Attraction Review – Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum (Thal bei Graz, Austria)

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You want to know what is best in life? To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to visit the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum in Austria!

Rating1

Arnies_Life_ThalIf you’re a fan of Heavy Metal, you’re probably a fan of the one and only Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger too. Also known as the Austrian Oak, the Styrian Oak, The Governator or simply Arnie, he is unquestionably the greatest action movie actor of all time, the most successful bodybuilder in history and, of course, a hero for millions of people all over the world. Movies like The Terminator (I, II and III), Predator, Last Action Hero, Conan the Barbarian, The Expendables II, among others, are either an inspiration for many heavy music bands such as Austrian Death Machine, with awesome songs like Get To The Choppa and I Need Your Clothes, Your Boots, and Your Motorcycle, or their soundtracks are full of powerful Heavy Metal/Hard Rock tunes like AC/DC’s Big Gun, Megadeth’s Angry Again and, of course, one of Guns N’ Roses’ greatest hits, the awesome You Could Be Mine. Who doesn’t love when Arnold stares at Axl Rose, grins and walks off in the official video for this song?

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“I’m a cybernetic organism. Living tissue over a metal endoskeleton.”

That’s why the third (and last) installment of my recent trip to Europe will be dedicated to reviewing one of the coolest museums in the world, and by far my favorite one of all: the Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum (or Arnie’s Life) in Thal bei Graz is not just a regular museum with some of Arnold’s old stuff and memorabilia, but a place where you can live his life and truly breathe all his accomplishments as a Hollywood star, his work as a the Governor of California and his exceptional achievements in bodybuilding. And the location of the museum was not chosen in vain, as it’s the actual house where Arnold grew up and spent a great part of his life, including his childhood and adolescence, and where he started his path to glory in the world of bodybuilding. Moreover, the overall quality of this amazing collection of documents, awards, props and everything else you can imagine about his bodybuilding, acting, political and personal life is enhanced by all the beauty and peace of the sorroundings of Thal. Arnold himself said many times how all the nature and peace in Thal inspired him to be a protector of the environment, especially during his years as “The Governator”.

In regards to the museum itself, I would say the top must-see items available are everything related to his role as the T-800 terminator, including his totally awesome Harley-Davidson from Terminator II, all his bodybuilding equipment (which by the way are all original from when he started working out), and many documents and other items related to his years as a politician. In addition, things like the sword used by the mighty Conan, the jacket and gun used by Sheriff Ray Owens and the costume used by Mr. Freeze make the whole experience even more fun, and of course, the Arnold statue at the entrance of the museum, just outside the front door, is truly inspirational for anyone, even if you have never been a fan of Arnie.

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“Conan, what is best in life?”

Finally, although many people say the museum is located in the city of Graz, it’s not that easy to get there from the city centre, especially walking. Arnie’s Life is actually located in the city of Thal, which is about 20 minutes from downtown Graz if you’re driving. I went there by car and used my GPS, typing in the museum’s postal code (8051) instead of the city name as it wasn’t finding Thal in the list of cities, and that worked perfectly. However, if you’re backpacking and travelling by train or bus only, there are some options available by public transportation from Graz which you can see HERE.

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“The best activities for your health are pumping and humping.”

To sum up, instead of “getting to the choppa”, get to Arnie’s Life and enjoy all your moments there: it’s such a pleasant and entertaining environment you won’t even notice time quickly passing by. In a world where pretty much all blockbuster movies are pure garbage and the actors and actresses have zero charisma, it’s good to “go back in time” and admire the history of a man that has always helped change the world for better, no matter what he does. I just loved the museum, and when I left it the only sentence I could think of was, of course, I’LL BE BACK!

Opening hours
Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm (last entrance: 4:30 pm)

From June 1, 2014 on: every Saturday and Sunday guided tours through the museum (start: 11 am, 3 pm)

Admission charge
Adults: € 6,50
Concessions*: € 5,00
Children from 5 to 14 years / school groups: € 3,00
Regular guided tour: € 10,00 (unique for a group)
Audioguide (German or English): € 2,00

* Valid for groups of 10 or over, children up to age 15, teens, students up to age 27, senior citizens over 65 or on presentation of a valid pensioners´ ID, challenged people, military and community service conscripts, unemployed persons.

Contact info & location
Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum
Linakstraße 9
A – 8051 Thal, Austria
+43 (0) 316 571 947
http://www.arnieslife.com/

 

Album Review – Grave Digger / Return of the Reaper (2014)

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One of the most traditional and respected Power Metal titans from Germany return with another good album, although not as memorable or inspired as it could have been.

Rating5

coverAs a tribute to the newly crowned World Cup champions Germany, who won the final match yesterday against Argentina, a team that truly put their hearts and souls into the match and deserve our most pure respect for almost beating an unbeatable machine such as the Teutonic squad, here’s the review for the new album by one of the most influential German bands of all time. I remember back in the 90’s when German Power Metal icons Grave Digger redefined their style to a more epic and powerful musicality, releasing some high-end classic albums such as Heart of Darkness (1995), Excalibur (1999), and especially the masterpiece Tunes of War (1996), increasing their legion of fans significantly, reaching a main-eventer status and headlining important tours and festivals worldwide. That was exactly when I became a huge fan of their unique Power Metal, and until today I feel really excited whenever Chris Boltendahl and his clan announce that a new Grave Digger album is about to rock the world.

Unfortunately, this time I’m a little sad to say that their new album, Return of the Reaper, is not as good as I was expecting. Despite having some very traditional and powerful moments with those characteristic elements we learned to love in the music by Grave Digger, most songs of the album sound way too generic and uninspired. They seem to be suffering from the same “sickness” as Arch Enemy with their latest release: the album is far from being a disaster, but we all know they’re capable of delivering something a lot more creative and thrilling than that. Where are those Heavy Metal anthems such as “The Grave Dancer”, “Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching)” or “Excalibur”?

However, there’s no need to panic: Return of the Reaper might not be a memorable album, but it is quite enjoyable and sufficient enough to keep Grave Digger relevant in the world of heavy music. The intro Return Of The Reaper, which is a heavy version of Frederic Chopin’s Funeral March enhanced by some desperate screams, followed by the most traditional Grave Digger musicality you can find in this album (and by far the best song of all), the violent Hell Funeral, are together an excellent way to kick things off with lots of  Power Metal riffs, a catchy chorus and Chris Boltendahl’s voice sounding as awesome as usual even after so many years on the road. War God is another fast tune most fans will enjoy, with Stefan Arnold always precise on drums, but the chorus could have been a little more powerful and less repetitive (which by the way is a constant during the rest of the album); while Tattooed Rider has a name that simply asked for a more Hard Rock sonority, and albeit being a good song it’s kind of generic, especially in regards to the lyrics.

Grave-DiggerThen we have two of the worst tracks of the album: Resurrection Day, despite some good riffs and drumming, has horrible lyrics that don’t mean anything and a really bad chorus; while Season Of The Witch sounds like a rip-off of “The Last Supper” (especially the riff), getting really tiring after a while. At least the following track, the boisterous Road Rage Killer, speed things up with its really awesome heavy riffs, sounding similar to some of their old classics and, consequently, becoming one of the top moments of the album.

The following tracks will probably create mixed feelings among all fans of the band, alternating really good moments with lots of cheesiness and lack of creativity. Although Grave Desecrator offers us a good mix of Hard Rock and Power Metal, its horrible lyrics hamper it from becoming an excellent song; on the other hand, Satan’s Host is another good song with a very traditional approach and direct lyrics, and I’m pretty sure it will be one of the chosen songs by the band to be played live due to its intensity. Dia De Los Muertos slows things down a little with its simple but effective 80’s Hard Rock, even with its “creative” Spanish name that doesn’t add anything to the song (“Day Of The Dead” would have been a much better choice); while Death Smiles At All Of Us has an interesting keyboard intro that turns into a nice Power Metal tune, complemented by the best guitar solo of the whole album. And finally, for a band with so many outstanding ballads such as “Dolphin’s Cry”, “The Ballad Of Mary (Queen Of Scots)” and “Emerald Eyes”, closing the album we have the boring Nothing To Believe, which sounds truly uninspired and too generic compared to what Grave Digger are capable of doing.

At least the album art, once again created by Gyula Havancsák of Hjules Illustration and Design, who has been responsible for all of the band’s artworks since The Last Supper (2005), lives up to Grave Digger’s name, even if it’s not as majestic as The Last Supper or Heart of Darkness. In conclusion, if you’re a long-time fan of Grave Digger you can go ahead and buy their new album, you’re probably going to enjoy it. But if you are not fond of their most recent releases, Return of the Reaper will just be another reason for you to keep complaining about what the band is currently doing and keep going back to their old classics for some truly inspired Power Metal music.

Best moments of the album: Hell Funeral, Road Rage Killer and Satan’s Host.

Worst moments of the album: Resurrection Day, Season Of The Witch and Nothing To Believe.

Released in 2014 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. Return Of The Reaper (Intro) 1:16
2. Hell Funeral 3:02
3. War God 3:47
4. Tattooed Rider 4:04
5. Resurrection Day 2:59
6. Season Of The Witch 5:05
7. Road Rage Killer 3:19
8. Grave Desecrator 4:23
9. Satan’s Host 2:56
10. Dia De Los Muertos 4:16
11. Death Smiles At All Of Us 3:52
12. Nothing To Believe 4:34

Band members
Chris Boltendahl – vocals
Axel Ritt – guitars
Jens Becker – bass
Stefan Arnold – drums
H.P. Katzenburg – keyboards

Album Review – Terratomorf / Я – легенда EP (2014)

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This independent Russian Power Metal band goes straight to the point with 20 minutes of professional, honest and traditional heavy music, just the way we like it.

Rating5

Ya LegendaI must admit “Mother Russia” has been positively surprising me in terms of heavy music in the past few years. It seems that those dark days when Heavy Metal or even the most simple form of Rock N’ Roll were non-existent in the biggest country in the world are long gone and now day after day many high-quality metal bands are born there, which is the case with Russian Power Metal band Terratomorf.

Founded in 2013 in Moscow, and after a few lineup changes, this promising band has recently released their first EP entitled Я – легенда (Ya – Legenda), or “I am Legend” in English, which can be easily summarized as 20 minutes of pure “straight to the point” Power Metal. And by that I mean Terratomorf play a nice and vigorous Power Metal without exaggerating on vocals, guitar solos or on anything else, sounding so professional (especially for an independent band) and honest that it makes the listener eager for a full-length album.

The opening track of the EP, the title-track Я – легенда (Ya – Legenda), begins with a excellent Megadeth-ish intro that flows smoothly into strong and melodic vocals, which by the way remind me sometimes  of the powerful voice of J. Ahola (Teräsbetoni, Ahola), complemented by clean heavy riffs and a catchy chorus even for non-Russian speakers. Not only that, this song already showcases an above-average quality in the production of the EP. The following song, Судьба (Sudba), or “Fate” in English, follows more traditional Power Metal lines the likes of Teräsbetoni and Manowar and keeps the overall quality of the EP really high, with highlights to its galloping drums, a pleasant guitar solo, and Artur Berkut, who was the lead singer for traditional Russian Heavy Metal band Aria from 2002 to 2011, as a guest vocalist.

TerratomorfThe nice rhythm in Призрачный мир (Prizrachniy Mir), or “Haunted World” in English, gains an extra dose of energy with a more modern American riff and its melodic drumming, while the headbanging tune В небеса (V Nebesa), or “In Heaven” in English, is perfect for some air guitar due to its very traditional riffs, and the Thrash Metal elements the band added to the song to give it a special “kick” especially during the second half of it. Last but not least, we have Город души (Gorod Dushi), or “Soul City” in English, where you can notice a huge influence of German Power Metal in their musicality, and once again it’s very enjoyable to follow the vocal lines by Nikita Salischev (mainly during the chorus) and the excellent job done by drummer Alexandr Dmitriev.

One might ask where Terratomorf will go with their music. Well, that’s something only time will tell, but based on the quality of their first EP and the talent of the musicians involved, I wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing those Russian guys touring around different countries and reaching even some markets overseas where the Russian language is not present at all. For now, we can at least rest assured Heavy Metal is getting stronger and stronger thanks to many independent bands all over the world, with Terratomorf being a very welcome addition to the increasing list of excellent bands representing the Russian Federation.

Best moments of the album: Я – легенда (Ya – Legenda) and В небеса (V Nebesa).

Worst moments of the album: As I’ve mentioned a couple of times in this website, it’s not fair to select a bad moment from a relatively short EP like this one (the same reason why it didn’t get more than a 3.0). Let’s wait for a full-length Terratomorf album to do that.

Released in 2014 Independent

Track listing
1. Я – легенда (Ya – Legenda) 3:21
2. Судьба (Sudba) 4:22
3. Призрачный мир (Prizrachniy Mir) 4:15
4. В небеса (V Nebesa) 4:18
5. Город души (Gorod Dushi) 4:56

Band members
Nikita Salischev – vocals
Sergey Gviniashvili – guitar
Vladislav Balashov – guitar
Alexandr Dmitriev – drums

Guest musician
Artur Berkut – additional vocals on Судьба (Sudba)

Album Review – Judas Priest / Redeemer of Souls (2014)

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The Metal Gods are finally back with another marvellous sonic storm forged in the fires of pure Heavy Metal.

Rating1

Redeemer-of-souls-album-cover-art-1280Take a look at the imposing album art of the awesome Redeemer of Souls, the highly anticipated brand new album by the unbeatable English Metal Gods Judas Priest, and there’s only one word that will come to your mind: METAL. That’s it, pure Heavy Metal. No experimentations, no synths, no electronic shenanigans, nor any other non-traditional Heavy Metal stuff. Even the production of the album sounds fresher and rawer than usual, despite many people complaining about it. After six long years since the good but controversial Nostradamus, the Priest is finally back to their basics, and this time it looks like it’s for good.

First of all, Redeemer of Souls, their seventeenth studio album in over 40 years of history (an impressive milestone, by the way), perspires Heavy Metal. As aforementioned, the band “abandoned” all the experimental stuff of the past two decades and opted for a 100% direct sonority, selecting what’s best in some of their classic albums such as Painkiller, Ram It Down and Sin After Sin, blending it with some interesting elements from Halford’s solo career, and adding an extra dose of energy to all songs, which is astonishing given the fact all band members, except for Richie Faulkner, are over 50 or 60 years old. And secondly, although I miss K.K. Downing and his phenomenal razing guitar duos with Glenn Tipton, Richie is indeed a pretty decent replacement for him and this is proven with his excellent contribution to this album.

But it’s when the music actually starts that you remember why they’re called the Metal Gods: it’s impossible not to fall in love for the opening track, the fantastic Dragonaut, with its “stormy” intro, heavy riffs, straight-forward lyrics and catchy chorus (“Fire in the sky paralyzed with fear / You know you´re gonna die / Dragonaut is near”), and everything else! If this song had been recorded back in the 80’s  or 90’s, it would have become one of Priest’s all-time classics without a shadow of a doubt. Then comes the title-track, Redeemer of Souls, a mix of “Dissident Aggressor” and “Hell Patrol” that is everything old Priest fans wanted to hear again. The lyrics couldn’t sound more Priest than this (“Count down coming your way / He’s the last to obey / Watch him seizing the day / Redeemer – redeemer of souls”),  and I can’t wait to do some air guitar with this song when Judas Priest come to town.

Judas PriestWithout a single second of boredom, the band keeps the energy level really high with the epic Halls of Valhalla (or maybe I should say “VALHALLAAAAAA!”), which I’m sure will become a fan-favourite especially due to its lyrics and chorus and will also sound superb when played live, followed by Sword of Damocles, another mighty track with a great initial riff blended with heavy and melodic drumming (with Mr. Scott Travis sounding as awesome as usual). Moreover, even after 40 years I’m still impressed with how metallic and captivating Halford’s voice always sounds, and it’s a pure delight to follow him declaiming the lyrics for this song so intensely. The next track, March of the Damned, has a very Hard Rock sonority with highlights to another great work done by Richie and Glenn, while Down in Flames can be considered the most “Halford” song of the entire album (it could have easily been part of his latest solo album Made of Metal).

Then we have another of the top songs of the album, Hell & Back, with a beautiful smooth intro followed by Ian Hill’s strong bass lines, more excellent heavy riffs perfect for that slow headbanging while having a cold beer, and an awesome fast ending; and Cold Blooded, which despite it’s nice rhythm, lacks more feeling an ends up being just an average song. And what can I say about a song called Metalizer? It’s as heavy as it can be, from the riffs to the drumming, from Halford’s voice to the strong chorus, with lots of similarities to “Demonizer” and “Hellrider” from Angel of Retribution.

I simply love the fact that Redeemer of souls doesn’t have only 9 or 10 songs and basically no intros or bridges, because there’s still a lot more to come. Crossfire seems to be some kind of tribute to Dio and Black Sabbath, with its intro and many other parts sounding like “I” from the excellent album Dehumanizer; while Secrets of the Dead is a slow and dark tune, one of the most melodic of the entire album, with its nice guitar solos and interesting narration in the middle enhancing its overall quality.

And lastly, the final two songs of the regular version of the album showcase a truly inspired band and leave us fans avid for more Priest: the mighty Battle Cry, with its epic guitar intro followed by pure Heavy Metal riffs and vocals, has one of those rising chorus tailored to be sung at full force by all fans at their live performances (and Halford might not reach the same notes from the past, but he’s still the Metal God); and the passionate ballad Beginning of the End, with its melancholic intro, has a really nice touch of some very old Priest classics like “Last Rose of Summer” and “Before the Dawn” highlights to Halford’s voice once again, closing the album in a very pleasant way. And don’t miss the deluxe edition, which comes with five extra brand new tracks by the Metal Gods to make things even better.

Judas Priest With Special Guests Black Label Society & Thin Lizzy In ConcertIn summary, the beautiful name of the album, just like the band did many times in the past as in Sad Wings of Destiny (the most beautiful name ever), Angel of Retribution and Defenders of the Faith, together with Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton and Scott Travis kicking some serious ass and the fiery and metallic album art, make Redeemer of Souls a must-have album for any fan of good music – second to none I should say if compared to most releases from any band in the past 10 or 15 years. I hate comparing what a band is currently doing with what they did in the past as I understand time goes by and people inevitably change, but in this case it’s amazing how the Metal Gods were able to “go back in time” without sounding cheesy, repetitive or outdated. Judas Priest might be celebrating 40 years of their debut album Rocka Rolla, released in 1974, but it looks like it’s the fans who are being presented with another great album forged in the fires of true Heavy Metal.

Best moments of the album: Dragonaut, Halls of Valhalla, Sword of Damocles, Hell & Back and Battle Cry.

Worst moments of the album: Cold Blooded might not be bad, but it ends up being the only song not as powerful as the rest of the album.

Released in 2014 Epic Records/Columbia Records

Track listing
1. Dragonaut 4:26
2. Redeemer of Souls 3:58
3. Halls of Valhalla 6:04
4. Sword of Damocles 4:54
5. March of the Damned 3:55
6. Down in Flames 3:56
7. Hell & Back 4:46
8. Cold Blooded 5:25
9. Metalizer 4:37
10. Crossfire 3:51
11. Secrets of the Dead 5:41
12. Battle Cry 5:18
13. Beginning of the End 5:07

Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
14. Snakebite 3:14
15. Tears Of Blood 4:19
16. Creatures 4:25
17. Bring It On 3:18
18. Never Forget 6:25

Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Glenn Tipton – guitar
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums

 

Interview – Agnieszka “Nera” Górecka (NeraNature)

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In an exclusive interview to the Headbanging Moose, Polish singer and songwriter Agnieszka “Nera” Górecka talks about NeraNature’s latest album Disorders, as well as her inspirations for singing and composing, her favourite bands and artists, the music industry and more. And there is also some very good news for the fans of Darzamat!

neraThe Headbanging Moose: Let’s start by talking about your new album, the excellent Disorders. After three long years, your fans are finally able to enjoy more of that Gothic and alternative music found in Foresting Wounds plus some new elements, without losing the band’s essence.  How was the creative process of the album, what inspired you the most for composing it, and what in your opinion are the main differences to your first album? What influence did the fact that you’re sharing your time between Poland and the UK have in the musicality of Disorders?

Agnieszka “Nera” Górecka: We started making new songs over a year ago. The good thing was we felt we had all the time in the world, as we didn’t have time limit and didn’t have to rush. We got down to work separately and having a base ready forwarded it to each other for further ideas. For the first time in my life a few songs started with my vocal lines and music was created after. It’s a pretty nice experience I might take advantage of in the future.

In terms of the lyrics my greatest inspiration is life itself. I keep observing people around me and I try being in somebody’s shoes, to understand what’s in their heads and why they act this or that way. I am a very empathetic person, so it’s quite a natural thing for me to see through someone’s eyes. Then I choose a common denominator for and I write.

When me and Marcus started the band we promised ourselves to push the boundaries of our own limitations and habits and no matter the music trend, do what we feel like doing, search different styles and keep developing. I would say that the main difference between ‘Foresting Wounds’ and ‘Disorders’ is that the latter is softer and more electronic.

Living in a new place gave me plenty of new impulses. I found out new things about the world, other cultures and myself. It got me out of my comfort zone and made me even more melancholic and pensive which you can hear on the new album (laugh).

THM: Do you have any extra material left (a cover version, a brand new composition, a totally different version of an existing song etc.) you didn’t feel like adding to the album for a given reason, just like what happens with many different bands and artists when releasing a new album? If so, are you planning on releasing that anytime in the future as a single or bonus track, or is it something you’re going to keep just for yourself?

Nera: There is always some extra stuff left which is not a part of the album for a certain reason. If I feel something kind of doesn’t belong in what we’re doing at the moment, I just drop it, and to be honest, never come back to it. I just know that working on the next album my heart and my mind will be in some other place, telling updated stories.

THM: Although the whole album sounds very personal I consider Twisted, one of the top moments of Disorders for me, even more personal, especially in regards to the lyrics. Not only that, it also feels very organic and you look very, very joyful in the music video. Can you tell us more about this specific song as to how it connects to your persona, in other words, what does Twisted truly represent in your career and in your life?

Nera: I agree, ‘Twisted’ is one of my favorites on the album. The song and the video is a portrait of a woman who cannot find happiness in the real life, so she begins to live in a self made world with her imaginary friend and lover. No matter how unreal it seems, it’s a thing that keeps her alive. As Albert Einstein said “A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.” Some people can treat it as a mental affliction but for me it is just a parallel world, which makes your life bearable and more exciting. Is it a personal song for me? Yes, it is (laugh).

THM: The beautiful ballad I Play, another one of my favorite songs in Disorders, also seems very introspective and emotive. I’m not sure if I can ask you that, but was it inspired by a special moment or event in your life and, if so, can you share more details about it with your fans? It’s always nice to know how an artist generates such honest and heartwarming music.

nera02Nera: This song is about people too sensitive to accept callousness and cruelty in this planet. In other words it is about discovering misanthropy in yourself after what you have experienced. It is about a will to reject the system created by man to enslave another man. It is also about my losing faith in man as such because of his chasing after money and his own comfort and his unthinking, consumerist attitude towards our planet, the only one we have.

The whole album is set in the boundary points between what for some is still the norm, and for others is madness. I’m trying to describe the emotions of people glowing with reluctance to this world. The reasons for their inadequacy may be different, but their fears and feelings are very similar. Hence the title “Disorders”.

THM: I guess most people, including yourself, probably consider Mistaken the most alternative song ever composed by NeraNature. Is that a sign of how your music might sound in the future, and how has the reaction of your fans been to this song so far?

Nera: We like the idea of finishing the album with some odd song, as the end is the beginning of something new.  We did it on the previous album with the song ‘Someone’ and now with ‘Mistaken’. We can’t predict the direction the band will follow in the future though, because it depends on what will catch our attention, what will inspire us and what stories will be ready for us to tell. The fact is that ‘Mistaken’ was composed by Marcus and me only and I can’t say we won’t make some more composition like that one, because be both like playing with electro flavour and  austere texture. Time will tell.

So far I heard opinions that the song is intriguing. Still, most people prefer the ‘regular’ songs like ‘Twisted’ and ‘Drifting’. De gustibus non disputandum est.

neranature_disorders

Album Review – NeraNature / Disorders (2014)

THM: It seems that you have embraced the new way the music industry is doing business nowadays, which means making available to the market only the digital version of your album, with no physical copies to be purchased anywhere. What are the main factors that made you opt to market the album only that way, and is there a chance your diehard fans will be able to buy a Disorders CD anytime soon?

Nera: With this album we decided to try to deal with the modern way of publishing, which omits people not involved in what we do. I personally needed some fresh and organic connection with myself, so I recorded my vocals all by myself in strange places like my car, for example. All that work on the album was one big experiment that ended up with no deal, no label, no strings attached – there is just us and the listeners. We made the music, the cover and the video with our own hands, using the tools we had. As simple as that. I think it was a one-time thing and I am sure we will cooperate with wiser and more experienced people in the future. Also, some limited physical copies might appear one day, but at the moment we’re good being out of business.

THM: You might have already answered this question a billion times, but what is the probability of you, Nera, being in a Symphonic Black Metal band again, being it Darzamat or any other band or project, even if it’s only as a guest musician for one single song? Is that type of music still present in your life? If so, which Symphonic Black Metal groups do you usually listen to and recommend to your fans?

Nera: I surely need some space for my alter ego (laugh), so I won’t leave Darzamat that easily. We are getting some stuff ready and the very first sounds are being made, so stay tuned for further info.

When it comes to music I’m not into one genre only. Let me just name some metal bands that were and are important for me: Tiamat, Emperor, The Gathering, Samael, Arcturus, Green Carnation, Opeth, Watain, Burzum, Limbonic Art, Ulver, System of a Down, Antimatter, Porcupine Tree, Bathory, Amorphis, Anathema and my latest discovery- Devil’s Blood.

THM: How about other bands, artists and music genres? What’s currently in your playlist for your day-to-day activities? I’m pretty sure you listen to a lot of Gothic, alternative and atmospheric music from the UK, right?

Nera: Actually, I don’t listen too much to Gothic music. I try not to limit myself and I reach for different stuff according to my mood. Lately, for instant, I listen to classical music and some jazz. If you checked my playlist now you would also find things like Kings of Leon, Riverside, Peccatum, Solstafir, Agnes Obel, Leszek Możdżer, Depeche Mode, Pink Floyd, Cocorosie, Ihsahn and Dead Can Dance. As you can see, I like a bit of this and that.

nera03THM: You probably know how huge the Polish community is in Canada (over a million Canadians claim full or partial Polish ancestry) and especially in Toronto, where over 4% of Torontonians are from Polish descent. However, besides the Blackened Death Metal by Behemoth, it’s really hard to find any material or to have any live concerts from Polish bands here in Canada. Why do you think this happens, and how likely is it to have NeraNature playing live in Canada and the US in the future?

Nera: That is a very good question, but to the Canadian agencies and promoters (laugh). I can assure you I would love to come and play with NeraNature and Darzamat, so I’m waiting for your invitation 😉

THM: Thank you very much for your time and for sharing with us all those details about your music and your life, and please feel free to send a final message to all your Canadian fans and to everyone else in the world that enjoys the music from NeraNature.

Nera: Thank you very much for your time, attention and support.

Remember to think for yourself and keep in touch with your soul! Wish you all the best! Nera

Links
NeraNature Facebook | YouTube
Darzamat Official Website | Facebook | YouTube

Album Review – Diablery / Architect (2014)

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An Avant-garde Black Metal album full of dark and complex compositions, highly recommended for all fans of heavy music.

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cover _ copy 2If Black Metal itself is a genre that depends a lot on a strong atmosphere to succeed, that’s even more important for Symphonic Black Metal bands such as the very professional and technical independent band Diablery, who seem to master the art of creating dense atmospheric songs based on what you will find on their excellent debut album, entitled Architect. Are you a fan of heavy synths, desperate vocals and totally evil lyrics? If the answer is yes, this album is definitely what you’re seeking to feed your dark soul.

The music by this obscure band from Athens, Greece, which by the way is the country of many awesome bands like Rotting Christ, Firewind and Septicflesh, doesn’t have a single moment of simplicity or nonsense noises: all elements found in Architect, which was mixed and mastered at Toproom Studio in Norway by Børge Finstad (who has already worked with Mayhem, Enslaved, Borknagar, Theatre of Tragedy, among others), are perfectly connected by pleasant and deep melodies, and of course, an incredible somber feeling that is present throughout the whole album. Furthermore, nothing would have been possible without the above average skills of all band members, with highlights to the amazing synths and drums by Nazfell and Beleth, respectively.

Architect kicks off with Mysteria Aeterna, an eerie piano intro which prepares the listener for all the darkness to come, which indeed happens as soon as Architect of Manifestations starts: this is a very symphonic and melodic song, but at the same time 100% brutal, that I’m pretty sure most fans of Norwegian Symphonic Black Metal band Dimmu Borgir will enjoy. The same can be said about Embraced by the Theurgist, where you can feel the intensity in Diablery’s music and appreciate the excellent job done by Nazfell on synths, who adds many different layers to the song. Pay attention to it and you’ll notice this song presents so many variations it sounds like three or more songs in one.

band_photo_2Vanity of Darkness, one of the best songs of the whole album, has an intro that could easily be used as a movie score, followed by a powerful sonority and the awesome vocals full of despair by the talented singer and guitarist Setesh, while Magistris Inferiores is a shorter and more boisterous track that sounds a lot like some of the old songs by Dimmu Borgir. In addition, I must say Beleth is a beast on drums, and the keyboards at the end are very interesting and a good bridge for the next song, the superb Thus Made Perfect. The longest track of the album is a violent Black Metal tempest so professionally and beautifully done you won’t even remember we’re talking about an independent band, and when it’s over I’m sure you’ll play it again and again. One might ask if this song is part of a movie soundtrack, so mighty and complex it is.

The last part of the album begins with another good song called Seal Thy Mouths with Pillars of Azurite (I truly love how Black Metal bands name most of their songs), with its melancholic intro and an intense atmosphere, followed by the excellent mix of heavy riffs, strong synths and pounding drums found in Ichor Shrine Synagogue, and the more direct Black Metal from Blackness Enshrouds This Congregation, a very interesting song full of violent vocals and energetic drums. And finally, close your eyes and enjoy the “journey” through darkness offered by the band with the outro Horn of Amentet, one of the most interesting I’ve ever listened to. And I’m not even going to say much about the excellent album art: it emanates obscurity and malignancy, exactly like the music by Diablery does.

To sum up, Architect is not just one more Black Metal album, but a truly avant-garde collection of dark compositions where the main goal is to provide all fans of Heavy Metal, especially the more contemporary black metallers, a very creative and evil experience in heavy music. And if you really enjoyed the music by Diablery, you can support the band by purchasing Architect in digital format at their BandCamp official page, or a physical CD copy at their CreateSpace online merchstore.

Best moments of the album: Architect of Manifestations, Vanity of Darkness and Thus Made Perfect.

Worst moments of the album: Seal Thy Mouths with Pillars of Azurite.

Released in 2014 Independent

Track listing
1. Mysteria Aeterna (Intro) 1:47
2. Architect of Manifestations 6:05
3. Embraced by the Theurgist 6:28
4. Vanity of Darkness 6:37
5. Magistris Inferiores 4:17
6. Thus Made Perfect 9:31
7. Seal Thy Mouths with Pillars of Azurite 6:08
8. Ichor Shrine Synagogue 5:08
9. Blackness Enshrouds This Congregation 4:59
10. Horn of Amentet (Outro) 7:25

Band members
Setesh – vocals, guitar
Nimerius – guitar
Nazfell – synths
Desaster – bass
Beleth – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Trish Doan

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Trish, A Flower Of Flesh And Blood…

The Headbanging Moose is proud to announce that our Heavy Metal babe this month does not only kick some ass as the bass player of the all-female Canadian Alternative Metal band Kittie, from London, Ontario, but she also has a beautiful and motivational story of recovery in her life.

Although she was born in Gwangju, South Korea (about 270km from the capital Seoul), we can say that the beautiful Trisha Jai-Mee Doan, better known as Trish Doan, is a proud “Canuck” that built her life and career here in Canada. Trish joined Kittie back in August 2005 along with guitarist Tara McLeod. In addition to bass, she has also played guitar since the age of 13, and in 2006 she graduated from Sheridan College, earning a diploma in Media Arts: Film and Television Production.

However, after recording the digital EP Never Again, in 2006, and the full-length album Funeral for Yesterday, in 2007, with Kittie, she announced in mid-2007 she was leaving the band for personal reasons, being replaced by Jeff Phillips (Thine Eyes Bleed) during Kittie’s Sweet Revenge tour. It was only in the beginning of March 2008 that it was officially announced she had left the band due to the eating disorder anorexia-athletica-nervosa, which she had been struggling with for almost two years. After leaving Kittie, Trish spent some time at home with her parents recovering, before moving to Toronto to live on her own and work for CTV. She mentioned in an interview that one of the funniest moments in Toronto happened when she was walking down Queen Street and saw a girl with a Kittie T-shirt on, and then suddenly both stopped and stared at each other in shock.

Then back in 2009 she decided to move to Australia for a year to get a degree and try to surf, before moving back home in 2011 and start working for Corus Entertainment, doing some interactive stuff for radio. Our Korean/Canadian beauty sadly mentioned she barely touched a bass or guitar for the first two years after leaving Kittie, as some kind of post-breakup traumatic experience or like an emotional pain from having felt like she abandoned the other girls in the band.

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Fortunately, Trish fully recovered from her condition and was called back to be the bassist for Kittie in the beginning of 2012, when former bassist Ivy Vujic parted ways with the band. In order to get back to the band with full force, Trish had to start learning the songs from the two albums Kittie recorded during her absence: In the Black and I’ve Failed You. She mentioned that despite loving both albums, her favorite one ended up being I’ve Failed You.

In her free time, Trish loves going out for sushi with her bandmate Morgan Lander, the lead singer and guitarist of the band, and also catch up with the other members of the band as much as possible. She also enjoys doing some photography and web design for fun, and as she has never been that much into Heavy Metal, she has also been working with one of her friends on an electropop music project (maybe due to her Korean blood, as Koreans absolutely love this type of music).

And finally, Trish seems to be a body modification lover: she has several body piercings and tattoos, including a very special tattoo on her left wrist symbolizing Gwangju, the city in which she was born. However, it seems she’s not that brave when having her tattoos done, as you can see HERE. But don’t worry about that, Trish: we all know how painful a piercing or a tattoo can be, and we surely admire and respect you a lot for all you’ve gone through in your life.

Trish Doan’s Official Facebook page
Trish Doan’s Official Twitter

“I still play guitar in my spare time and since re-joining the band I’ve played a lot of bass. I missed it for sure and when I got back into jamming with the girls I realized how much I love it!” – Trish Doan

Concert Review – Nova Rock Festival 2014 (Pannonia Fields II, Nickelsdorf, Austria, 06/14/2014)

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A flawless festival at one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

novarock2014

INTRODUCTION: The City of Nickelsdorf and 10 Years of Nova Rock

The town of Nickelsdorf is located in the district of Neusiedl am See in the Austrian state of Burgenland, it belonged to Hungary until 1920 (like the whole province of Burgenland) and it has a population of less than 2,000 people. Those details alone wouldn’t encourage anyone to visit this little town in the middle of nowhere in Austria, don’t you agree? However, over the past 10 years there are three very special days between the second and third weeks of June when its population increases almost 100 times and Nickelsdorf becomes the world capital of heavy music: that’s what happens when the awesome Nova Rock Festival hits the town.

It was from June 9 to June 12, 2005 when the first edition of Nova Rock brought to town names such as System of a Down, Marylin Manson, Nightwish, Audioslave and Green Day, with over 30,000 fans per day. The following year, with huge bands like Metallica, Motörhead and Guns N’ Roses, the festival received over 150,000 visitors, becoming the largest ever rock festival in Austria. Since then, names like Volbeat, The Prodigy, Rage Against the Machine, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Rammstein, Kreator, Testament, In Flames and many other heavy music icons have helped put Nickelsdorf in the route (and in the hearts) of metalheads from all over the world during the always incredible European summer.

This year the lineup was once again more than amazing, starting on Friday, June 13 with the power of Volbeat, Slayer, Steel Panther and Sepultura; kicking fuckin’ ass on Saturday, June 14 with Epica, Trivium, Anthrax, Amon Amarth and Iron Maiden (and believe me, American actor David Hasselhoff); and topping it off with Rob Zombie, The Offspring, Bad Religion, Arch Enemy and Black Sabbath. You can take a look at the full lineup per day by clicking HERE.

As I was travelling around Austria and Eastern Europe I couldn’t attend all three days of the festival due to time and money restrictions, so this review is solely in regards to Day 2, with focus on the performances by Trivium, Anthrax, Amon Amarth and Iron Maiden. Unfortunately (or not), I couldn’t stay later to see “The Hoff” singing the hit song Du or doing whatever he was going to do there.

NOVA ROCK FESTIVAL: Where to Stay, How to Get There and Overall Organization

If you’re planning on attending Nova Rock next year for only one or two of the three days of the festival, or if you’re not a huge fan of camping sites, the two best options available are staying in the capital Vienna (about 70km from Nickelsdorf) and driving for about one hour or taking the train to the festival, or staying in the very pleasant city of Bratislava, in Slovakia, which is only 40km from Nickelsdorf (or a quick 40-minute drive). We chose to stay in Bratislava, mainly because it was our first time in Slovakia and our chance to know that amazing city, and we do not regret that at all: it’s a lot cheaper than Vienna, the food and drinks are amazing, and it is full of breathtaking views like the one of the entire city from the top of the Bratislava Castle during the sunset.

The festival itself was very well-organized, with a huge free parking lot, good camping space, lots of different options to eat, good toilets, decent prices for the merchandise available, and more important than all that, both the blue and the red stages were set up in a way you could see and listen to everything no matter where you were. There were also lots of different activities going on, keeping the fans entertained before their favorite bands hit the stages, including a huge party zone. The only issue this year was the unbearable dust that impregnated the entire festival due to the dry and sunny weather in Nickelsdorf, which was responsible for lots of people wearing bandanas to cover their faces like if they were some kind of outlaws. Anyway, it was better than a heavy storm, especially because driving back to Bratislava all covered in mud wouldn’t have been a nice experience.

TRIVIUM

IMG_1976Because I had some sightseeing to do in the morning and part of the afternoon, I was able to get to Nova Rock only at 4pm, which means I unfortunately missed Epica (and fortunately missed Ghost). However, I was there just in time for one of the best bands of the past 10 years: American Heavy Metal band Trivium started their powerful and fun concert at around 4:30pm setting the crowd on fire, especially the ones in the front row/section. The band’s sonority was better than the last time I saw them, partially thanks to drummer Mat Madiro: he seems to be an excellent replacement for Nick Augusto, helping the band sound more cohesive with him on drums.

A constant presence in previous editions of Nova Rock, the band seemed pretty happy to be back in Austria and, with heavy and technical songs such as Strife, Black, Through Blood and Dirt and Bone and Down from the Sky, Matt Heafy and his crew delivered what in my opinion was the second best show of the day, only behind Iron Maiden. Matt said numerous times the fans were kickin’ ass at Nova Rock, which is an absolute truth, leaving the doors open for more Trivium at future editions of the festivals, maybe one day as the main attraction (and they indeed deserve that opportunity).

Trivium Setlist Nova Rock 2014 2014, Vengeance Falls

Band members
Matt Heafy – lead vocals, guitars
Corey Beaulieu – guitars, backing vocals
Paolo Gregoletto – bass guitar, backing vocals
Mat Madiro – drums

ANTHRAX

IMG_1996After a short break, American Thrash Metal icons Anthrax started their energetic show at around 6pm, showing why they have their spot in the famous “Big Four”. What an amazing performance! Mixing some old mighty classics like Caught in a Mosh, Got the Time, Indians and Antisocial with songs from their latest album from 2011, Worship Music (with highlights to the fun zombie-anthem Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t), Anthrax kept a very positive energy flowing among the fans and got the recognition they deserved from everyone in the end.

Two things should be said about their performance: first of all, in regards to the band members, Joey Belladonna proved one more time why, just like Ozzy, he’s a horrible singer but an incredible frontman. The man doesn’t stop running around the stage, cheering up the fans and making the whole experience of watching Anthrax live really awesome! And Scott Ian might not be the best guitar player in the world, but he is a true Heavy Metal hero, banging his head and delivering lots of awesome heavy riffs during all songs.

And last but not least, the tribute the whole band payed to Dio (R.I.P.) and Dimebag Darrell (R.I.P.) with the banners and the song In the End, and the other tribute to Australian masters AC/DC in the form of a beautiful cover version of T.N.T., just proved how humble all members of Anthrax are and how much they love heavy music. Anthrax were not only an excellent warm-up for Iron Maiden, but a superb lesson in Thrash Metal for everybody at Nova Rock.

Anthrax Setlist Nova Rock 2014 2014

Band members
Joey Belladonna – lead vocals
Scott Ian – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Charlie Benante – drums, percussion
Frank Bello – bass guitar, backing vocals
Jonathan Donais – lead guitar 

AMON AMARTH

IMG_1997Then came one of the most anticipated attractions of the day for me, as I love most of their albums and it was the first time I was able to see them live, but sadly it was not as powerful as I was expecting: Swedish Melodic Death Metal warriors Amon Amarth had a very competent performance, playing some great tunes such as Father of the Wolf, Guardians of Asgaard and The Pursuit of Vikings, and Johan Hegg is becoming one of the top frontman in heavy music. However, probably due to the fatigue everyone was feeling after so many electrifying attractions that day, their concert sounded a bit tiring after a while.

I don’t know if most of the fans there were not that much into their Viking theme, but I saw lots of people simply static and some even yawning during the entire show. I would say that huge festivals are not the best place for a band like Amon Amarth, because let’s face it: singing about Vikings is not considered cool by a huge part of the society, so I’ll wait until they come to Toronto this fall during their own tour to better analyze them live. I’m pretty sure it will be a lot better than their performance at Nova Rock.

Amon Amarth Setlist Nova Rock 2014 2014, Deceiver of the Gods

Band members
Johan Hegg – lead vocals
Olavi Mikkonen – guitar
Johan Söderberg – guitar
Ted Lundström – bass
Fredrik Andersson – drums 

IRON MAIDEN

IMG_2010And at around 9pm, guess what happened? My sixth “Maiden England” concert, which was also my second one in less than a week (and of course the second of this Maiden England Tour 2014), was once again totally awesome. Because it was a festival, which means you’ll find all types of people there and not only true Maidenmaniacs, I just felt the audience wasn’t as great as in Brno, but that doesn’t mean people didn’t go crazy with classics like Aces High, Run to the Hills, The Prisoner and The Trooper. Revelations was again one of the top moments in my opinion, and the energy people put into singing Fear of the Dark always reminds us why they keep it in the setlist even if lots of diehard fans want them to change it for something else.

I’m not sure if the band was running out of time or if they just wanted to end the show earlier to watch the World Cup match between England and Italy, but without any further explanation they simply removed Wrathchild from that night’s setlist. I bet it was because of the match, as Bruce was wearing a weird English white jumpsuit during Aces High and said a couple of times that we all had to get back to our tents to see England beat Italy 10-0. Well, I guess Mick Jagger is not the only jinx around.

Apart from that minor upset (I’m talking about Wrathchild, not about England losing to Italy, of course), all fans were able to witness another memorable performance from the most influential Heavy Metal band of all time, which was corroborated by everybody happily singing Monty Python’s Always Look on the Bright Side of Life when the concert was over. Now I really hope “Maiden England” is over (after three years) and they come back with a new album, because although I’m 100% passionate about all those classics, I also love when Bruce, Steve & Co. provide us some fresh compositions. Let’s hope they deliver us something as good as The Final Frontier, and that they keep on rockin’ all over the world with their unique and marvelous tours.

Iron Maiden Setlist Nova Rock 2014, Maiden England - European Tour 2014

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

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Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Brno Velodrom, Brno, Czech Republic, 06/08/2014)

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SCREAM FOR ME, BRNO!

INTRODUCTION: The City of Brno

tour_500Finally back from my awesome trip around Eastern Europe, there couldn’t be a better way to “reignite” the moose than with a review of another flawless performance from Heavy Metal behemoths IRON MAIDEN! But before I talk about the concert itself, let me do a quick intro about the city of Brno, where Maiden played for the first time ever in their brilliant career.

With a population of almost 400,000 people, Brno is the capital of the South Moravian Region and the second largest city of the Czech Republic (Prague is the first one with 1.3 million people). This beautiful city is located about 200km from both Prague and Vienna (Austria), so it doesn’t really matter where you fly to if you don’t live in Europe and want to visit there.

And believe me, it’s definitely worth a visit: the people from Brno are very friendly and beautiful, their food is amazing, their beer is not only delicious but also very cheap, and of course, there’s a lot to do in the city such as visiting the imponent Špilberk Castle (you can have a pint of Brno’s awesome Poutník light draft beer for less than two Canadian Dollars at the pub on the top of the castle), seeing the mummies at the Capuchin Crypt and Church, or visiting the Brno Ossuary. Or maybe if you’re planning to have a very romantic dinner in the city, my suggestion is the excellent La Bouchée Restaurant. You can find some good info about the city and its hotels, attractions and events at the website Brno.me.

OPENING ACT: Ghost

IMAG2183We flew from Toronto directly to Vienna from the evening of June 7 to the morning of June 8, picked up a car at the airport, enjoyed the 2-hour drive to Brno, checked in at our hotel located only 500m from the venue (the open-air Brno Velodrom, which seemed really old and not very well-maintained from the inside), slept for about 2 hours to recover our energies, and then simply walked to the Velodrom. When we got there, Swedish Hard Rock band Ghost was already onstage, but we couldn’t care less as we’re not fans of the band nor will ever be. We really don’t get why so many people love this overrated band. Well, Ghost did exactly what we expected: despite their good instrumental, interesting lyrics and all their theatrical performance, the vocals are extremely bad and the songs sound way too boring for big venues or festivals. I wasn’t able to distinguish any of the songs from one another, so for me it sounded like a single 40-minute boring song being played all the time. Anyway, even the most diehard fans of Iron Maiden respected the band and not even a single boo was heard, which was good for the band members, but that left me wondering how cool it would have been with Anthrax instead of Ghost opening for Maiden, as it happened in previous concerts this year.

Ghost Setlist Velodrom, Brno, Czech Republic, Tour Zero Year 2014

Band members
Papa Emeritus II – vocals
Nameless Ghouls – all instrumentalists (lead guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, drummer, rhythm guitarist)

IRON MAIDEN

IMG_1829It was around 9pm when, after the traditional intro with UFO’s Doctor Doctor and the video showing scenes of ice meltdown with the epic orchestral song Rising Mercury in the background, Steve, Bruce & Co. hit the stage with the classic Moonchild (by the way, the sound quality was excellent). I don’t need to say how great that was, right? And it doesn’t matter if it’s a huge festival like Rock Am Ring or a small city like Brno: Iron Maiden are ALWAYS on fire and ALWAYS deliver the most electrifying show one can ever imagine! “What a lovely evening!”, Bruce said in regards to the sunny and hot weather in Brno, with the temperatures above +35°C making it even hard to breathe sometimes. Nothing that cannot be solved with some cold beer, though.

Besides that, it was clear to me that the vast majority of the fans there were not from Brno, but from other parts of Czech Republic and major European cities like Prague, Vienna and Bratislava (as well as other distant parts of Europe like England and Finland), which means only true Maidenmaniacs attended the concert, enhancing the connection between band and fans even more. Moreover, as it already happened in 2012 and 2013, each and every all-time classic like Can I Play With Madness, The Trooper, Wasted Years and Run to the Hills didn’t let the energy down not even for a single second throughout the entire concert. Not even the limited English from most fans in the venue curbed their enthusiasm and their will to sing along all songs with the band. And what was that crazy dude on the fence with the British flag? He was 100% drunk, his T-shirt was all torn because of the fence (and I believe he was also bleeding because of that), but he was so happy seeing Maiden live that none of that could stop him from enjoying every song played. That was awesome.

IMG_1809In addition, the highlights of this concert (and of the whole Maiden England Tour 2014) were once again the thrilling masterpieces The Prisoner and Aces High, the undeniable perfection of the epic Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, and of course the three changes the band made to the setlist this year. This was my fifth “Maiden England” concert (after three in Canada in 2012 and one in Germany in 2013), and by far the best in terms of setlist: replacing Afraid to Shoot Strangers, The Clairvoyant and Running Free by Revelations, Wrathchild and Sanctuary was an awesome move that added more power to their performance, especially the wonderful Revelations, one of my favorite Maiden songs of all time. Bruce had such an outstanding performance on this song, one of the best I’ve ever seen, that it was impossible not to get emotional with its perfect lyrics. Can someone please ask the band to NEVER remove it from the setlist again?

Talking about Bruce, he was singing A LOT better than a few days before at Rock Am Ring. For instance, during the encore it sounded like the concert was just starting, and we’re talking about very difficult songs to sing like Aces High and The Evil That Men Do. Maybe he had more time to rest until the concert at Brno, or maybe he feels more excited when it’s a smaller venue and not a huge festival? The same can be said about the other band members, especially Dave Murray and Nicko McBrain, who were both in top form even after so many years on the road. They simply love what they do, and that’s why we love them so much. Just Google it and you’ll see what I’m talking about, there are many good videos shot at the concert in Brno that you can compare with their performance at Rock Am Ring.

In summary, as the band itself always says, “Iron Maiden’s gonna get ya, no matter how far”, even if it’s as far as Brno, in the amazing Czech Republic. No one knows if Maiden will return to the city in the future for more concerts, but based on this first one and on all the beauty, peace and the enthusiastic people there, Brno truly deserves to be constantly visited by our beloved Heavy Metal giants. And if they do so in the following years, I hope I can take some days off again to witness Bruce shouting out loud “SCREAM FOR ME, BRNO!” under the beautiful and clear Czech sky during one more of their superb summer tours.

Iron Maiden Setlist Velodrom, Brno, Czech Republic, Maiden England - European Tour 2014

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

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Interview – Chris Thompson (Sovereign Council)

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While “the moose” takes a summer vacation to tame Eastern Europe, have some excellent beer and, of course, praise Iron Maiden, please enjoy this very interesting interview with guitarist Chris Thompson, from Canadian Symphonic Metal band Sovereign Council, conducted by Brazilian journalist Renata Santos for the website Portal do Inferno. See you guys in July!

Sovereign-Council_Vertigo-Productions

Sovereign Council (photo by Vertigo Productions)

Portal do Inferno: Hello, Chris! Thank you very much for the interview. It is a pleasure having Sovereign Council at Portal do Inferno. First of all, how would you describe the band to the Brazilian audience that don’t know you yet? What are your main influences and in which way have those influences contributed with your songs?

Chris Thompson: Thanks for having us; we’re honoured to be here. That’s a tough question, and one that we get asked quite often. We often find people comparing us to bands like Lacuna Coil, Kamelot, Nightwish, Within Temptation, etc etc. I agree that we do share certain aspects of our sound with these bands, but we’re certainly very different at the same time. All of these bands have influenced us in some way, but we also draw influences from a lot of places people would not necessarily expect. I think our love of heavier music – Meshuggah, Lamb of God, In Flames, and Gojira, to name a few, – is what gives our music more edge in the guitar and drum lines compared to some of the more traditional symphonic metal bands.

That being said, we also draw a lot of our influences from hip-hop, rap, classical, and rock. A lot of our lyrical influence comes from philosophical texts as well as personal life experiences.

P.I.: Symphonic metal is a really well-developed style in Europe, with bands like Delain, Epica, Nightwish, among others, but we cannot find many representatives in North America. How is this style seen especially by the Canadian public?

Chris: I think there is a real niche for this sound here. We’ve noticed a trend with reviews from abroad; everyone in Europe, South America, and even the USA is shocked when they learn that we’re Canadian. Here in Canada it is a little bit difficult for us. We end up being the odd band out in a lot of the shows we play simply because there aren’t enough symphonic bands in the area. Most metal bands around here are hardcore, progressive, or thrash metal. Overall however, our music and our performances are always very well received.

Sovereign-Coulcil_Chris

Chris Thompson (photo by Orest Dorosh/Front Row Pics)

P.I.: The band’s debut album, New Reign (2013), was released with no record label. Here in Brazil it is very difficult, expensive and demanding for a band to release their own material without the support of a record label. What about Canada? How is it to be an independent artist?

Chris: It was a lot of hard work, but at the same time I wouldn’t say that it was overly difficult – certainly not beyond the reach of any really committed artist anyway. In some ways, unless you get offered a really great deal, it’s actually beneficial to remain independent. I think that so long as you work hard you will have success as an independent artist in the Canadian scene. There are different levels of success. We are certainly seeking support from labels and management organizations, but we aren’t about to sell ourselves short either. When the right deal comes along we’ll definitely jump at the opportunity to further our career.

P.I.: Tell me a little bit about New Reign in regards to the composition and recording process. What inspired you to record this album from a lyrical and musical standpoint?

Chris: New Reign was a project in the making for quite a while. Each song began as one or two guitar lines and built up from there. Generally speaking, I come to Alex with a guitar line that I feel has potential and he takes it and adds bass, drums, string sections, etc. For the most part we let the music write itself, if that makes sense. Certain songs, New Reign for example, took several months before it was completed, but others such as Down The Rabbit Hole, were completely written in one sitting. We just make sure that we’re never forcing anything; the music needs to feel organic and flow naturally.

We almost always have the music written before the lyrics are even thought about. We really listen to what the music is conveying emotionally and then base our lyrics around that feeling and atmosphere.

Much of the album was inspired by our own life experiences, both musically and lyrically speaking. I think we’ve succeeded in telling a story with our music, and most people seem to really connect with the theatrical story-telling on an emotional level; that is to say that many people can relate to these common human experiences.

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Alexander MacWilliam (photo by Orest Dorosh/Front Row Pics)

P.I.: Listening to the tracks from New Reing, we can notice many melodic and vocal variations. The songs go from clean to guttural vocals and the beautiful and delicate vocals by Lisa Thompson, who makes great duets with vocalist Alexander MacWilliam. The comparison with bands that have female and male vocals is inevitable. Names such as Lacuna Coil, Kamelot, Nightwish, among many others end up being mentioned. Does that bother you? How do Sovereign Council differentiate yourselves from those bands in this aspect?

Chris: This is a great question. It certainly doesn’t bother us. It’s almost always a good thing to be likened to any of those bands; and I wouldn’t say that we actually try to separate from or associate with those bands. Our sound is very different and yet, in some aspects such as vocals, similar. One thing that does separate us is our theatrical storytelling and live performance. Moreover, Alex’s growls and screams also help to separate us even further. I do feel personally however, that our biggest difference lay in the guitar lines and drum lines. Our guitar lines are very complex in their composition; at times our guitars carry a melody and a counter melody together and leave the rhythm to the bass and keys.

P.I.: In the beginning of May you had the opportunity to be one of the opening acts for German Heavy Metal band Primal Fear in Toronto. How was that experience for the band? The music by Sovereign Council is very different from what Primal Fear do, so how did the audience react to your performance?

Chris: The show with Primal Fear was an amazing experience. Primal Fear is an extremely talented band and it was an honour to open for them and to meet them. The audience reaction was not too unlike our usual experience with new crowds. A lot of people look very confused through the first half of the first song, but it doesn’t take too long for us to win a crowd over. The uniqueness of our sound always throws new listeners for a bit of a loop, but it almost always wins them over quite quickly. By the start of our second song in the set we had won the crowd over, especially once Lisa began to sing. We like to think of her as our ‘secret weapon’ – in our standard set she isn’t in the first song so when she appears in Sweet Poison she really blows people away.

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Lisa Thompson (photo by Orest Dorosh/Front Row Pics)

P.I.: In 2013, you played several concerts in Canada with Brazilian band Santuarium, from Rio de Janeiro. How did you get to know each other and how did that opportunity to tour together come up?

Chris: We actually met them by chance. Their manager at the time was looking for supporting acts for their Canadian tour. She found us on Facebook and asked us if we wanted to join the tour. After meeting with her on Skype and listening to Santuarium’s music we decided that we would love to work with them. So from there, her and I worked together to set up several shows with our two bands. We got the opportunity to play some football with them in Toronto before a show, which of course was a lot of fun! We played a friendly match of Sovereign Council vs. Santuarium; which effectively worked out to Canada vs. Brazil. Needless to say, Brazil won the match, but it was a close game! Later on, in November, we hooked up with Santuarium for two more shows, which was great.

P.I.: What do you know about the Brazilian Heavy Metal scene and what’s your opinion about the musicality of our bands?

Chris: I actually know very little about the Brazilian scene and the only Brazilian band I’ve had the opportunity to work with is Santuarium. That being said they are incredibly professional and talented.

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Sovereign Council (photo by Orest Dorosh/Front Row Pics)

P.I.: Can we expect a switch in the future, this time with Sovereign Council touring Brazil together with Santuarium?

Chris: We have actually discussed this, and it very well could happen. There are no solid plans in place just yet. I am traveling to Rio de Janeiro to meet with some of the members of Santuarium in July this year so who knows what plans will develop for the future.

P.I.: What are the plans for the future of Sovereign Council? Are you already working on any new material?

Chris: Our future is a very bright one in my opinion. We’re a young, hard-working, talented, and focused band. We’re constantly working hard to improve as individual musicians and as a group and our live shows keep getting better and better as a result. We are starting to reach out to various groups for assistance and we’re hoping to begin touring outside of Canada in the near future.

As for new material, I can’t give away too much information, but our second full-length album is well underway. It’s definitely got a heavier feel, but it stays true to the Sovereign Council sound that has been so well received on New Reign.

P.I.: Thanks again for the interview, we appreciate that. Feel free to send a message to all the readers from Portal do Inferno.

Chris: Obrigado Renata! Esperamos ver você e seus leitores quando fizermos uma turnê no Brasil!

Check out the original interview at Portal do Inferno in Brazilian Portuguese and English by clicking HERE.