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 find detailed reviews of two of this week’s bands: Israeli Hardcore/Metalcore band WhiteNoise and South African Metalcore band Octainium (just click on the links below to read those reviews). Support your local bands… AND FOLLOW THE MOOSE!
On The Metal Moose Show this week (not necessarily in this order):
1. Stabbingback – Burn
2. Everdying – The Journey Ahead
3. We Were Lions – Evey Hero Needs Saving
4. Black Magik – Emerald Green
5. Artifas – Break
6. Artifas – Crawl
7. Atisa – Mind Driving
8. Severed Receptors – Blood Decendants
9. Force Of Rage – Battle
10. Incised – Beyond The Veil
11. Scarlet Gypsy – Dont Play With Love
12. Boyce – Dead To Me
13. Octainium – The Writing’s On The Wall 14. The Venomous Pinks – Can We Go
15. WhiteNoise – 4 AM 16. City Of The Weak – Just Another Eulogy
17. Wolf Blood – Black Moon
18. Gravyard Shifters – Play The Victim
Click HERE to listen to this week’s episode on Spreaker.
If the Devil had a band, it would sound pretty much like this one.
When you put together the obscurity of early British Doom Metal and the sheer brutality of old school American Death Metal, the final result is usually very interesting. From Detroit, Michigan, United States, comes a band that was able to blend those subgenres of heavy music in a more-than-entertaining way, adding to their music their own touch of creativity and ferocity. I’m talking about American Death/Doom Metal band Temple Of Void, who have just released their debut album entitled Of Terror And The Supernatural. Are you ready for some sonic carnage?
Although they’re a relatively new band, having self-released only a demo in May 2013 prior to Of Terror And The Supernatural, those five Detroiters are so precise with their instruments that they sound like an already classic extreme metal band that has been playing together for decades. Besides, the overall production of the album is also very professional and polished, without abandoning that crude sonority necessary for a good extreme metal album but also without sounding awfully raw to the point it looks like an amateur demo, favoring the type of music crafted by the band.
The opening track, The Embalmer’s Art, begins the album on a high note by creating a truly eccentric atmosphere with its low tune riffs, demoniacal vocals and pure Doom Metal drumming, fortified by its morbid lyrics (“Potter’s bluff / The embalmer’s art / Master work of the wicked”). This song is already some kind of message from the band to the listener, like if they wanted to say “our music is not for the faint-hearted”, so eerie it is. The following track, Savage Howl, begins with a cool galloping intro before hell breaks loose: its guitar and bass lines, mixed with its intense drums, are perfect for some headbanging, with the last minute of it being as heavy as it can be. In addition, I wonder if singer Mike Erdody can do those deep growling vocals live, that must be really impressive.
Beyond the Ultimate showcases the most obscure Doom Metal riffs you can think of, nicely enhanced by some hints of Stoner Metal and its truly hideous lyrics (“Feed me / I must dine a feast of blood / Once, I too paid these / Sacrificial dues”), followed by Invocation of Demise, with some of the darkest riffs of the whole album and some extra guitar effects that provide it an extra dose of occultism, ideal to be part of the soundtrack for a Black Magic ritual. Not only that, after five minutes it sounds like a brand new song as it gets a lot more melodic, with drummer Jason Pearce dictating the rhythm.
To Carry this Corpse Evermore is just a melancholic semi-acoustic instrumental track (maybe to give Mr. Erdody’s throat a short break) that works like a bridge for the next song, Rot in Solitude, with its Death Metal riffs and a very somber rhythm; while Exanimate Gaze offers us an interesting mix of Paradise Lost and Black Sabbath, especially its guitar lines. By the way, the awesome instrumental boosts the overall quality of this song, with its last part reminding me of some good contemporary Black Metal songs. And as the final track in Of Terror And The Supernatural we have the 10-minute epic Doom Metal song Bargain in Death, with highlights to its disturbing lyrics about being buried alive (“Waking – You grasp and you claw / But there is no escape / Scratching – The slivers of pine / Stabbing under your nails”). The second half of the song is like a funeral march, as slow, perverse and eerie as possible, with some amazing guitar solos at the end elevating this tenebrous masterpiece to a whole new magnitude.
Lastly, the cover painting by renowned fantasy artist Bruce Pennington is also a very good indicator of how evil this album is and how perturbed you might feel after listening to it, obviously in a very good way. So if you enjoy the devilish music this band plays, simply support them by visiting their Facebook page, by asking them to play live in your city, and also by going to their official Bandcamp page to purchase Of Terror And The Supernatural, an album that sounds like if it was recorded by the Devil’s own heavy music band.
Best moments of the album:The Embalmer’s Art, Savage Howl and Bargain in Death.
Worst moments of the album:Rot in Solitude.
Released in 2014 Rain Without Records / Saw Her Ghost Records
Track listing 1. The Embalmer’s Art 6:25
2. Savage Howl 5:19
3. Beyond the Ultimate 6:14
4. Invocation of Demise 7:32
5. To Carry this Corpse Evermore 3:17
6. Rot in Solitude 5:34
7. Exanimate Gaze 5:29
8. Bargain in Death 10:41
Band members Mike Erdody – vocals
Eric Blanchard – guitar
Alex Awn – guitar
Brent Satterly – bass
Jason Pearce – drums
Forget the usual corpse painting and church burnings: this talented American band is here to offer us pure Black Metal music.
Let’s talk about Black Metal, but not about those groups that care more about maintaining an impeccable corpse painting or setting fire to churches than actually playing their instruments to generate entertaining extreme music. The focus here is on the good Black Metal band Isenblåst, from Detroit, Michigan, United States, and their recently released EP Unleashing The Demon Scourge, and you’ll see you don’t need any black-and-white makeup or blazing torches to be a badass band.
Formed in 2009 by singer/guitarist Chronolith and guitarist Lord Kaiser, Isenblåst display a huge influence from the beginnings of the rich Scandinavian Black Metal, with bands like Burzum, Enslaved and Satyricon being among their main influences, but also incorporating lots of early Death Metal elements to their musicality in order to sound at the same time more chaotic and melodic. If you listen to their 2010 demo Isenblåst and to their 2013 cassette Forest of Frost, it will be really easy to notice the evolution in their music in Unleashing the Demon Scourge.
As soon as you hit “play”, you’ll be assaulted by the very raw and brutal Black Metal in the opening track A Fire of Knowledge and Power, a song with insane blast beats conducted by drummer Abominater, lots of guitar shredding and, of course, vocals as desperate as possible by Chronolith. And you know what? It sounds really cool, far from being annoying or cheesy like many “true” Black Metal bands.
The title-track, Unleashing the Demon Scourge, has a very satanic instrumental, especially its excellent Black and Death Metal riffs, which together with some hints of Hardcore and Punk Rock give it a more melodic aspect than usual Black Metal. In addition, The Latin (or whatever language that is) used in the lyrics (“Ati me peta babka / Ea, usmi nuru / Usmi la atzu / Lu daku me”) ends up being an extra touch of darkness to the song.
Nocturnal Offering, with its musicality similar to Emperor, Immortal and other classic bands, offers the listener a good guitar solo nicely blended with the sick rhythm imposed by drummer Abominater, with its “thrashy” second part reminding me of some old Slayer songs such as “Criminally Insane” and “Reborn”, which in my opinion helps this song sound extremely enjoyable and consequently become the best of the EP. The fourth and last track of the EP is called Seven Gates, and although it’s more violent than the other tracks, with its vocal lines being as beastly as possible, it’s not just noise: all musicians make sure their music is audible and solid, as you can see by the excellent guitar solo by the end of the song.
In summary, forget about corpse painting, church burning and all other of those “traditional” things: if you’re a fan of good-quality extreme music, the Black Metal by Isenblåst might be a very interesting addition to your music collection. So go to their official BandCamp page, take a listen at some of their songs, purchase the EP and embrace the wickedness of Black Metal music.
Best moments of the album:Nocturnal Offering.
Worst moments of the album: Let’s wait for their full-length album to do so.
Released in 2014 In Satan’s Custody / Demon Breath Productions
Track listing 1. A Fire of Knowledge and Power 4:38
2. Unleashing the Demon Scourge 6:02
3. Nocturnal Offering 5:36
4. Seven Gates 4:33
Band members Chronolith – vocals, guitar
Lord Kaiser – guitar
Mars – bass
Abominater – drums
A serious contender for “Thrash Metal Album of the Year”, as heavy, invigorating and awesome as it can be.
When you think of that insane Thrash Metal from the 80’s, your head automatically turns to North America, more specifically to the San Francisco Bay Area and to South Florida, where monsters such as Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, Anthrax, Exodus, Testament and many other great bands simply made history with their never-before-seen heavy music. But what if I tell you there’s also excellent Thrash Metal music in the “Land of the Midnight Sun”, the stunning Kingdom of Norway? And what if I tell you it’s the most awesome Thrash Metal music you can find anywhere today?
That’s exactly the case with Norwegian Thrash Metal band Escapetor, who after a few demos, EP’s and a debut album, are about to release their second full-length album, entitled Fear. Not only that, this Rogaland-based group also adds lots of elements from more contemporary bands like Pantera and Slipknot to their songs, which ends up elevating the overall fierceness of their musicality to a level all Thrash Metallers from anywhere in the world will love from the bottom of their hearts. In other words, if you do not like the Thrash Metal by Escapetor, you’re not a good person.
The initial riffs and fast drums of the opening track, The Queen, say it all: it’s fuckin’ brilliant Thrash Metal, so good I bet no one can stand still while tis song is played. In addition to the flawless instrumental, with highlights to the aforementioned powerful guitar riffs, the performance by German singer Claudius Bormuth is beyond superb, turning this song into a unique heavy music delight. What a great voice, perfect for Escapetor’s musicality! If only Metallica were doing something as enjoyable as this. Anyway, that was just the beginning of Fear: the melodic mid-tempo song Dark Past, with its more modern sonority perfect for headbanging and for some crazy air guitar, has some excellent guitar solos accompanied by a strong and catchy chorus (“Can you feel it, burning inside / I can’t take it anymore. / All these feelings tearing me apart, / Cause I know it is my dark past.”); while Unknown Thoughts, a pretty decent song with an interesting job done by drummer Leif-Ove Haugstad, reminds me of a more contemporary Metallica.
Dealing with Fate is pure riffs and heaviness where you can sense the influence from the band’s biggest idols in terms of harmony and rhythmic breaks. Besides that, its backing vocals are an amazing addition to the already great vocals by Claudius, and everything gets even better due to an outstanding guitar solo at the end. The following track, Mr. Hyde, showcases a refined mix of Thrash Metal and Southern Rock, something I’ve seen only Testament doing properly. It’s direct and powerful, straight to your face, with its lyrics inspired by the “Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” being an extra ingredient to this great recipe (“Last night, I woke up, I had the same old nightmare / What have I done, Mr. Hyde has taken over”).
The title-track, Fear, is truly kick-ass, with its deeper growls in the chorus and all variations from a faster rhythm (perfect for mosh pits) to a heavier and slower tune (tailored for intense headbanging) perfectly exemplifying the total synergy among all band members. The mighty bass lines by Dan Gundersen set the tone for another badass ferocious track, Shadow, where guitarists Ragnar Nord-Varhaug and Axel Feller keep up with the tradition of dynamic and technical guitar duos in Thrash Metal, followed by Escapetor, with its epic intro and an astonishing atmosphere created by the guitar riffs. Not only this is one of the best songs of the album without a shadow of a doubt, but its pure old school musicality and lyrics (“We are Escapetor, here in your town / Delivering metal to you our crows / We travel the wastelands, we sail over seas / To bring you our music, to make you feel free”) make me feel like I’m listening to a classic band from the 80’s.
Then it’s time to bang our fuckin’ heads with Suicide, an evil version of A7X (which is indeed something very positive), with highlights to its great vocals and to drummer Leif-Ove Haugstad simply smashing his drum set. It can’t get any heavier than this! The next track, Time, reminds me a little of Iced Earth and although it might not be as brilliant as the rest of the album, it’s a pretty decent song anyway; while the Testament-ish tune Creatures of the Night offers us some very dark and solid guitar lines, with the final part of the song being so damn heavy it’s impossible not to love it. And finally, Escapetor offer all fans of good music an incredible gift, with their impeccable cover version of Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues. I have to say this is more than just a cover version, it’s a superb tribute to one of the biggest music icons of all time, and seriously, this song made my day a lot better.
Call it the “New Wave of Norwegian Thrash Metal”, “Boknafjord Area Thrash Metal” (the largest bay in the county of Rogaland), or create your own definition of it, but one thing is certain: Fear is surely the “Thrash Metal Album of the Year” so far, and there’s a huge chance it will remain in the top spot when 2014 is over. If you cannot wait to listen to more of Escapetor’s crazy Thrash Metal, a preview of the entire Fear is available HERE, and you can already pre-order it at the official Crime Records webshop. Let’s say that only Thrash Metal behemoths Exodus can beat them, but it would be an honour anyway to be second place just behind Gary Holt, Zetro & Co., right?
Best moments of the album:The Queen, Fear, Escapetor, Suicide and Folsom Prison Blues.
Worst moments of the album:Unknown Thoughts and Time.
Released in 2014 Crime Records
Track listing 1. The Queen 5:52
2. Dark Past 5:05
3. Unknown Thoughts 4:33
4. Dealing with Fate 6:42
5. Mr. Hyde 5:03
6. Fear 3:56
7. Shadow 3:45
8. Escapetor 4:52
9. Suicide 4:24
10. Time 5:46
11. Creatures of the Night 5:53
12. Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash cover) 2:30
Band members Claudius Bormuth – vocals
Ragnar Nord-Varhaug – guitar
Axel Feller – guitar
Dan Gundersen – bass
Leif-Ove Haugstad – drums
In order to properly celebrate the first awesome year of The Headbanging Moose, no one would have been a better choice for our Metal Chick of the Month than this Canadian girl. She’s at the same time the Beauty AND the Beast, an inspiration to many women all around the world, and her convictions and talent are truly taking her to stardom. From the beautiful city of Montreal, Quebec, here comes Alissa White-Gluz, founder and former lead singer of Canadian Metalcore band The Agonist, and currently the frontwoman of Swedish Melodic Death Metal icons Arch Enemy.
This vegan straight-edge kick-ass Québécois was born on July 31, 1985, and although she claims she has never taken any singing lessons her voice has become really powerful and versatile throughout the years, elevating her status as one of the most influential Heavy Metal female singers of the past decade, even leading to some comparisons with the one and only Angela Gossow. Well, those comparisons don’t seem to have been in vain, because on March 17, 2014, she was chosen to be the replacement for Angela herself and became the voice of Arch Enemy. In Alissa’s own words, “I am very honored and happy to announce a new chapter in my life and musical career beginning now; I have joined forces with one of my all-time favorite and globally respected bands, ARCH ENEMY. ‘Wages of Sin’ was the first metal album I ever bought, and it was love at first listen. It is not often that you get a phone call from your favorite band asking you to join! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such amazingly talented musicians whom I also consider great friends. I look forward to being able to write and perform at a whole new level now with ARCH ENEMY! Music is forever, metal is limitless and this is only the beginning!”
Arch Enemy have recently released their first album with Alissa on vocals, entitled War Eternal, but there was a lot more of our Heavy Metal diva prior to that. She founded The Agonist back in 2004 with guitarist Danny Marino and bassist Chris Kells (when the band was still known as The Tempest), and recorded three excellent full-length albums and one EP with them: Once Only Imagined (2007), Lullabies for the Dormant Mind (2009), The Escape EP (2011), and Prisoners (2012), with Lullabies for the Dormant Mind being in my opinion their best album in terms of musicality, lyrics and creativity. In regards to Alissa’s performance in all The Agonist albums, she was always so electrifying and full of energy that it’s impossible to not get completely mesmerized by her voice and moves, as you can easily see in their official videos for Thank You, Pain, …And Their Eulogies Sang Me to Sleep, and Panophobia. By the way, I consider the video for Thank You, Pain, with its outstanding production, good storyline and, of course, Alissa kickin’ ass, one of the most professional and beautiful videos I’ve seen in a long time.
Besides her work with The Agonist, Alissa has also been featured as a guest musician in the following albums: Canadian Folk/Melodic Death Metal band Blackguard’s Profugus Mortis, Canadian Melodic Black/Death Metal band Erimha’s Irkalla, Canadian Industrial Death Metal band Synastry’s Blind Eyes Bleed, American Melodic Power Metal band Kamelot’s Silverthorn and also in the single Sacrimony (which the amazing official video can be seen here), and more recently in Dutch Symphonic Metal band Delain’s The Human Contradiction. She was also a live guest singer during Kamelot’s recent 2011/2012 tours, as well as, along with Swedish singer Elize Ryd (Amaranth), replaced Anette Olzon while she was sick for a one-time Nightwish concert in Denver on September 28, 2012. An interview with both artists talking about that experience can be seen here and on Nightwish’s Showtime, Storytime (DVD), on the documentary footage section.
While Alissa was with The Agonist, she toured the world with many different famous bands such as Epica, Kamelot, Sonata Arctica and Danzig, which is very demanding and time consuming, and now with Arch Enemy the frequency and intensity of world tours have just increased, making her eating habits and exercising more than essential for a professional and powerful onstage performance. That’s one of the reasons why she maintains a strong exercise routine, working out between 5 and 6 times a week, especially to strengthen her muscles. Alissa mentioned she loves working out, which is in her opinion the best remedy for anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues etc., and it’s one of the things that make her feel a happier and healthier person. I agree with her 100%, as I also love working out and feel the same results as she does, and also because The Agonist and Arch Enemy are always in my workout playlist.
Another important part of her life is her veganism, which according to Alissa herself is her most powerful source of energy and health. Although she was a vegetarian all her life, she decided to become a vegan when she was a teenager and carry that flag forever more, always mentioning that her family has been a huge inspiration for her. “My parents, along with my brother and sister, are vegetarians. I wasn’t raised in any way where I was forced to be a vegetarian too. I always had the choice. My mom would say, ‘I don’t eat the stuff, so I won’t cook it, but if you want to eat it, you can. Let me tell you why I don’t eat it.’ So she was open about it.”, she said. “From a young age, I learned what a non-vegetarian diet entails. I made the decision early on that I was going to stick to the lifestyle. It’s easier to stick with something like that than change it, if you’ve always done it. I’m grateful that my parents were open-minded with me.”
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In regards to her personal life, Alissa has mentioned during some interviews that among her favorite bands and musicians are Devin Townsend, Gwen Stefani, Muse, and, of course, Arch Enemy. Hence, it’s always interesting to see non-Metal bands or artists among the playlists of Heavy Metal icons (see other examples here and here), which makes us feel less “guilty” when singing any songs that are currently part of the top 40 list. Among her favorite places she has already traveled to, we have Japan, Peru and Austria, and in terms of movies she said her favorite one is still The Little Mermaid, which is by the way the reason why she started singing. I just don’t remember Ariel or Sebastian doing any guttural during the movie, but that’s just a minor detail, right? Moreover, our Heavy Metal goddess has been selected multiple times as one of “the hottest chicks in metal” by Revolver Magazine. Why am I not surprised at all with that?
Last but not least, Alissa is not only an animal lover (I believe she has two rescued kitties at home), but beyond that she’s an important animal rights activist just as her idol Angela Gossow, having already received an award from peta2 for her work in an international campaign advocating against the hunting of Canadian seals. Honestly, that’s for me her biggest achievement in life, even more important than her contribution to heavy music, and something she’s probably very proud of.
She mentioned in some interviews that she’s been active with a lot of different organizations helping kids, third world countries and animals, but that her true passion is in animal rights. She also said she started doing fundraising for peta2 and WWF when she was still in high school, and that the partnership between peta2 and her started when they used some stock footage in The Agonist’s first music video, Business Suits and Combat Boots. Since then the organization and Alissa have been working together to promote veganism and fight against animal cruelty as much as possible through different campaigns, protests, lectures, and many other activities. So don’t waste your time, go support peta2, get involved, do something good for this fuckin’ world, and you might end up meeting Alissa somewhere, an amazing person and one of the best frontwoman of the recent history of Heavy Metal. How about that?
““The biggest thing for me is animal rights. That’s the number one factor that sort of means everything in my life, more than music or anything else. I think it’s a huge problem, and I think it’s refreshing to meet people, now and then, that actually do care about their impact on the planet, and not just care about themselves.” – Alissa White-Gluz
Starting today, The Headbanging Moose will be providing you the online episodes of The Metal Moose Show, a 2-hour indie show that features all genres and subgenres of Heavy Metal aired every week by Metal Moose Radio, a radio show/website based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States.
You will find more information about some of the bands and artists featured on the show here at The Headbanging Moose, like for example British Hard Rock band BlackWolf and Algerian Death Metal band Lelahell on this week’s episode. So support your local bands… AND FOLLOW THE MOOSE!
On The Metal Moose Show this week (not necessarily in this order):
1. BlackWolf – Trouble
2. Lelahell – Al Intissar
3. Far Away Stables – Understanding The Depths
4. Mongrel – Best Revenge
5. The Kodiax – Driven
6. Hell Came Home – Dead To Me
7. Gravel Hitch – Transformed
8. Fusskalt – When The Devil Comes
9. When Giants Collide – Failure To Ressatate
10. Sylvatica – Winds Of Decay
11. Seiber – She The Apathetic
12. Black Tora – Never Enough
13. Axe Of Hate – The Cause
14. Aftermath Excursion – Its All Gone
15. Aeons Of Hour – Resolve
16. Windfarer – In The Shadow Of Giants
17. Message To Venus – Hollow
18. Black Soul Seraphim – Alms And Aravice
19. Twelve Years Driven – Red
20. Twelve Years Driven – Stiches
Click HERE to listen to this week’s episode on Spreaker.
Unique and avant-garde Funeral Doom Metal from Italy, recommended for lovers of the darkest side of music.
Forged by musicians Rodolfo Baroni and Dario Fabiani in the wonderful city of Rome, Italy, the music by Funeral Doom / Avantgarde Metal band Necropolimight not be an easy listening for people who usually stick to basic radio stuff, including even the most badass Rock N’ Roll radio stations. However, it’s indeed a delectable experimental voyage with lots of Dhrone, Death, Black and Downtempo influences, going way beyond the average Doom Metal most of us are used to, taking your senses to a whole new freakish level.
Their debut album, symbolically named I, can be considered an epitome of darkness in heavy music, with its truly long and devilish songs taking you down to a world where things like happiness, beauty and love do not exist at all. Just by looking at the album art you know this is not going to be just another commercial album full of cheesy content.
When you listen to the baby crying during the ominous intro in Ashes of my Soul, you can get a taste of how grim Necropoli can be. But it’s when their slow and dark Doom Metal really begins, with the deepest growls you can think of and its double bass and eerie synths giving the whole song a totally lugubrious atmosphere, that you’ll feel you’re like taking part of a ritual. In addition, its obscure lyrics (“This restless circle is complete / This maze will never set me free / The winds of eternity shall take away / The ashes of my soul…”) and its more than frightful ending complement the song very effectively.
Inner Space starts with some kind of weird electric or industrial sounds, and its intro goes on for almost three minutes before turning into ferocious Black Metal with sick guitar riffs and guttural vocals. It goes back to pure atmospheric music with sounds of ocean, seagulls and an acoustic guitar after seven minutes, finally becoming a Doom Metal tune to finish this dark sonic journey. A Step doesn’t make things happier or lighter, focusing on interesting piano keys blended with evil vocals and heavy riffs, all enhanced by depressive lyrics (“Opening his eyes and looking at the world around me, one single step / I got lost in it and maybe found myself many times in my path”) and an ending that is a fuckin’ massacre.
However, things get even more interesting in Silence Awaits Me, another ghostly tune filled by symphonic elements, getting closer to Death Metal in some moments and with so many rhythmic breaks it could easily be divided into three or four distinct songs. Very epic and full of feeling, it encompasses 17 minutes of occultism and mystery that will please anyone that enjoys this type of music. And closing the album we have Curriculum Vitae (I have no idea why they chose this song name), the only track with less than 10 minutes of duration: it’s such a weird outro, consisting of demonic voices accompanied only by some persistent low synths, that I don’t know what to say about it. You’ll have to listen to it and take your own conclusions.
In summary, Necropoli’s debut album I, available at the band’s official Bandcamp page, is as unique and avant-garde as it can be, always focusing on a more unhappy and wicked side of life, of course, which doesn’t mean you’ll regret listening to it. Quite the contrary, I bet you’ll keep going back to it again and again to savor its complexity, heaviness and malice.
Best moments of the album:Silence Awaits Me.
Worst moments of the album:Curriculum Vitae.
Released in 2014 Independent
Track listing 1. Ashes of my Soul 10:37
2. Inner Space 11:47
3. A Step 12:13
4. Silence Awaits Me 17:06
5. Curriculum Vitae 4:04
Band members (Recording line up) David Unsaved – voice
Dario Fabiani – guitar, bass, synth, vocals, programming
Rodolfo Baroni – guitar
Current line up David Unsaved – voice
Dario Fabiani – guitar, bass, synth, vocals, programming
Francesco Romano – drums
The Headbanging Moose talks to the leader of Algerian Death Metal band Lelahell, Redouane “Lelahel” Aouameur, about their new excellent album, their plans for a world tour, his full-blooded passion for extreme music, as well as the current state of Death Metal in Algeria. Support Lelahell or die!
The Headbanging Moose: First of all, congratulations on the release of your first full-length record, Al Insane... The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane. Could you tell us a little about how Lelahell was born and how difficult the band’s path was until this album became reality? What were the easiest and the most arduous parts in the recording process of the album?
Redouane “Lelahel” Aouameur: Thanks for your great support! And for giving us the opportunity to talk about our music and our band!
Lelahell is an Algerian Death Metal band founded in 2010 by me (Lelahel) and started first as a one man band. One year later it was joined by Slaveblaster (drums) and Nihil (bass), two talented musicians from the band Barbaros.
In January 2013 we started to record drums of our first full length album, two months later we started the recording of bass and guitars. The vocals were recorded in August 2013 just before our first tour. After that I was going to mix and master the album, but it was difficult to find a suitable sound for our music which was the most arduous part of the recording process, so we decided to search for a producer, and by the time we could find someone for that we were already in December 2013. The album was mixed and mastered by Ivan from Athropocide Studio from Belarus. He did a great job, this guy is very patient and talented! But very slow lol! Because the album was finalized in March 2014.
The easiest part was the writing process because it was something very natural and without any stress, everything came from our guts!
THM: Songs like Al Intissar and Hillal do not only offer the fans the traditional Death Metal they’re looking for, but they also carry some interesting and relevant message in their lyrics, especially in regards to the Algerian culture. Can you tell us more about how those songs were created and what they truly mean for you?
Lelahel: “Al Intissar” is an hymn to victory and all against those fuckin’ losers who complain all day long without doing anything from their lives. Move your ass fucking assholes! It was the first written song of the album, and maybe the most interesting.
The other song, “Hillal”, has a more philosophical concept and it is about the interaction of the human with the nature. The main riff is taken from a melody used in a song called “Into the Past” from our first EP, and played differently. And maybe we will do the same thing in the next album?
THM: Another song that caught my attention in Al Insane… The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane was Mizmar, which also contains elements of the Arabic culture. Although you’re a traditional Death Metal band, are you considering one day recording any songs that are more connected to your country, and consequently less brutal, like the acoustic and tribal songs Sepultura added to some of their albums in the past?
Lelahel: Maybe just an intro or a prelude of a few seconds, we are a Death Metal band not a folk or other kind of metal band. The main concept of Lelahell is brutality through melody!
THM: How much do you think that singing in French is beneficial to your music? Don’t you think that the French language can become a barrier for Lelahell to enter the North American and European markets, which are more than essential for the survival of any band?
Lelahel: In general we don’t sing in French, we used French in only one song, “Hypnose”, and we used also Spanish in “Hermanos”, a song from Al Intihar (our first EP). Maybe we’ll use Italian, German or another language in our future albums. We just do that in one song only in each release, it is the trademark of Lelahell! But in general we use English, Algerian and classical Arabic in our songs, and I don’t think that it will be a barrier to enter the European and American markets! Nowadays many known bands use their native language in their music.
THM: This topic might be a little delicate, but many people believe that the African continent, in special its Islamic countries, are not a place for Death Metal or any type of heavy music. What’s your opinion about that? Have you ever suffered any type of discrimination inside or outside Algeria because of your music and origin, and if so, how do you deal with this type of issue?
Lelahel: I play metal for more than 20 years, and never got any problem in my country, I think that you have a false idea about our countries which is transmitted by your media. Outside Algeria we played in many Europeans countries (France, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Malta), I also played in Belgium and France 10 years before with my previous band Litham, all without any problem.
THM: What can you tell us about the Death Metal scene in Algeria? How does it differ from the state of Death Metal in countries like the United States, Canada, Germany, Brazil and Japan?
Lelahel: We can’t say that there is a Death Metal scene in Algeria. Actually there are only a few bands which are active. And the main problems are the lack of places for playing and rehearsing! This is why bands disband after 2 or 3 years of existence.
Album Review – Lelahell / Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane (2014)
THM: What are your tour plans now that you finally have a full-length album to promote, and how are your fans and first-time listeners reacting to your new songs at your live performances? Are there any specific songs that are receiving more positive feedback than others?
Lelahel: We played a few weeks ago at the Malta Death Fest, it was the first gig after the release of the album and we got very positive feedback from Maltese and many European death metalheads! The song that received more positive feedback from all listeners is actually “Kalimet Essir”.
Our next plan to promote the album is an Euro tour planned for December of this year booked by Axa Valhalla productions from Romania. The confirmed dates are in Germany, Switzerland, Poland and maybe France. Stay in touch for more news!
THM: Who are your biggest idols in music, and to what extend have those bands or artists influenced what we can hear in your debut album? And did you consider recording a cover song of any of your main influences in Al Insane… The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane or did you feel the album should have been 100% original, just the way it ended up being?
Lelahel: We don’t have any particular idols, but we have two main sources of inspiration: everything which is related to Death Metal and all brutal stuff, and the second is our local music. With those two things we can write more than 100,000 albums, no?
In my opinion no one can be 100% original in music except if you are living in another planet!
THM: How do you see the future of heavy music in Algeria and in the rest of the world, especially in regards to Death Metal, a music genre always marginalized by the vast majority of the society? In addition, do you believe the Internet has been having a more positive or negative impact on your band and on Death Metal in general?
Lelahel: Back to the early days: the tape trading and paper zines and such things, when the people where more supportive to small underground bands buying demos and going to small shows! Nowadays things have really changed, people prefer to spend thousands of bucks for going to a festival with big bands instead of 3 or 5 to support their local band. The internet has its benefits because it is really easier for a band from all around the globe to spread music and all info than before, but the technology and mp3 really killed the charm of music. People became lazier!
In the future I think that things will go on the same way!
THM: Thanks a lot for your time. Feel free to send a message to all true Death Metal fans all over the world, especially to the ones here in Canada that are starting to enjoy the music by Lelahell.
Lelahel: Thanks a lot for your great support! And stay brutal!
Directly from Northern Ireland, we might be witnessing the future face of Symphonic Power Metal.
Are you a fan of symphonic heavy music full of operatic vocals, Power Metal elements and a dense Gothic atmosphere the likes of Nightwish, Sonata Arctica and Avantasia? If this is your type of “party”, you should take a listen at Paradise Over, the new EP by Symphonic Power Metal band Selene. Selene was founded in 2013 by guitarist/keyboardist John Connor (sorry, not the one from the Terminator franchise) and singer Shonagh Lyons, with the band name being inspired by Sonata Arctica’s “My Selene”, one of John Connor’s all-time favourite songs, becoming his personal tribute to his Finnish Power Metal heroes.
This new band from Northern Ireland released their first EP called Among the Frozen in 2013, which already received a lot of positive feedback from heavy music fans and reviewers all over the world. However, now with the addition of Cameron Ashlund-Glass (Darkest Era) on drums and Thomas Alford (Sandstone) on bass, their music became a lot more consistent and organic, strengthening the final result in Paradise Over.
From the very first minute of the opening track Facing the Mirror, with its smooth piano intro and guitar riffs the likes of Nightwish, the whole band and the overall production of the EP sound very solid and professional, inviting the listener to keep relishing every track in Paradise Over. In addition, the song is augmented by its emotional lyrics (“If I can’t love my-self, /how can I need some-one else?”), tailored for fans of the genre, and a beautiful performance by singer Shonagh Lyons.
Not Enough starts with a vibrant intro and offers us a very symphonic and dense atmosphere throughout its entirety, making me wonder how interesting it would be if it was used as part of the soundtrack for any epic or fantasy movie such as The Hobbit, followed by the even more symphonic Still Dreaming, which could easily be played in any radio station in the world due to its pleasant instrumental and melancholic lyrics (“The darkness growing deep within my mind / Feels so real to me but I’m still dreaming”).
Then come the awesome title-track, Paradise Over, with drummer Cameron Ashlund-Glass dictating the rhythm and its strong keyboards and vocals reminding me of some Symphonic Metal classics by Nightwish, Epica and other female-fronted bands; and the very epic and powerful tune Fade Away, where drums and keyboards are in total synergy, together with another great performance by the gorgeous Shonagh. Lastly, the band brings forth the sorrowful ballad Hourglass Fading, which will please the hearts of all music lovers, closing the EP in a very beautiful way.
What does the future hold for Selene? Well, give them just a few more years and I bet their music will sound so much more powerful they might even become the face of Symphonic Power Metal, because if they were capable of producing such enthralling music independently we can have a very good idea of what they could do with proper support. So go to the band’s official BandCamp page to purchase their new EP Paradise Over, visit the official Selene Web Store for some other cool stuff such as their previous EP Among the Frozen and other bundles (which include keyrings and necklaces), and appreciate the music by this promising band from the “The 6 Counties”.
Best moments of the album:Not Enough and Paradise Over.
Worst moments of the album: Let’s wait for a full-length album to choose some bad moments (if there are any, of course).
Released in 2014 Independent
Track listing 1. Facing the Mirror 5:08
2. Not Enough 5:03
3. Still Dreaming 4:34
4. Paradise Over 3:29
5. Fade Away 5:03
6. Hourglass Fading 3:16
Band members Shonagh Lyons – vocals
John Connor – guitar, keyboard
Thomas Alford – bass
Cameron Ashlund-Glass – drums
It’s time for these talented Italian Death Metallers to unleash the Fifth Fury upon humanity.
This year has been more than amazing for Death Metal so far, as there have been tons of kick-ass albums, lots of shredding, huge doses of violence, and thousands of excellent reasons to bang our heads and slam into the circle pits. Joining that demented “2014 Hall of Rage” we welcome The Fifth Fury, the fifth full-length album by Italian Technical Death Metal band Gory Blister.
Formed in the 90’s in Milan, Italy, Gory Blister has recently been through some lineup changes, which includes vocalist John St John (Statica Nera, Orthodox) teaming up with the band in 2012 and more recently the addition of Emi Dattolo (Faust, Illogicist, Eternal Tragedy) as their new bassist. Those changes seem to have had a very positive effect to the band’s musicality and energy, which together with their usual lyric themes such as psychology, poetry and outer space result in some very entertaining extreme music, especially for fans of more technical and melodic Death Metal.
With its blazing guitar duo intro, the opening track Psycho Crave sets the tone of the whole album: a total fuckin’ music madness full of insane blast beats by Joe Laviola, which together with some interesting riffs provide an eerie atmosphere to the listener. Besides, its technical shredding sounds like a heavier version of Swedish Melodic Death Metal icons Arch Enemy, which in my opinion is always a good thing. Thresholds, a more brutal but very melodic tune, showcases what John St John is capable of doing with his voice, switching from deeper growls the likes of Krisiun and Deicide to more harsh vocals similar to Jeff Walker from Carcass.
Following those two sonic tornadoes, the band keeps the momentum going with the fast drumming and ghastly vocals in Toxamine, which disturbing lyrics (“Stomach ulceration, hate perceived / Your blood doesn’t clot / In full clarity of mind / killing is your only wish / Your skin turns red”) turn it into one of the best songs of the album; and Devouring Me, another shredding attack led by Raff with a very melancholic intro. By the way, it’s amazing how an extreme band like Gory Blister can create such atmospheric music without keyboards or synths, don’t you agree?
The dark title-track, The Fifth Fury, narrates the story of “all furies”: First Fury (Tisiphone), Second Fury (Megaera), Third Fury (Alecto), Fourth Fury (Nemesis), and of course, the Fifth Fury created by the band. In Greek mythology, the Furies (or Erinyes) were female chthonic deities of vengeance, sometimes referred to as “infernal goddesses”. By that you can have an idea of how obscure and heavy this song is, also perfectly represented in the album art. Right after all that darkness, comes one of the best songs of the album, if not the best of all, named Prometheus Scars, with its ferocious instrumental, diabolic vocals and great guitar lines. In addition, it has a meaningful storyline too, as “Prometheus is a Titan who sided with Zeus and the ascending Olympian gods in the vast cosmological struggle against Cronus and the other Titans.”
The last part of the album is not as awesome as all previous tracks, but that doesn’t mean it’s not badass too, starting with (Meet Me) In the Mass Grave, a decent track focusing on a more traditional Death Metal with highlights to the strong bass lines by Emi, followed by the very technical The Grey Machinery, with its hints of Black and Thrash Metal and potent guitar riffs and solos, and finally the bonus track Heretic Infected Orchestra, which starts with a somber piano before becoming a 100% orchestral song with no vocals at all, totally different from the rest of the album and something I would only expect from bands such as Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.
To sum up, The Fifth Fury, which is available on iTunes and at the official Sliptrick Records online store, ends up being an absolutely fun and fresh heavy music album, especially due to the good distance kept from pedestrian Death Metal, and for offering us all some intelligent content to make us think and learn more about the topics “discussed”. May the Fifth Fury be unleashed upon us!
Best moments of the album:Psycho Crave, Toxamine and Prometheus Scars.
Worst moments of the album:(Meet Me) In the Mass Grave and The Grey Machinery.
Released in 2014 Sliptrick Records
Track listing 1. Psycho Crave 4:26
2. Thresholds 3:30
3. Toxamine 4:15
4. Devouring Me 4:18
5. The Fifth Fury 4:47
6. Prometheus Scars 3:32
7. (Meet Me) In the Mass Grave 3:52
8. The Grey Machinery 3:37
Bonus track 9. Heretic Infected Orchestra 3:34
Band members John St John – vocals
Raff – guitar
Emi – bass guitar
Joe Laviola – drums
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 find detailed reviews of two of this week’s bands: Israeli Hardcore/Metalcore band WhiteNoise and South African Metalcore band Octainium (just click on the links below to read those reviews). Support your local bands… AND FOLLOW THE MOOSE!
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