteland is yet another flawless Thrash Metal tune with elements from Sepultura, Slayer and Testament, in special the boisterous drumming by Janne and the visceral growls by Arto, and if you love darkened music emanating pure hatred you’ll have a complete blast listening to this superb tune. Then it’s time for more of Soulwound’s headbanging music with some menacing voices in the background before Anto comes gnarling like a beast in Crime and Punishment, which albeit slower than the previous songs it showcases some great riffage by both Niko and Mikko; followed by Misery Index with its berserk rhythm powered by huge dosages of anger. This is one of those songs the band wrote with their minds on their live performances due to its “festival potential”, also exhibiting some excellent guitar solos and a demented ending.

Hate Speech sounds very similar to its predecessor, displaying almost the same heaviness, speed and ferocity, which means that if they play these two songs in a row during their concerts I’m quite sure we’ll see some blood spilling from the crowd. And as one final explosion of Death Metal we have Damned, as brutal and well-crafted as the rest of the album, yet again embracing elements from Bay Area Thrash mixed with contemporary Death Metal and with highlights to the deep and desperate guttural by Anto.

As Soulwound is offering us all absolutely no peace with their visceral and modern music, we should all show them our respect and support by visiting their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud, and you can take all that peaceless Death Metal craziness home by purchasing their brand new album at the Inverse Records’ webstore (as a regular CD version or a CD + T-shirt bundle), at CDON.COM, or at Record Shop X. As already mentioned, Soulwound are not among us to bring joy or tranquility to our lives, but to provide a demolishing assault of high-end metal music, which is indeed all we ask for when the music in question is Death and Thrash Metal.

Best moments of the album: Altars of Skin, Alone Against All and Wasteland.

Worst moments of the album: Crime and Punishment.

Released in 2016 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Intro: Impulsive Aggression 1:57
2. Hurt Me Plenty 5:09
3. Altars of Skin 4:29
4. Alone Against All 3:40
5. Wasteland 4:59
6. Crime and Punishment 5:50
7. Misery Index 4:20
8. Hate Speech 4:26
9. Damned 5:55

Band members
Arto Jauho – vocals
Niko Huusari – guitar
Mikko Huusari – guitar
Joni Järvenmäki – bass
Janne Huusari – drums