Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Bell Centre, Montreal, QC, 04/01/2016)

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Criez pour moi, Montréal! Criez pour moi, Canada!

OPENING ACT: The Raven Age

iron maiden_the book of souls world tour 2016Finally, after endless hours of rain, strong winds, sun, rain again, snow, sun again and snow again on the road, I’m back from Montreal where I had the pleasure to see for the 17th time in my life the almighty Iron Maiden at the Bell Centre. Before I talk about the concert itself, I would like to recommend the excellent Hôtel Bonaventure no matter what you’re planning to do in Montreal. Not only the hotel is extremely well located (for example, it’s only a 5 to 10-minute walk away from the Bell Centre), but the staff is very friendly, the rooms are comfortable and clean, and their heated outdoor pool is a relaxing option after a busy day in the city.

Getting back to the gig, I don’t have much to say about the opening act THE RAVEN AGE mainly because I didn’t have time to listen to their music before the concert. This London-based band plays a solid mix of Melodic Metal and Metalcore, but nothing new to the world of heavy music. If this is your cup of tea, you’ll probably have a good time listening to them, otherwise do not expect to be blown away by their music. One might ask why those guys are the opening act for Iron Maiden during their entire world tour. Well, one of the guitarists is called George Harris, son of the best and most important bass player in the history of Heavy Metal. Do I need to say more?

Setlist
Uprising
Promised Land
The Death March
Eye Among the Blind
The Merciful One
Salem’s Fate
Angel in Disgrace

Band members
Michael Burrough – vocals
Dan Wright – guitar
George Harris – guitar
Matt Cox – bass
Jai Patel – drums

IRON MAIDEN

DSC06715Unless you spent the last few months or so stranded in a space station in Mars like Matt Damon in the fun movie The Martian, you already know how grandiose and special The Book Of Souls World Tour 2016 has been so far for all Maidenmaniacs worldwide. Promoting their masterpiece The Book Of Souls, Heavy Metal titans IRON MAIDEN are better than ever on stage, led by obviously Mr. Steve Harris with his galloping bass guitar and an unstoppable Bruce Dickinson proving us all that cancer can be overcome if your will to live is stronger than your fear of dying.

iron maiden montrealA few marvelous details caught my attention before and during the concert, things that only Iron Maiden can provide you and no one else. First of all, there was a group of friends a few rows below mine proudly flying a flag from the distant territory of Nunavut, in northern Canada. I have no idea if they live in Montreal or if they were there just for the concert, but just for you to better understand this, its capital city Iqaluit is located over 2,000km from Montreal, and it can only be reached by plane in a 5-hour direct flight. Iron Maiden are capable of shortening any distance in such a powerful way it’s hard to describe the feeling, don’t you agree? Secondly, about three rows below me, there was a couple where the mom was carrying a beautiful 6-month (or even less) baby who had a mini Iron Maiden flag hanging from his back (and of course a “fancy” pair of earphones to protect his tiny ears), something so pure and gracious it gives a good amount of hope to our decaying world. Although there were many other kids with their parents at the venue (another thing only Iron Maiden can provide us fans), I’ll never forget the image of that baby and his badass flag. And lastly, that was not only the first time I saw Iron Maiden from a numbered seat, but also the first time I witnessed Bruce interacting with the crowd in French all the time. I have to point out how unique Bruce is. Who else can do all the stuff he does at the same time and thrive in every single one of them?

DSC06719Talking about the concert itself, nothing I say here will properly express all the passion and emotion of watching those six old school British metallers live once again. Blending old classics like Children of the Damned and The Trooper with new kick-ass tunes such as The Red and the Black (my favorite moment of the night) and Death or Glory, they offered all types of fans everything we could expect for. Not even the horrible sound quality at the Bell Centre, which almost ruined the magnificent intro in If Eternity Should Fail, could make the whole experience less superb. From the entire setlist, the aforementioned The Red and the Black, the incredible The Book of Souls, the all-time classic Hallowed Be Thy Name and the meaningful Blood Brothers (or “frères de sang”, as Bruce introduced it), where that mom was literally cradling her baby “metalhead” to the song’s lovely rhythm, were the moments where I felt in another dimension so perfect they were.

When the concert was over it was easy to see a huge smile on everyone’s faces, proving once again the positive power Iron Maiden always have on us all. And please forgive me for such a short review, but I have to get ready to see my favorite band of all time once again tonight at the Air Canada Centre, here in Toronto. UP THE IRONS!

Setlist
Doctor Doctor (UFO song)
If Eternity Should Fail
Speed of Light
Children of the Damned
Tears of a Clown
The Red and the Black
The Trooper
Powerslave
Death or Glory
The Book of Souls
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden

Encore:
The Number of the Beast
Blood Brothers
Wasted Years
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python song)

Band members
Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
Steve Harris – bass
Dave Murray – guitar
Adrian Smith – guitar
Janick Gers – guitar
Nicko McBrain – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Yoli Moreno

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Fall in my spell, I’ll save you from your hell!

Mexican headbangers are famous worldwide for their deep and true passion for all things Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, being undeniably among the craziest and wildest ones when responding to their metal idols performing live in their beautiful country. So why not paying a tribute to those loyal metalheads from the land of the Aztecs and the Mayas with our Metal Chick of the Month? Obviously, the chosen one couldn’t be any random musician but a girl that truly knows how to make some good noise and intensify the beat of our hearts, the lovable Mexican drummer Yolanda Moreno Quintos, or as she prefers to be called in the world of heavy music, Yoli Moreno.

Hailing from Mexico City, or México, D.F. in her native language, the power behind the drums of Mexican all-female Heavy Metal band Mystica Girls is a woman of very few words who strongly believes in teamwork above all things. Not only that, we’re talking about another example of a metal musician who trespasses the boundaries of music, having a bachelor’s degree in Economy from ITAM – Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, and who is also passionate about Orthography and Ecology. In other words, if you’re into girls who are far more than just a beautiful face, who are the whole package, the charming Yoli might be exactly what you are looking for.

Before joining Mystica Girls, Yoli was the drummer for a Mexican Death/Thrash Metal band called Inharmonious, with whom she recorded a demo consisting of four tracks in 2007 entitled Echoes of Rage. You can check a rare footage of Yoli with Inharmonious playing one of their demo tracks, Your Death, at the old school venue La Bodega del Metal, in Mexico City, as well as a pretty interesting cover for Sepultura’s all-time classic Refuse/Resist during the Festival Cultural Zacatecas in 2009. The quality of the videos is not perfect, but it’s enough to show you how Yoli and the other girls in the band can kick some serious ass together.

It was only in February 2012 when Yoli joined Mystica Girls, together with Chilean vocalist Mon Laferte, recording right after that in April 2012 the single The Conquest, including a promotional video for it, generating more than 30,000 plays in just one month and therefore increasing the band’s popularity in Mexico and in other parts of the world. That ended up leading to the re-recording of their 2011 album entitled MetalRose, now featuring Mon Laferte on vocals, in July 2012, and the release of a brand new EP named The Conquest one year later.

Then, in the beginning of 2014, Mystica Girls released a brand new full-length album entitled Gates of Hell, their first original full-length album with Yoli on drums. Gates of Hell had a very good reception from fans and critics, opening up lots of opportunities for the band in terms of tours and new projects, with the special event called SINFÓNICO.METALLICA., where the girls shared the stage with the OFIA – Orquesta Filarmónica de las Artes on June 6, 2015, being one of the highlights of their already reputable career. Check this nice video of Mystica Girls and the orchestra playing the classic Fuel on that night, paying attention to the performance by our beloved drummer, and you’ll see how good she is when holding her drumsticks.

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Getting back to when Yoli joined Mystica Girls, she mentioned during one of her interviews she was very nervous the day of her audition, even having already shared the stage with them during her years with Inharmonious in the underground scene. However, all that nervousness was not sufficient to outshine her skills, as a week after the audition she received a notification that she became then part of the group. In addition to that, although the music styles were considerably different between the two bands, with Mystica Girls playing a more straightforward Hard Rock/Heavy Metal while Inharmonious was a fast and furious Thrash/Death Metal band, she got truly happy and excited with this new challenge in her life as a musician. If you want to see Yoli live in action with Mystica Girls, my suggestions are some YouTube videos from a series called “Resistencia Modulada presenta”, especially the ones for the songs No More! and Tiny Blue Dot, and of course you can always check their official YouTube channel and their ReverbNation page, or Cinthya BlackCat’s YouTube channel.

Furthermore, despite being “una mujer de pocas palabras”, there’s a short but newsworthy interview with Yoli on YouTube done by Mexican news channel Siete24, where among other things she talks about Mystica Girls’ participation in the 2014 edition of the famous Mexican festival Hell & Heaven. The entire interview is in Spanish, as you can see, and if you do not understand it really well I can help you by summarizing the most relevant issues discussed. In regards to the festival, Yoli talks about the band’s excitement for playing in front of so many people, sharing the True Metal stage with renowned bands such as one of her favorite groups, American Death Metal icons Obituary, before linking that topic with the release at that time of their new album Gates of Hell, explaining that although it is not a concept album, there’s a special theme in it related to self-awareness and how you face your fears in life. And finally, she talks about her experience with Mystica Girls since joining the band in 2012, including the aforementioned immediate recording of the single The Conquest, how working with the band inspired her to grow musically speaking, and the recent boom of Mexican metal groups, many motivated by the music by Mystica Girls.

She might not be as skilled on drums as Quico from the brilliant TV show “El Chavo Del Ocho” (just kidding, of course), but in case you just fell in love for our talented Mexican drummer Yoli and want to take her home, let me tell you that’s something perfectly possible even if you do not believe so. All you have to do is visit the band’s official webstore, purchase their peculiar keychain Yoli Moreno model for 50 Mexican Pesos (around 4 Canadian Dollars) and voilà! There you have Yoli Moreno and her drums with you day and night 24/7 forever, isn’t that great?

Yoli Moreno’s Official Facebook page
Yoli Moreno’s Official Twitter
Mystica Girls’ Official Facebook page
Mystica Girls’ Official Twitter

Album Review – Projekt F / The Butterfly Effect EP (2016)

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Experience the butterfly effect induced by this talented Canadian band with their electrifying fusion of Industrial Metal and Rock.

Rating4

PFAlbumCover2If you’re an enthusiast for the unorthodox and industrialized music engendered by iconic bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Rammstein and Combichrist, who are always reinventing themselves and never go with the flow, you should definitely take a shot at the multilayered loudness crafted by Canadian Industrial Rock/Metal act Projekt F. Hailing from the city of Montreal, Quebec, the band was formed back in 2006 by lead singer and main composer Jonh M. Miller, inspired by the Industrial Rock and Metal scene of the 90’s, and since then they have been on a roll releasing their first EP named 0000 in 2009, the full-length album Skins in 2013 and the EP Under The Skin in 2014, also sharing the stage with names like Angelspit and Motionless In White and playing alongside Combichrist at the biggest industrial music festival in Canada, Kinetik Festival, in 2012.

Not only that, they also had the opportunity to perform the song “Room 13” in a TV pilot called Cause and Effect, and the song “Oophorectomy” is also in a short movie called Purple Love, featured at the 2013 Cannes Festival. Add to that their looks, blending traditional Black Metal corpse painting with a futuristic concept, and it’s easy to understand how they’re capable of blur the line between reality and imagination in a truly compelling way with their work. Now in 2016, the band chose to face an even darker path with the release of their brand new EP entitled The Butterfly Effect, a direct sequel to their previous conceptual effort Skins and another solid step in their rising career.

The distorted and resonant bass lines by William Hicks create a wicked ambience before drums enter the music in the experimental intro named The Butterfly Effect, building the aura for Tongue, a powerful composition that proves to all metalheads that Industrial Metal can be as heavy as hell when a band wants to. Moreover, the Trent Reznor-like vocals by Jonh are full of melancholy and match flawlessly with the song’s metallic instrumental, not to mention his lunatic screams during the chorus. In other words, this is indeed the perfect theme song for an obscure cult movie, just like what already happened with two other songs by Projekt F as mentioned in this review.

PF_TBE_Band_Facebook_CropTheir sonic production line continues to smash our ears in the electrifying Cut Your Wings, where drummer Fred Linx showcases his ability to sound robotic and organic at the same time. This is the type of composition tailored to make the audience jump up and down with the band, with the maniacal growls by Jonh elevating even more the song’s impact. In Unbegun, another disturbing tune where Projekt F offer their potent Industrial Metal with hints of Sludge Metal, the guitar riffs by Simon Sayz will pierce your brain and make you bleed so heavy they are. In addition, although it features more electronic noises in the background than the other tracks, it’s unarguably a neck-breaking tune with extremely dark lyrics that will please even the most diehard fan of Death Metal or even Black Metal.

The acoustic and low-tuned track cryptically entitled 03:47:09:08:1945 works as a demented intro to Fat Man, a brutal Heavy Metal hymn with an interesting technological aura. Jonh and Simon have insanely good performances throughout the entire song, sounding as if Nine Inch Nails decided to get darker, heavier and more demonic, therefore displaying no mercy for our necks once again. And last but not least, we have the dark aria When the Angel Fell From the Sky (it looks like a song name Judas Priest would surely use) offering the listener some contemplative piano notes, atmospheric passages and a final narration, concluding the story presented in the EP the quaintest way you can think of.

In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state. In music, that’s the exact outcome these talented Canadian metallers want to provoke in the metal scene, and in case you want to join them in this bizarre quest you can go visit their Facebook page for more details and news on the band, enjoy more of their music at their YouTube channel, SoundCloud and ReverbNation, and purchase The Butterfly Effect on iTunes or at the band’s BandCamp page.

Best moments of the album: Cut Your Wings and Fat Man.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. The Butterfly Effect 1:32
2. Tongue 4:53
3. Cut Your Wings 3:46
4. Unbegun 3:49
5. 03:47:09:08:1945 1:58
6. Fat Man 4:24
7. When the Angel Fell From the Sky 4:56

Band members
Jonh M. Miller – vocals, piano, synth
Simon Sayz – guitar
William Hicks – bass
Fred Linx- drums

Album Review – Proll Guns / Horseflesh BBQ (2016)

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Groovy riffs, inebriate growls and a humongous amount of bloody horse meat. This is what you’ll find in this entertaining Western Thrash N’ Roll album heartily crafted by three talented cowboys from Austria.

Rating5

Proll Guns - Horseflesh BBQ CoverartworkWho could imagine that the lovely city of Salzburg, the birthplace of the legendary Mozart in Austria, would also be the hometown of three villainous buckaroos who, despite have nothing to do with the state of Texas (the undisputed land of cowboys in the United States), are capable of producing high-octane Western Thrash N’ Roll? Singing about essential themes for any real man such as women, drinking and barbeque, here comes the dynamic power trio Proll Guns, pointing their sonic guns directly to our faces. YEE-HAW!

This libertine Thrash Metal posse was formed back in 2013, when they released their debut full-length album entitled And the Western Blood Runs, mixed and mastered by Danish producer Tue Madsen (who also worked with renowned bands like Ektomorf and Sick Of It All). Mounting their metallic horses once again, armed with their rowdy instruments and totally soaked up in whisky, they are ready to rock your town with their second album, the sonorous Horseflesh BBQ, a solid and fun fusion of traditional Thrash Metal with the dirty and drunken music from the Wild West. In addition, if you have the pleasure to see them playing live you’ll also be treated to their gorgeous “saloon girls”, Miss Candy Rose and Miss Sherly Colt.

Just as if a bloody western movie is about to start, the instrumental intro Texas Banjo Massacre sets the tone for the title-track Horseflesh BBQ to come kicking everyone in the head with its blend of Thrash and Sludge Metal. The inebriate growls by lead singer and bassist Evil Ed not only sound very thrashy, but also at the same time displaying a huge Rock N’ Roll influence, and needless to say how “carnivore” his embodiment of the song’s lyrics are. Then we have the darker and heavier anthem From Texas To Hell, a good song to enjoy while drinking a bottle of Jack Daniel’s where drummer Cra-“Y”-Maker will put you to bang your head nonstop. I wonder how Candy Rose and Sherly Colt would dance to this electrifying tune, but that’s something we can only witness if we go check the band kicking ass live.

0002Do you want some devilish Blues Metal in your life? Well, in Bloodgun Blues guitarist The Burner “scorches” our ears with his fiery riffs while the level of alcohol in Evil Ed’s blood just keeps rising; whereas Fucking Troublemaker brings forward a bad-tempered sonority with The Burner leading this excellent Rock N’ Roll anthem. Moreover, all the elements from the music by Volbeat found in the music, together with the intoxicating punch of Chrome Division, turn this into one of the top moments of the album in my opinion. And Reno Gang is yet another anthem tailored for bikers and heavy drinkers, slightly more melodic than the other tunes thanks to the crispier riffs and solos by The Burner, maintaining the alcohol content of the album way above 100 proof.

Lookin’ Out my Backdoor, a short and sweet Thrash N’ Roll chant, will generate some “friendly” circle pits during their gigs, and when the banjo hits the music things get even more fun; followed by the longest of all tracks, entitled The Revolver, a brutal Rock N’ Roll song where the screams and growls by the “cowboy from hell” Evil Ed enhance the song’s ferocity, with highlights to the nice work done on guitars and drums as well. Their western sounding keeps reverberating in the thrilling Execution, a more violent version of Hard Rock where The Burner offers some nice guitar effects and Cra-“Y”-Maker keeps kicking ass on drums. Also, its rhythm is what we can call the perfect soundtrack for a “drunk badass Rock N’ Roll party”, which translates into awesomeness. Lastly, Southern Slavery, the acoustic tune that aims at concluding the album in a pensive way, goes on for too long and doesn’t really provide anything fresh to the album, or in other words, it’s the only song that doesn’t make sense to be in Horseflesh BBQ in the end.

To sum up, Horseflesh BBQ is a highly recommended choice for fans of groovy riffs, inebriate growls and a humongous amount of bloody horse meat, and if you see yourself as one of those western metallers go check the Proll Guns’ Facebook page and YouTube channel to know more about their music. You can purchase the album at different locations such as the band’s BandCamp page, at the Grooves Inc. webstore, on iTunes or on Amazon, among others. You can either show your support and appreciation for these talented cowboys from Austria, or I believe Proll Guns will have to challenge you for a pistol (or drinking) duel to introduce you to the world of good old Thrash N’ Roll.

Best moments of the album: From Texas To Hell, Fucking Troublemaker and Execution.

Worst moments of the album: Southern Slavery.

Released in 2016 NRT-Records

Track listing
1. Texas Banjo Massacre 2:12
2. Horseflesh BBQ 4:35
3. From Texas To Hell 5:40
4. Bloodgun Blues 5:08
5. Fucking Troublemaker 3:43
6. Reno Gang 3:59
7. Lookin’ Out My Backdoor 2:09
8. The Revolver 7:35
9. Execution 4:16
10. Southern Slavery 3:18

Band members
Evil Ed – lead vocals, bass guitar
The Burner – vocals, guitar
Cra-“Y”-Maker – drums

Saloon girls
Miss Candy Rose
Miss Sherly Colt

The Metal Moose Show – Episode 2016-03-24

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If you want to get more information about any of the bands featured at The Metal Moose Show, simply Google the band and/or the song name to find their official website and Facebook page and, more important than that, attend their live concerts and buy their music. Here at The Headbanging Moose you can also find detailed reviews of many other excellent underground bands. Support your local bands… AND FOLLOW THE MOOSE!

On The Metal Moose Show this week:

1. The Dollyrots – Get Weird
2. Audiobreed – Dopenation
3. Bear Fight – No Mind
4. Astrainaut – Arab Spring
5. Assembly At Dusk – Felhaven
6. Boar – Sand
7. Blue Helix – Runaways
8. Black Elephant – Inner Circles
9. Misteyes – The Prey
10. Maxdmyz – First Coming
11. Matchsticksman – No Reason
12. Fleshgore – Killing Relapse
13. Funeral Moth – Transience
14. Alien Ken – Number
15. Dead In Seconds – 9.9

Click HERE to listen to this week’s episode on Spreaker.

Metal Moose Radio YouTube | Spreaker | iTunes

Album Review – Sacrilegium / Anima Lucifera (2016)

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Behold the spawn of the scalding union between Pagan Black Metal and mysticism, crafted by an old school band from Poland that has risen from the ashes like a demonic phoenix.

Rating4

sacrilegium_anima_lucifera_1000x1000“I have known innumerable Gods
All ethereal and infinite…  the stars.
And I saw God in all the world’s substance
I saw that God is not the only God of the Ultimate Abyss…” – Faust, by Fernando Pessoa

Almost 20 years after the release of their debut album called Wicher, from 1996, Polish Pagan Black Metal warlocks Sacrilegium finally return with their second full-length opus, stylishly entitled Anima Lucifera. The album title, which translated from Latin means “soul of light”, refers directly to a line from a poem by Polish poet Leopold Staff, whose poetry also feature together with the works of important names such as W. B. Yeats and Fernando Pessoa in the fervent lyrics by the band’s lead singer, founder and mastermind Nantur (also known as simply “N”). With that said, you can already envision what you’ll find when you start listening to this excellent extreme music album.

Exploring occult themes which accompanied the band members at the beginning of their journey in the 90’s in Wejherowo, a town in northern Poland not far from the city of Gdańsk, but at the same time expressing the experience the band has gained over the past 20 years not only as musicians but also as human beings, Anima Lucifera offers a lot more to the listener than “just” traditional Black Metal. This esoteric content can be seen already on the artwork by underground designer Marcin Lojek (Thaw, Nadja, Sunrise), building a connection between Sacrilegium’s aggressive past and their arcane and freakish present (and future).

And Sacrilegium actually start the opening track, Preludium / Heavenwings Shrugged, in a completely different way from their 1996 debut, sounding very esoteric, but that’s just until their crude and vicious old school Black Metal feast begins, with the bestial riffs by guitarist Suclagus (or simply “S”) shining amidst the blast beats fired by drummer R. A similar pattern is found in Angelus (Anima Lucifera), where an angelical ambience brings comfort to our hearts in a less ferocious rhythm with some elements of traditional Heavy Metal and even Gothic Metal added to it. The harsh snarls by N and the awesome solos by S make this tune one of my favorites of the entire album, with its second half exploding into brutal Black Metal for the total delight of fans of the genre.

Sacrilegium band 2015Their eccentric and occult vein keeps flourishing in Mare Tenebrarum by blending mysticism with sheer barbarism, and if you love the disturbing sound of Black Metal drumming I can assure you what R provides in this chant is exactly what you’re looking for. Also more melodic than usual, The Serpent Throne showcases a passionate and flammable performance by the entire band, with its spot-on background keyboards increasing its effectiveness. Once again, the music morphs into a violent tune and the band’s characteristic uproar returns at full force, haunting us all until its fiendish ending connects with the next track, entitled …and Soul. A solid riffage and a smooth piano lead the sounding on the first half of the song, and following the band’s distinct “formula” they fire Black Metal like there’s no tomorrow after a short while with highlights to the cavernous growls by N.

Venomous Spell Of Fate transpires brutality and despair from the very first second, with some nice breaks added to provide more intricacy to the overall result. Moreover, R is on his beast mode behind his drum set, contributing to boost the malignancy found in this bestial chant. And following that sonic massacre, dissonant noises kick off the chthonic tune named Desiderium Immortalis, where N offers some possessed screams throughout the whole song. It’s sheer Black Metal with nothing truly remarkable in it, but at least it keeps the album at a good level of quality. Lastly, how about an 8-minute feast of demonic growls, blast beats and guitar riffs played at the speed of light to conclude Anima Lucifera? This is what you’ll be able to enjoy in Anima Lucifera / Epilog, with N leading some sort of black mass so demented his harsh screams are. Thus, when the music is over we have three minutes of obscure and eerie passages similar to how the album started, closing the Black Metal circle generated by Sacrilegium.

Do you want to know more about this old school Polish institution and their rousing Pagan Black Metal? Simply go check their Facebook page for more information on the band, and buy your copy of Anima Lucifera at their BandCamp page or at the Pagan Records’ BandCamp page to truly feel how boisterous and esoteric they can sound at the same time. Sacrilegium offer the perfect marriage between Extreme Metal and mysticism, and they want you to behold the spawn of this scalding union through their devilish music.

Best moments of the album: Angelus (Anima Lucifera), The Serpent Throne and Venomous Spell Of Fate.

Worst moments of the album: Desiderium Immortalis.

Released in 2016 Pagan Records

Track listing
1. Preludium / Heavenwings Shrugged 5:44
2. Angelus (Anima Lucifera) 4:29
3. Mare Tenebrarum 4:33
4. The Serpent Throne 4:49
5. …and Soul 4:53
6. Venomous Spell Of Fate 4:22
7. Desiderium Immortalis 4:35
8. Anima Lucifera / Epilog 8:18

Band members
N (Nantur) – vocals
S (Suclagus) – guitars
C – bass
R – drums

Album Review – Rapheumets Well / The Exile (2016)

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Once you let your soul become part of the electrifying saga brought forth by this unstoppable Extreme Metal act from the United States, there’s no turning back.

Rating4

Rapheumets Well - The Exile 2016 - Album Cover- smallNot only the small city of Hickory, located in the state of North Carolina, United States has a Symphonic/Progressive Black Metal band, but the music played by this band is so complex and thrilling I wouldn’t be surprised if suddenly the city turned into a worldwide reference for this type of Extreme Metal. Thus, if you like the theatrical havoc generated by Fleshgod Apocalypse and Dimmu Borgir, for example, you’ll fall in love for the music found in The Exile, the brand new concept album by the symphonic horde known as Rapheumets Well. Formed in 2008 and having released their debut album Dimensions in 2014, which featured ten songs that progressively tell a larger story portrayed in a complex saga of Atai (ancient architects), who aid in the propagation of sentient life throughout the multi-verse, Rapheumets Well return with the second “chapter” of a narrative that will blow your mind while their music penetrates deep into your soul.

Taking place during the “Soyumoth’s War” in the plain of Sovael, The Exile is in fact a fictional journey that viciously represents the hardships of life in a weird and complex way, thoroughly engendered by drummer and lyricist Joshua “Nassaru” Ward. In order to get in touch with this alternative universe created by Joshua, you can take a look at Sovael – The Great Divergence, which is indeed the inspiration for both of the band’s albums, or maybe I should say the albums are the soundtrack for the saga. Either way, I recommend you take a deep breath before you dive into the world of Rapheumets Well, because things are about to get extremely serious, heavy, symphonic and epic.

The acoustic intro in the opening track, Resurrecting The Blood Gate, doesn’t last long as symphonic and blasting sounds quickly invade our ears in a majestic way, with lead singer Tripp King vociferating the lyrics like a lunatic beast. Moreover, the sonority crafted by Joshua on drums is nicely complemented by keyboardist Aaron Rogers, enhancing the complexity and punch of this tune. In The Blight of Sotath Shal, wicked keyboards explode into brutal Black Metal with guitarists Daniel Presnell and Hunter Ross delivering solid riffs while Joshua keeps firing his blast beats, whereas in The Epic of Darmak, even more imposing and dense, the beautiful female vocals by Annette Greene provide a gentle balance to all destruction led by Tripp, turning this into one of the best songs of the album for sure.

Rapheumets WellCrucible of Titans (an awesome name for a song, by the way) couldn’t sound less violent and transcendent, with its polished production enhancing the reach of each instrument and therefore making us feel them inside our minds during this powerful blend of Atmospheric and Symphonic Black Metal; followed by Resurgence, a chant full of melancholy and anger where all three vocalists have amazing performances and, once again, the keyboards by Aaron generate a wicked atmosphere. In addition, this is the best song to enjoy the intricate bass lines by Jon Finney, especially if you’re a lover of the rumbling sound generated by this distinct instrument.

In Witch of Dark Spire, a lot more direct but as powerful as all previous tracks, the guitars by Daniel and Hunter are absolutely on fire, turning this into the most metallic of all tunes. However, in order to add some romance to this sonic havoc, we have Annette sounding like an angelic spirit with her smooth vocals. The title-track The Exile elevates even more the overall quality of the album, showcasing an astral intro that gently flows into potent and visceral music. Joshua is insanely amazing on drums with his fills and unstoppable beats, not to mention the yet again elaborate guitar riffs by both Daniel and Hunter and the demonic growls by Tripp. And as a formidable conclusion to this epic saga, Planetary Cenotaph brings forward more Symphonic Metal and huge doses of brutality meticulously tailored for all types of metalheads, with highlights to the entrancing ambience crafted by both Aaron and Annette.

While the aforementioned “Soyumoth’s War” goes on at the plain of Sovael, you can join Rapheumets Well on Facebook, YouTube, ReverbNation and SoundCloud, and grab your copy of this intense and multilayered soundtrack named The Exile at the band’s BandCamp page or at the Test You Metal Records’ Big Cartel page. But let me warn you that once you let your soul become part of the electrifying saga brought forth by Rapheumets Well, there’s no turning back.

Best moments of the album: Resurrecting The Blood Gate, The Epic of Darmak and The Exile.

Worst moments of the album: The Blight of Sotath Shal.

Released in 2016 Test Your Metal Records

Track listing
1. Resurrecting The Blood Gate 4:44
2. The Blight of Sotath Shal 3:53
3. The Epic of Darmak 4:59
4. Crucible of Titans 4:14
5. Resurgence 6:07
6. Witch of Dark Spire 5:17
7. The Exile 6:13
8. Planetary Cenotaph 5:05

Band members
Tripp King – harsh vocals
Annette Greene – choir, female clean vocals
Daniel Presnell – guitar
Hunter Ross – guitar
Jon Finney – bass
Aaron Rogers – keyboards
Joshua “Nassaru” Ward – drums, clean vocals

The Metal Moose Show – Episode 2016-03-17

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If you want to get more information about any of the bands featured at The Metal Moose Show, simply Google the band and/or the song name to find their official website and Facebook page and, more important than that, attend their live concerts and buy their music. Here at The Headbanging Moose you can also find detailed reviews of many other excellent underground bands. Support your local bands… AND FOLLOW THE MOOSE!

On The Metal Moose Show this week:

1. Unearthly – Seven Six Two
2. The Glorious Rebellion – Bitches Hate
3. Slave One – The Antikythera Mechanism
4. Nightland – Dreamless Life
5. Gutwrech – Inside
6. Edge Of Gravity – 1
7. Donum Ei – No Escape
8. Devil Electric – Devils Bells
9. Cult Of Occult – Walking In The Desert
10. Catastrophic Threat – Track One
11. Breach – Earth Is A Whisper
12. Bhagavhat – Manifesto Del Malingo
13. Filthy Lucre – Just A Little
14. Endless Fire – Stonebird

Click HERE to listen to this week’s episode on Spreaker.

Metal Moose Radio YouTube | Spreaker | iTunes

Album Review – Rotting Christ / Rituals (2016)

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The Greek gods of Black Metal return with a brand new opus that sounds more ritualistic and occult than ever, but as heavy and visceral as usual.

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rotting christ_ritualsI’m pretty sure most metalheads will agree with me when I say Rituals, the brand new opus by Greek Black/Dark Metal institution Rotting Christ, would be the perfect soundtrack to the most intense and gruesome epic movie of all time, making even classics like Gladiator look like a teen movie. Rituals does not offer just another selection of Extreme Metal songs crafted by this iconic band from Athens, Greece, but instead a sequence of ritualistic battle chants tailored to inspire us to grab our swords, shields and armors and be prepared to fight in this Holy War until our inevitable and sanguinary end comes.

In fact, this blend of Extreme Metal with History, religion and culture offered by Rotting Christ is not news to anyone. This has been a constant in the distinct career of this awesome Greek act since their inception in 1987, and with each and every new record they go deeper and deeper into the selected topics and themes, always improving the more contemporary blackened-Gothic style from their latest albums. Add to that the several guest musicians featured in Rituals and the band’s usual controversy in regards to their lyrics, and there you have another excellent album that will surely keep Rotting Christ more than relevant in the world of extreme music.

We already face a religious call to arms in the opening track, entitled In Nomine Dei Nostri (“In the Name of Our God”, from Latin), featuring guest vocalist George Zacharopoulos, who helps Rotting Christ in providing the album a solid start. Musically speaking, this tune is remarkably potent and imposing, a sonic battle that gradually grows within time and that gets even more impactful due to its demonic chorus. זה נגמר (Ze Nigmar), or “It’s Over”, is a dark and mysterious song about death and failure written in the official language of Jesus Christ (Aramaic) and is referred on his last 7 sentences on the cross, displaying the band’s trademark sonority with the guitar riffs by the band’s mastermind Sakis Tolis and the talented George Emmanuel creating a mesmerizing aura; while the high-octane tune Ἐλθὲ κύριε (Elthe Kyrie), or “Come Lord” from Greek, features Danai Katsameni (an actress of the National Hellenic Theater) vociferating some disturbing and desperate vocals which end up bringing a fantastic vibe to the music, not to mention those screams match flawlessly with the deeper growling by Sakis.

I simply love how many different languages and dialects are used by the band, always providing a fresh touch to their music, and in Les Litanies de Satan (Les Fleurs du Mal), or “The Litanies of Satan (The Flowers of Evil)” from French, that couldn’t be different, with the music generating a belligerent ambience that provides guest vocalist Vorph (Samael) all he needs to darkly declaim the song’s French lyrics (“Toi dont l’oeil clair connaît les profonds arsenaux / Où dort enseveli le peuple des métaux, / Toi dont la large main cache les precipices / Au somnambule errant au bord des edifices”). And as heavy and tribal as it can be, Ἄπαγε Σατανά (Apage Satana), the Greek for  “Begone, Satan”, brings forward a hellish march where its background noises and vociferations add an extra layer of obscurity to this disturbing chant, sounding like a satanic mantra at times.

rotting christIn Του θάνατου (Tou Thanatou), or “Death’s” from Greek, although you can hear straightforward Black Metal in the background, the music is at the same time very melodic and ritualistic, with hints of Symphonic Gothic Metal enhancing even more the quality of this beautiful cover version for a traditional Greek song by Nikos Xylouris. The initial and final narrations in For a Voice like Thunder (taken from the Prologue to “King Edward the Fourth” by William Blake) are obscurely amazing thanks to the fantastic contribution by the one and only Nick Holmes, who together with Sakis and his crew makes sure there are plenty of Gothic and Doom Metal elements from his band Paradise Lost added to the music.

Dark shadows continue to be over the music by Rotting Christ in Konx om Pax, which means  “Watch and do no harm” from Greek or “Light rushing out in a single ray” from Egyptian, another solid war-like composition where all instruments sound powerful, especially the sustained drumming by Themis Tolis and the song’s background keyboards. The same can be said about देवदेवं (Devadevam), or “God of Gods” from Sanskrit, a more melancholic and somber tune featuring guest singer Kathir which despite being very complex and dense, it lacks the Black Metal “venom” found in the other songs of the album. And the grand finale in Rituals comes in the form of a unique cover version for a psychedelic tune by Greek Progressive Rock band Aphrodite’s Child, entitled The Four Horsemen, where Themis and bassist Van Ace have exceptional performances while Sakis continues firing his bestial and effective growls.

There are so many details, so much content and so much to absorb in Rituals (which can be listened in its entirety HERE) that it becomes extremely difficult for an occasional listener of Rotting Christ to understand and enjoy everything the band is offering. However, if you’re a fan of occult and extreme music with a robust production and a primeval background, I’m sure you’ll have a very productive time listening to each “ritual” of the album. Rituals will take you to a time where crossing the thin line between war and religion was just a matter of accepting or not that the world we live in is hopeless, and there’s nothing we can do to change its wretched destiny.

Best moments of the album: In Nomine Dei Nostri, Ἐλθὲ κύριε (Elthe Kyrie) and Του θάνατου (Tou Thanatou).

Worst moments of the album: देवदेवं (Devadevam).

Released in 2016 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. In Nomine Dei Nostri 4:57
2. זה נגמר (Ze Nigmar) 4:43
3. Ἐλθὲ κύριε (Elthe Kyrie) 4:49
4. Les Litanies de Satan (Les Fleurs du Mal) 3:55
5. Ἄπαγε Σατανά (Apage Satana) 3:50
6. Του θάνατου (Tou Thanatou) (Nikos Xylouris cover) 3:37
7. For a Voice like Thunder 6:11
8. Konx om Pax 6:21
9. देवदेवं (Devadevam) 5:18
10. The Four Horsemen (Aphrodite’s Child cover) 5:24

Special Digibox bonus track
11. Lok’tar Ogar 4:25

Band members
Sakis Tolis – vocals, guitars
George Emmanuel – guitars
Van Ace – bass
Themis Tolis – drums

Guest musicians
George Zacharopoulos – additional vocals on “In Nomine Dei Nostri”
Danai Katsameni – additional vocals on “Ἐλθὲ κύριε (Elthe Kyrie)”
Vorph – additional vocals on “Les Litanies de Satan (Les Fleurs du Mal)”
Nick Holmes – additional vocals on “For a Voice like Thunder”
Kathir – additional vocals on “देवदेवं (Devadevam)”

Album Review – Neverworld / Dreamsnatcher (2016)

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Once again it’s time to enter the realm of Neverworld and surrender to the power of their solid and distinct Heavy Metal.

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CD Cover ArtWork - Dreamsnatcher (2015)Two years after opening the gates of their metallic kingdom to all of us with their debut full-length album Visions Of Another World, British metallers Neverworld return with Dreamsnatcher, once again inviting us to step into their world of dreams and nightmares through their more than exciting Melodic Heavy Metal. However, this time those guys from Bedfordshire, a county in the East of England, stepped up their game and got harder and heavier, but at the same time more melodic and refined. Put differently, this is the type of band that shows all diehard fans of classic metal music the likes of Judas Priest and Savatage that not everything is lost in our modern day society in terms of music.

You’ll need just a few seconds to get hooked on the music found in Dreamsnatcher so captivating it is. Not only the guitars got heavier, but especially the keyboards played by Mr. Daniel Potter throughout the entire album are a work-of-art, adding texture and intricacy to the music and crafting a unique atmosphere perfect for transporting the listener to the land of dreams created by Neverworld. Moreover, it doesn’t matter if a song in Dreamsnatcher has four, seven or ten minutes, they all have a reason for their duration and never get tiring, not to mention their storylines that, if properly followed, will make your time listening to the whole album even more pleasant than you could expect.

Reigniting the fire of metal from where they stopped in 2014, an acoustic intro is slowly complemented by heavy keyboards and an epic atmosphere until it becomes pure Heavy Metal in the opening track, elegantly named Into the Mouth Of Madness. And if Ben Colton, the mastermind behind the band, was already amazing in their 2014 release, now he goes above and beyond offering the listener a riveting 9-minute metal journey full of beautiful riffs and solos. And things get even better in the title-track Dreamsnatcher, where the band drinks from the fountains of Melodic and Power Metal, with highlights to the powerful bass lines by Gary Payne and the aforementioned keyboard notes by Daniel. Besides, it’s truly amazing the way Ben declaims the lyrics with so much passion and dedication, turning this tune into a must-listen for fans of the genre.

In the superb Armies Of The Night, the band embarks on heavier and darker paths with highlights to the great job done on guitars by Ben and his bandmate Jack Foster, especially with the song’s main riff, resulting in a very solid composition that perfectly represents what Neverworld are capable of delivering to fans of heavy music. Then we have Passion Killers, a heavy ballad with lots of feeling and electricity where its killer riffs match flawlessly with its atmospheric keyboards, inviting you to close your eyes and savor this metallic voyage; followed by Under The Asylum, an old school Heavy Metal anthem inspired by the music from the 80’s with an additional progressive touch, with drummer Mike Vaughan pounding his drums nonstop while Ben fires his potent vocals. Although we face a high level of aggressiveness all the time, the music is also very harmonious, and there are so many good guitar and keyboards solos it’s quite impossible not to get thrilled by this fantastic hymn.

BandFall Forever is another beautiful semi-ballad to soothe our souls, showcasing an outstanding performance by Ben, while All I Am is Progressive Metal to the second power without sounding cheesy or repetitive in its four minutes of classy passages. And in Awakening, again sounding like a classic act from the 80’s, Neverworld bring forward a nice Hard Rock vibe with Daniel leading the musicality with his first-class keyboard notes. In addition, you’ll start singing its chorus together with Ben without even noticing so catchy it is.

It’s simply incredible how every song is unique and presents a fresh sounding to the listener, and of course it couldn’t be different with the last two tracks of the album. The Grand Illusion will put you to bang your head for sure, with its fiery guitars, keyboards and drums supporting Ben’s incredible performance on vocals. Moreover, perhaps one of Ben’s biggest qualities as a vocalist is that he never exaggerates while singing, always providing exactly what the music demands. And the icing on the cake comes in the form of Face The Fear, a bold and epic 9-minute composition that properly concludes Dreamsnatcher. It’s a high-end mix of Progressive and Melodic Metal that never gets bland or uninspired, especially due to the amazing guitar solos halfway through it and its melancholic and smooth ending.

It’s time again to enter the realms of Neverworld and surrender to the power of their sophisticated Heavy Metal, and in order to experience their magical music all you have to do is visit their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud page, and obviously purchase Dreamsnatcher at the band’s Big Cartel page. After two sensational albums in a row, I’m beyond confident we’ll start seeing a lot more from Neverworld in the world of heavy music, with the sky being the limit for those British troopers. Or maybe even further, to a world where metal dreams always come true.

Best moments of the album: Dreamsnatcher, Armies Of The Night, Under The Asylum and The Grand Illusion.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Dream Demon Recordings

Track listing
1. Into the Mouth Of Madness 8:44
2. Dreamsnatcher 4:38
3. Armies Of The Night 4:56
4. Passion Killers 5:51
5. Under The Asylum 4:54
6. Fall Forever 6:09
7. All I Am 4:04
8. Awakening 5:30
9. The Grand Illusion 6:56
10. Face The Fear 9:15

Band members
Ben Colton – vocals, guitar
Jack Foster – guitar
Gary Payne – bass
Daniel Potter – keyboards
Mike Vaughan – drums