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Metal Chick of the Month – Britta Görtz

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Follow me into the fire!

In times of turbulence, violence, uncertainty, hope and despair, perhaps the best subgenre of metal music to help us express all those feelings mixed together is our good old Death Metal, and in order to do that here at The Headbanging Moose let’s pay a humble tribute to a ferocious woman hailing from Germany that roars and growls with tons of passion when fronting her ass-kicking underground squads. Born on October 20, 1977 in Hannover, the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony, the unrelenting Extreme Metal vocalist, lyricist, songwriter and vocal coach Britta Görtz has been making a name for herself in the German and international scene with her potent guttural vocals since around 2005, standing out as the frontwoman for Thrash Metal act Cripper and more recently for Death Metal squads Critical Mess and Hiraes. Having said that, are you ready to bang your head and slam into the circle pit together with such talented growler?

Let’s kick off our tribute to Britta with her main band at the moment, the ruthless Death Metal horde known as Critical Mess, a Hannover-based act formed in 2012 that has already released two full-length albums so far in their career, those being Human Præy in 2018 and Man Made Machine Made Man in 2019, as well as the EP Zombie Apocoverlypse in 2020, all with Britta responsible for the vocal duties. After the band’s inception in 2012 they underwent many changes in lineup and writing styles until Britta replaced former vocalist Simon Körber in 2016, helping her bandmates Marco Schauff and Marco “Elmo” Evers on the guitars, Lommer Wiesener on bass and Benny Komatitsch on drums establish themselves and quickly finding their own, unique sound and style, always true to the familiar and beloved sound of old school Death Metal that they had all grown up with. Bringing forward crushing riffs, insane vocals, fierce harmonies and drum chops that put any industrial slaughterhouse soundscape to shame, Critical Mess have already shared the stage with insane acts the likes of Six Feet Under and Hatesphere, having also played in some of the most important festivals in the world like Wacken Open Air and Metaldays.

In case you’ve never heard any of the wicked creations by Critical Mess until today, you can stream all of their albums and songs on Spotify and enjoy their official videos on their YouTube channel, including the awesome videos for the songs Feasting, Into Oblivion, Cut The Cord, Pansperm; the song Echo live at Wacken Open Air 2019; live-recordings of the songs Gluttony (for the Apes Enraged Re-Live Online Festival) and Preacher of Lies (for Godslaves “Access All Areas” Online Festival), both recorded in their band practice room in Hannover; and a special video dedicated to their fans for the song Demise, from conception to stage. However, if you think Critical Mess are only brutality and rage, you must check their insane cover versions for the songs Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), by the infamous Backstreet Boys, Remmidemmi (Yippie Yippie Yeah), by Hamburg’s own Hip-Hop/Electro band Deichkind, and my favorite one Blinding Lights, by The Weeknd, all as seen on the German television show Halloween Gamenight with Luke Mockridge, which aired during last year’s Halloween. Britta is flawless on all three songs, but what she does in “Blinding Lights” is beyond awesome I must say.

Our skillful growler is also involved in a brand new project named Hiraes, a Melodic Death Metal band formed in 2020 that combines the full force of all four instrumentalists from Dawn Of Disease, those being Lukas Kerk, Oliver Kirchner, Christian Wösten and Mathias Blässe, with the powerful vocals by Britta in order to create an exciting new melodic death emergence. Currently, Hiraes are working on their debut album, which will certainly be highly recommended for fans of the Scandinavian madness brought forth by renowned acts the likes of Insomnium, At The Gates, Arch Enemy and Amon Amarth, pointing to a very interesting path ahead of Britta, therefore allowing her to showcase all her vocal range and potency outside of the purely Death Metal style she’s used to with Critical Mess. I honestly can’t wait to see what she’ll be able to do when venturing through more melodic realms, and let’s hope this never-ending pandemic doesn’t stop Britta and her henchmen from releasing new, vibrant music for all of us metalheads in a not-so-distant future.

Of course, we cannot talk about Britta and her pulverizing vocals without talking about the band that launched her to stardom in the metal community. I’m talking about German Death and Thrash Metal platoon Cripper, formed in 2005 in Hannover, with whom she recorded the EP Killer Escort Service in 2006, followed by the full-length albums Freak Inside (2007), Devil Reveals (2009), Antagonist (2012), Hyëna (2014) and Follow Me: Kill! (2017), with the last two being available on their BandCamp page, and all of them on Spotify. Hence, you can also visit their YouTube channel for official videos, interviews, unboxing of their albums and tons of other amazing footage from this hard-hitting band that unfortunately split up in 2018. Having toured with renowned acts like Overkill and Onslaught, in addition to repeat performances at major European festivals the likes of Summer Breeze, Wacken Rocks, Metalfest and Rockharz Open Air, Cripper effectively converted fans to their cause with their riveting mix of old school and modern thrash, as you can see in the official videos for the songs Animal Of Prey, Mother, Into the Fire, Tourniquet, Pressure, Totmann, A Dime For The Establishment, Shortcut, God Spoken Prayer/Cocoon and Damocles, as well as in their infernal live performances at Rock Im Betonwerk in 2012, at Metaldays in 2014 and at Wacken Open Air in 2016. As you might have noticed, when Critical Mess were formed, Britta was still singing for Cripper, but according to Britta herself it wasn’t difficult at all to manage both bands at the same time. “The two bands feel completely different,” she commented at that time, complementing by saying that “lyrically, Cripper is more expressive, while Critical Mess has so far been more storytelling.”

You can also find Britta screaming and roaring like a true she-wolf in several distinct bands and projects, where she was able to add her own share of violence and creativity to their music. For instance, you can enjoy Britta’s unique guttural vocals in the song My Abomination, from the album ED, released in 2020 by German Death Metal act Corrosive; in the song Into Darkness, from the 2014 album Drone, by German Groove Metal/Metalcore unity Drone; in the song Children of the Pit, from the 2016 album Welcome to the Green Zone, by German Thrash Metal squad Godslave; and doing backing vocals in the 2009 album Marauders, by German Death/Thrash Metal act Lost World Order. Not only that, Britta also showcased her skills as a photographer in the 2007 album Hate Is the Law, by German Death Metal band Ancient Existence.

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Regarding her influences, idols and first experiences in music, Britta has a very eclectic and wide range of musicians and bands that she admires. For instance, she said the first-ever concert in her life was back in 1990 in the small town of Seelze, where she grew up, of German Pop Rock band Die Prinzen; her first record was one containing the hit Bruttosozialprodukt, released in the 80’s by Neue Deutsche Welle group Geier Sturzflug; the first CD she bought herself was a live album by Guns N’ Roses (at the same time she bought her first CD player); and she would love to share the stage with the one and only Mike Patton, especially if it’s with his insane cult band Fantômas, which is quite easy to understand why as Mr. Patton is indeed one of the most talented, one of the wildest and one of the most creative vocalists ever. Also, on a side note, if you think Britta makes any distinction between male and female vocalists, or if she cares about the term “female-fronted metal”, she thinks that’s a stupid and very sexist concept, saying that she got tired of it right after her first interview where questions about her being a girl in a Death Metal band started to come up. Having said that, let’s simply stop asking that type of question when interviewing Britta, sounds good?

As mentioned, Britta has already been in several different festivals with all of her bands like the unparalleled holy land of metal music Wacken Open Air, having toured extensively across the entire European continent as well as being part of renowned and innovative events such as being aboard 70,000 Tons of Metal, saying the vibe in each one of those unique events might be different due to the number of people that attend each one, the ticket prices, the age of the fans and so on, but that in the end it’s always a pleasure for her to show her music and art to all types of metalheads. She also said that whenever someone can’t believe how powerful and aggressive her guttural vocals are when seeing he live for the first time, that doesn’t really amuse her as she thinks if you’re a true metal fan you’re already used to women growling for ages. In addition, she mentioned in one of her interviews that she dreams of touring around South America, as (unfortunately) she’s never been there and she would love to experience all South American countries as a touring band, immersing herself in each local youth and music culture.

All that recording, touring and screaming can be extremely strenuous on one’s vocal chords, demanding a lot from the singer, and of course it couldn’t be any different with Britta. She mentioned that there are some warmup exercises she does prior to each show, such as humming and singing some scales, saying that those aren’t only important for her  vocal cords, but they also serve as a ritual to prepare herself mentally for hitting the stage, working at the same time as physical and mental warmups. In addition, our talented growler also listed lots of sleep and lots of water as necessary methods for anyone’s vocals to stay in shape, balancing her partying and avoiding drinking too much alcohol, working out regularly and eating healthy, fresh food (without stressing too much about that). If you want to have a one-hour online lesson (or even a face-to-face one after this pandemic is finally over) in growling, shouting and screaming with Britta, you can visit the LCHQ Online Shop and purchase a vocal coaching voucher, hiring her services to provide you some useful tips, teach you new techniques and warmups, and anything else related to guttural singing, and coming from such talented singer like Britta that’s definitely worth the investment.

Last but not least, Britta has a very strong opinion on populism and the tensions we’ve been experiencing worldwide, saying that it doesn’t matter which perspective you take, be it the way the media reports it or how the reporting is perceived, the desire for security paired with the abandonment of freedom, or the contribution that the so-called “western world” makes to all of this, in the end the situation is pretty tricky, leading people to think they have simple solutions to complex problems. There are countless interviews online with Britta where you can know more about her as a person, as an artist, her opinions, her likes and dislikes and so on, such as this one to Mama Goes Wacken where she talks about her passion for chocolate (among other topics, of course),  this one to The Metal Gods Meltdown where she discusses the decision of Cripper to call it quits, this one to Rock Titan and this one to DJ Vampire talking about Cripper, and this one to Metal & High Heels when they played at FEMME (Female Metal Event). As you can see, Britta is an extremely talented musician with an open heart and an open mind, always willing to share her ideas, experiences and opinions with her fans and, more important than that, always ready to scream and roar in the name of our good old Death Metal.

Britta Görtz’s Official Facebook page
Britta Görtz’s Official Instagram
Critical Mess’ Official Facebook page
Critical Mess’ Official Instagram
Critical Mess’ Official YouTube channel

“I never thought ‘oh look at what she is doing, a girl in a heavy metal, that’s what I wanna do, too’. What got me to wanting to play in a band was probably that I thought it was a good way for me to express myself and at the same time channel my energy. Energetic live shows no matter of which genre attract me. Shows where you can feel the electricity in the air, where it kicks your butt and really grabs you. I am trying to find a certain kind of flow on stage and to share my energy with the fans. That’s not easy, cause it is nothing that you can create every time, but that’s what I am aiming for.” – Britta Görtz

Album Review – Accept / Too Mean to Die (2021)

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In their hard-hitting, uncompromising sixteenth studio album, the unrelenting German kingpins of Heavy Metal will tell you why they’re too mean to die.

Following on their critically acclaimed releases Blind Rage and The Rise of Chaos, the unrelenting German kingpins of Heavy Metal collectively known as Accept are back in 2021 with a brand new and pulverizing album of undisputed metal music entitled Too Mean to Die, the 16th studio album in their amazing career and the fifth to feature American frontman Mark Tornillo on vocal duties. Recorded in Nashville, the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and considered by many as the worldwide capital of music, the album was once again produced by British master producer Andy Sneap, known for his work with titans the likes of Judas Priest and Megadeth, and who has also been responsible for all Accept productions since 2010, enhancing the impact of the music blasted by the aforementioned Mark Tornillo on vocals, Wolf Hoffmann, Uwe Lulis and newcomer Philip Shouse on the guitars (marking it as their first-ever album with three guitarists), newcomer Martin Motnik on bass and Christopher Williams on drums, and therefore, proving this legendary squad will keep bringing to us all hard, direct and uncompromising metal music for many years to come.

Wolf, Uwe and Philip rev up Accept’s metallic engine in the amazing opening tune Zombie Apocalypse, delivering pure, unfiltered 80’s-inspired Heavy Metal with a modern twist, of course showcasing the band’s trademark sound and Mike’s piercing vocals, singing about mankind’s dependence and fixation with social media (“They’re walking by day, they stumble by night / Wandering blindly, with no end in sight / Mass communication, hand to hand / A new epidemic has control of this land”); whereas in Too Mean to Die we face lyrics about being a true headbanger (“I’m a heavy metal warrior / Restless son of a bitch / A weapon of destruction / With both hands on the switch”), while fast and furious German Power Metal flows from their riffs and Christopher hammers his drums in great fashion. And adding a good dosage of Hard Rock to their core metal music, the band fires the excellent Overnight Sensation, with Martin’s rumbling bass and Christopher’s classic beats providing Mike all he needs to shine on vocals in a song about becoming a (sub)celebrity and getting addicted to that ephemeral fame.

In No One’s Master, Accept lean towards some of their latest songs from The Rise of Chaos and Blind Rage, with the band’s guitar triumvirate being on fire with their crisp, crystalline riffs and soulful solos in another high-octane metal extravaganza, and Martin will make your head tremble with his wicked bass jabs in The Undertaker, a good, classic Heavy Metal tune that has its moments, but that’s considerably below the rest of the album in terms of adrenaline and punch. Then Wolf and his wolfpack extract sheer rage from their sonic weapons in the thrilling Sucks to Be You, with Mike’s classic screams being effectively supported by the band’s backing vocals, resulting in a beer-drinking, pub-brawling hymn for diehard fans of the band. And there’s no sign of slowing down or selling out by those dauntless metallers, as Accept keep blasting their instruments mercilessly in Symphony of Pain, showcasing a more imposing sonority found in Blood of the Nations and Stalingrad: Brothers in Death.

After so much heaviness and adrenaline, it’s time for one of Accept’s stylish, melancholic ballads entitled The Best Is Yet to Come, where Mike steals the spotlight with his introspective performance singing about how we get simpler as time goes by, while the band’s guitar trio embellishes the airwaves with their delicate riffs and piercing solos; followed by How Do We Sleep, a true headbanger by Mike, Wolf & Co. that sounds at the same time old school and modern, with Christopher dictating the pace with his pounding drums. And those metal veterans speed things up a bit, getting heavier and more aggressive in the acid tune Not My Problem, displaying an amazing job done by Wolf, Uwe and Philip on the guitars, adding endless electricity to the overall result and as a consequence sounding straight-to-the-point and as fun as hell until the very last second. Lastly, the solid instrumental tune Samson and Delilah closes the album on a distinct mode, with Wolf stealing the show with his classic riffs and solos and, of course, his undeniable and deep passion for all things Heavy Metal.

After listening to Too Mean to Die, I’m pretty sure you’ll get yourself headbanging nonstop, tapping on your desk, raising your horns while drinking a cold beer, and everything else that perfectly represents our beloved metal music, getting back to the start and repeating this exciting “ritual” over and over again, which means Accept moe than succeeded once again in their quest for Heavy Metal as expected. Hence, in case you’re from another dimension and don’t know Accept yet, you can start following them on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their extensive catalogue on Spotify, and purchase their awesome new album by clicking HERE or HERE, showing the world that just like the unstoppable guys from one of the most important metal bands in the world, you’re also a true metalhead that’s too mean to die.

Best moments of the album: Zombie Apocalypse, Too Mean to Die, Sucks to Be You and Not My Problem.

Worst moments of the album: The Undertaker.

Released in 2021 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Zombie Apocalypse 5:31
2. Too Mean to Die 4:21
3. Overnight Sensation 4:24
4. No One’s Master 4:10
5. The Undertaker 5:37
6. Sucks to Be You 4:05
7. Symphony of Pain 4:39
8. The Best Is Yet to Come 4:47
9. How Do We Sleep 5:41
10. Not My Problem 4:21
11. Samson and Delilah 4:31

Band members
Mark Tornillo – lead vocals
Wolf Hoffmann – guitar
Uwe Lulis – guitar
Philip Shouse – guitar
Martin Motnik – bass
Christopher Williams – drums

Album Review – Tragedian / Seven Dimensions (2021)

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This multicultural Melodic Power Metal unity hailing from Germany is ready to enlighten our destiny to the sound of their fourth full-length album, presenting to the world a new and reinvigorated lineup.

The esoteric and the obscure. Tales of the eternal fight between darkness and light… Formed by arcane energies. The mysteries that lay beyond human recognition. We are Tragedian, Power Metal that enlightens your destiny!

Formed in 2002 by American guitarist, songwriter and producer Gabriele Palermo, Tragedian are a multicultural metal band from Hamburg, Germany with a range of influences from Heavy Metal to Speed and Melodic Power Metal, taking their favorite elements from each genre and making their own interpretation. Currently comprised of the aforementioned Gabriele Palermo on the guitars together with Venezuelan vocalist Joan Pabón, German bassist Dawid Wieczorek, German keyboardist and pianist  Denis Scheither, and Italian drummer Nicolò Bernini, the band is about to unleash their fourth full-length album, entitled Seven Dimensions, the first with Joan, Dawid and Denis on the lineup. Produced by Gabriele himself, post-produced and mixed by Eike Freese at Chameleon Studios in Hamburg, and featuring an ethereal artwork by Polish artist Piotr Szafraniec (Archart Studio), Seven Dimensions takes the band to a different direction of Melodic Metal, showcasing nine new, electrifying anthems plus three previously released tracks reworked by the quintet.

Blazing guitars and whimsical keys kick off the Melodic Metal extravaganza titled Rising Rage, with Nicolò dictating the rhythm with his classic beats in a fast, harmonious and epic manner just the way we like it, and with Joan proving why he was chosen to be the band’s new lead singer. Then more of Gabriele’s slashing riffs and solos penetrate deep inside our ears in Aloneless, where Dawid and Nicolò’s low-tuned, rumbling sounds make a vibrant paradox with Denis’ classy keys. Put differently, it will certainly please all fans of bands like Stratovarius, Rhapsody of Fire and Angra, whereas investing in a more direct sonority, the band blends the electricity of Power Metal with the rebelliousness of old school Heavy Metal and Hard Rock in Out of the Dark, featuring guest guitars by Dan Palmer (Zebra Head, Death By Stereo), and the final result is simply awesome. And putting the pedal to the metal the quintet fires the melodic hurricane Darkest of My Days, where Joan is amazing on vocals supported by the unstoppable drums by Nicolò, not to mention the razor-edge guitar lines by Gabriele.

In Bringer of Dreams, featuring guest vocals by Wade Black (Crimson Glory, Leatherwolf), after a not-so-promising start the music fortunately evolves into another solid feast of Melodic Power Metal by Tragedian, with Joan and Wade bringing joy to our hearts with their dynamic vocal duo; and it’s time for a power ballad led by Joan’s passionate vocals and Denis’ melancholic piano notes entitled Crying in the Rain, also presenting background female vocals which bring an additional touch of finesse to the overall result, albeit going on for too long. Back to a more imposing and epic musicality, Nicolò kicks ass once again on drums while Gabriele keeps extracting sheer adrenaline from his axe in Enlightened, all spiced up by a classic Stratovarius-inspired keyboard solo by Denis, followed by an avalanche of classic riffs and nonstop drums in Forevermore, with the groovy bass punches by Dawid bringing thunder to the music. Needless to say, it can’t get any more melodic than this.

Destiny sounds relatively generic compared to the rest of the album, which doesn’t mean it’s a bad song, though, it’s just that it falls flat after a while despite the solid instrumental pieces blasted by the quintet. Then Joan showcases all his vocal potency and range is his mother tongue in Para Siempre (Forever), a very entertaining tune (and of course very special and personal for Joan himself) that results in a lecture in Spanish Melodic Metal; and those power metallers are never tired of embellishing the airwaves with their stylish sounds like what they do in The Journey, where Gabriele and Denis are once again in absolute sync form start to finish. Guest vocalist Zak Stevens (Savatage, Circle II Circle) adds his touch of melancholy and epicness to the inspiring ballad Forces of the Light, where we’re invited to let Tragedian’s enfolding music soothe our souls while Joan and Zak give a lecture in vocal performance, closing the digital edition of the album. However, you should definitely go for the CD version of Seven Dimensions, as the bonus tracks Crying in the Rain (duet version) and Forces of the Light (full orchestral version) are definitely worth the investment in the physical edition, especially the orchestral version for the embracing ballad with Zak Stevens.

As already mentioned, the addition of Joan, Dawid and Denis to Tragedian’s lineup brought a new share of epicness, melody and creativity to Gabriele’s brainchild, with Seven Dimensions perfectly depicting the band’s renewed energy throughout each one of the albums’ ten vibrant tracks (or twelve, if we also count the two bonus tracks of the CD version). Having said that, let’s all show the guys from Tragedian how much we admire their music, and that they’ve chosen to follow an exciting path in this new phase of their career by giving them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming more of their music on Spotify, and especially by purchasing a copy of Seven Dimensions or by streaming it in full by clicking HERE. This is first-class, international Melodic Power Metal that deserves our attention and recognition, my friends, and let’s hope Gabriele and his melodic army keep delivering sheer awesomeness to all of us with all of their future releases, always displaying their refined techniques, and of course, their passion for heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Rising Rage, Out of the Dark, Forevermore and Forces of the Light.

Worst moments of the album: Crying in the Rain and Destiny.

Released in 2021 Pride & Joy Music

Track listing
1. Rising Rage 4:19
2. Aloneless 4:03
3. Out of the Dark 3:42
4. Darkest of My Days 3:42
5. Bringer of Dreams 5:35
6. Crying in the Rain 4:48
7. Enlightened 5:01
8. Forevermore 4:13
9. Destiny 4:19
10. Para Siempre (Forever) 3:37
11. The Journey 4:32
12. Forces of the Light 6:35

CD Edition bonus tracks
13. Crying in the Rain (duet version) 4:49
14. Forces of the Light (full orchestral version) 4:50

Band members
Joan Pabón – vocals
Gabriele Palermo – guitar
Dawid Wieczorek – bass
Denis Scheither – keyboards, piano
Nicolò Bernini – drums

Guest musicians
Wade Black – vocals on “Bringer of Dreams”
Zak Stevens – vocals on “Forces of the Light”
Dan Palmer – guitars on “Out Of The Dark”

Album Review – Coldun / Grand Sun Ritual (2021)

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Armed with their third full-length opus, this excellent German act is among us all to prove that in death nothing is absolute, and certainly not an end.

Initiated as a solo project by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Coldun himself in 2006 in Chemnitz, a city in Saxony, eastern Germany, Atmospheric Progressive Metal act Coldun has grown into a veritable formation through the years, being currently formed by the aforementioned Coldun supported by his henchmen ZK and MR on the guitars, and NC on drums. Now in 2021 those talented musicians climb the logical next step together with their enthroned throat emperor in the project’s new and third album with the inspiring title Grand Sun Ritual, a real soul slurper that shows influences from Doom to Post-Metal, connecting both worlds throughout its over 51 minutes of atmospheric passages and grandiose, progressive music. Mixed and Mastered by Greg Chandler at Priory Recordings in Birmingham, UK and featuring a minimalist but impactful artwork by KaGo.O_O, Grand Sun Ritual revolves around the eternally topical questions of humanity about the respective meaning of life and death, With its thought-provoking lyrics showing a radically positive basic tenor, which stands for Coldun’s personal conviction that in death nothing is absolute, and certainly not an end.

Featuring guest Markus Bär on saxophone, Middle-Eastern sounds permeate the air in the mesmerizing title-track Grand Sun Ritual, with sheer poetry flowing from the song’s lyrics darkly declaimed by Coldun (“Awaked in timeless space / Bright and dark at once / Where is the coloured field I lay? / Where is the blood, where is the pain?”) while NC dictates the pace with his Doom Metal-inspired progressive beats; and more of Coldun’s atmospheric sounds and passages come in the form of The Forest And The Soul, where ZK and MR will pierce your mind with their classy riffs and solos, reminding me of some of the latest creations by bands like Insomnium with a touch of the melancholy of HIM. Then dark clouds are above us all in the Atmospheric Metal aria Down Below, once again presenting striking guitar riffs and solos supported by the solid bass jabs by Coldun, who also fires his trademark, anguished vocals in a lecture in Atmospheric Progressive Metal.

Blending the sonority of progressive music from the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s, Coldun and his loyal squad deliver the also bold and epic Salvation Day, where ZK and MR are in absolute sync with NC, crafting a dense ambience perfect for another round of Coldun’s deep vocals. After such intense tune, it’s time to close our eyes and relax to the smooth sound of the acoustic guitars in Stories Untold, where we must all let their piercing guitar solos soothe our souls while NC keeps the rhythm as pleasant and enfolding as possible with his classic beats, and you better get ready for over nine minutes of heavy and imposing sounds in the multi-layered Hail Out To Thebes, uniting the Progressive Metal of Dream Theater with the obscurity and potency of Type O Negative and Danzig. Put differently, you’ll be absolutely stunned by such detailed and powerful aria, before Coldun close the album with the experimental, embracing song I Dreamed That Dream, where all band members do a fantastic job by crafting minimalist but dense sounds, in special their stringed trio that’s on fire from start to finish, not to mention the song’s beautiful atmosphere.

In summary, Coldun’s dark, pensive and progressive voyage offered in Grand Sun Ritual will undoubtedly please all fans of the more atmospheric side of metal music, while at the same time also point to a more introspective path ahead of this excellent German act. Hence, don’t forget to follow Coldun on Facebook for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music, and above all, to grab your copy of their new album from their own BandCamp page or from Apple Music. As already mentioned, in death nothing is absolute, and certainly not an end, but in heavy music we can all say that the music by Coldun is forever, atemporal and eternal, carving Coldun’s name in the hearts of all metalheads who have the pleasure of listening to the band’s stylish creations like the ones found in their newborn opus.

Best moments of the album: Grand Sun Ritual and Hail Out To Thebes.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. Grand Sun Ritual 7:41
2. The Forest And The Soul 6:23
3. Down Below 7:42
4. Salvation Day 8:32
5. Stories Untold 5:19
6. Hail Out To Thebes 9:16
7. I Dreamed That Dream 6:34

Band members
Coldun – vocals, bass, Hammond, synths
ZK – guitars
MR – guitars
NC – drums

Guest musician
Markus Bär – saxophone on “Grand Sun Ritual”

Album Review – Dark Zodiak / Ophiuchus (2021)

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These Teutonic bringers of Death and Thrash Metal are ready to smash us all to the sound of their third full-length album, translating into extreme music the thirteenth sign of the zodiac.

Thrilling live shows, a crushing sound, direct interaction with the crowd and an incendiary fusion of Thrash and Death Metal forged from whipping riffs, vicious drums and thunderous female growls. That’s exactly what Eggingen, Germany-based squad Dark Zodiak stands for, leading the band to rock all over Germany and Europe and to share the stage with renowned acts such as Tankard, Debauchery and Eluveitie, among many others, since their inception in 2011. After the releases of their 2011 debut demo Throwing Stones, followed by the full-length albums See You in Hell, from 2014, and Landscapes of Our Soul, from 2017, it’s time for frontwoman Simone Schwarz, guitarists Charly Gak and Benni Poeck, bassist Steffi Bergmann and drummer Dieter Schwarz to smash our skulls once again with their third installment, the heavy and furious Ophiuchus, the thirteenth sign of the zodiac. A large constellation straddling the celestial equator, having its name taken from the Greek Ὀφιοῦχος (Ophioukhos, or “serpent-bearer”), Ophiuchus is a lesson in underground extreme music, showcasing a band that’s not only extremely talented, but that also nurtures a deep passion for Death and Thrash Metal presented as 48 minutes of music split into the ten unrelenting, organic and honest tracks.

A sinister intro evolves into the thrashing beast Do More Say Less, with Simone providing her welcome card through her guttural, she-demon vocals, while Charly and Benni fire razor-edge Death Metal riffs nonstop, and it’s time for Dieter to smash his drums rabidly in the fast and furious Heaven, Earth And Beneath, showcasing a perfect combination of the instrumental madness from Thrash Metal with the vile growling from Death Metal, consequently inspiring us all to smash our skulls into the circle pit. Their sick and violent display of Death and Thrash Metal goes on in Invisible Apocalypse, where Simone invests in some demented Deathslam-inspired screeches while Steffi and Dieter make sure the ambience remains as dense as possible with their infernal kitchen; whereas the obscure vociferations by Simone kick off the infernal Ophiuchus, sounding as if Exodus went full Death Metal and presenting a great job done once again by the band’s guitar duo with their dirty riffs and solos, resulting in over seven minutes of ass-kicking metal with atmospheric passages and endless rage. Then another round of their unstoppable beats, crushing riffage and devilish roars is offered to our ears in the form of Destroy Destruction, a classic Death Metal tune with Dieter showcasing all his dexterity and insanity behind his drums.

The band’s blazing guitars will slash your ears in the also violent, headbanging tune Humor, where Simone’s deep growls walk hand in hand with the classic beats by Dieter, resulting in a solid and entertaining display of old school Death Metal, followed by From Thrash Till Death, once again bringing to our avid ears a pulverizing fusion of Thrash and Death Metal spearheaded by the scorching riffs by Charly and Benni during its three minutes of music tailored for banging our heads like true maniacs. The lyrics in 2020 A.D. couldn’t have represented better the current (and shitty) state of our world, while musically speaking it’s a mid-tempo, hammering extravaganza where Steffi’s bass (together with Dieter’s drums) will make your head tremble in great Death Metal fashion; and after a quick intro, Total Freedom explodes into pure Death Metal in their second to last breath of violence, and you better get ready to growl and gnarl together with Simone during the entire song, not to mention the heaviness of the pounding beats by Dieter. Lastly, blending the gory sound of Cannibal Corpse with the thrashing madness of Exodus and Nuclear Assault the band offers us all Ignorance, a great choice to close the album showcasing Simone’s vicious and demonic growling and the always thrilling drums by Dieter from start to finish, leaving us disoriented but absolutely eager for more of their music in the future.

After all is said and done, we must all admit Dark Zodiak did a damn good job throughout the entire album, offering our ears humongous dosages of savagery, dexterity and passion for extreme music. Hence, we should all hail those Teutonic bringers of Death and Thrash Metal by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming more of their music on Spotify, and by grabbing a copy of Ophiuchus from their own website, from their BandCamp page, and soon enough from other retailers like Apple Music and Amazon. And may the stars of our beloved Death and Thrash Metal keep guiding Dark Zodiak in their quest for total annihilation, celebrating heavy music with more ass-kicking releases like Ophiuchus.

Best moments of the album: Heaven, Earth And Beneath, Ophiuchus and Ignorance.

Worst moments of the album: Total Freedom.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. Do More Say Less 5:49
2. Heaven, Earth And Beneath 4:04
3. Invisible Apocalypse 3:45
4. Ophiuchus 7:18
5. Destroy Destruction 4:40
6. Humor 5:16
7. From Thrash Till Death 3:03
8. 2020 A.D. 4:52
9. Total Freedom 5:27
10. Ignorance 3:57

Band members
Simone Schwarz – vocals
Charly Gak – guitar
Benni Poeck – guitar
Steffi Bergmann – bass
Dieter Schwarz – drums

Album Review – Bestial Warfare / Desecrating Goat Assault EP (2020)

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A ruthless German Black and Death Metal brigade is ready to attack armed with their fulminating new opus, overflowing darkness, blasphemy and rage.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by (((CYPHX-AUDIO))), and displaying a Stygian artwork by Art of Sickness 666 and an old school logo by Cyanide Grave, the debut EP by German Black/Death Metal horde Bestial Warfare, entitled Desecrating Goat Assault, has everything a fan of the most demonic and obscure type of extreme music can ask for, following up on their critically acclaimed 2018 demo Genocide. Dealing with controversial themes such as war, darkness, blasphemy and death, the band formed in 2017 in Marburg, Hesse, a town north of Frankfurt, and currently comprised of Decius Christgrinding Hammerfist on guitar and vocals, Blashphemer Evocator Incinerator Mass on bass and vocals, and Death Tyrant of Satanic Vengeance on drums, takes no prisoners in their quest for violence and obscurity, with Desecrating Goat Assault perfectly representing everything this amazing underground German brigade stands for.

Tribal beats and a putrid stench of evil kick off the heavy-as-hell Impaled Human Scum, with Decius vomiting the song’s blasphemous words manically, always supported by the heavy artillery of Blashphemer with his wicked bass and Death Tyrant with his vicious beats; and Decius and his Stygian riffs will pierce your ears in the disturbing fusion of Black and Death Metal titled Genocide Ceremony (Congregation Ablazed), showcasing infernal beats and fills, gruesome vociferations and metallic bass jabs, or in other words, a lesson in extreme music made in Germany. Then we have Human Sacrifice (Pig Messiah Decapitated), as demented and disturbing as its predecessors, where those three metallers prove they’re never tired of hammering their sonic weapons and, therefore, providing us fans a hurricane of Black and Death Metal not recommended for the lighthearted, not to mention Death Tyrant sounds like a stone crusher on drums. Iron Bloodlust Inflamed is another explosion of vile and crushing sounds by Bestial Warfare, with Decius taking the lead with his vomiting, guttural roars while Blashphemer continues to pound his Stygian bass nonstop, and finally there’s nothing better than paying a tribute to darkness and old school Black Metal than with the sulfurous hymn Antichrist Offensive, where they continue to smash everything and everyone that crosses their path and with Death Tyrant and Decius making a demonic duo with their respective blast beats and scorching riffage.

The gates of hell are open and Bestial Warfare are ready to attack armed with their fulminating new EP Desecrating Goat Assault, and in order to join this evil brigade from Germany simply go check what they’re up to on Facebook and purchase a copy of the album from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore in CD or cassette format. After two first-class, demonic releases such as Genocide and Desecrating Goat Assault, what’s next for Bestial Warfare? Well, it doesn’t matter if it’s another EP or a full-length album, as long as they keep spreading darkness and blasphemy all over the world with their infernal creations I’m sure fans of extreme music will have a very good reason to keep banging their heads in the name of pure evil.

Best moments of the album: Genocide Ceremony (Congregation Ablazed) and Human Sacrifice (Pig Messiah Decapitated).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Impaled Human Scum 5:36
2. Genocide Ceremony (Congregation Ablazed) 4:27
3. Human Sacrifice (Pig Messiah Decapitated) 3:29
4.Iron Bloodlust Inflamed 4:07
5. Antichrist Offensive 4:02

Band members
Decius Christgrinding Hammerfist – guitar, vocals
Blashphemer Evocator Incinerator Mass – bass, vocals
Death Tyrant of Satanic Vengeance – drums

Album Review – Baxaxaxa / Devoted to HIM EP (2020)

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A cult German Black Metal horde returns after almost two decades with an infernal new EP hailing from the most rotten and neglected graveyards.

Forged in the darkest pits of Germany in the already ancient year of 1992, Bavaria’s own Black Metal cult horde Baxaxaxa is back from the underworld after almost two decades to keep burning the flame that coursed through them in the very early 90’s with a new EP entitled Devoted to HIM, offering the listener two original ghoulish apparitions lurking in the most rotten and neglected graveyards. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Lord Noctifer at Black Bunker Sounds and featuring a grim cover art by German tattoo artist Slawa Pavlyguine (Black Venom Ink.), Devoted to HIM is a middle-fingered assertion of Baxaxaxa’s ancient values, being recommended to diehard fans of Mortuary Drape, Root, Hungary’s Tormentor, early Samael and very early Mayhem, showcasing all the talent and devotion to darkness by vocalist Traumatic, guitarist Cryptic Tormentor, bassist Sulphur Irae, drummer Condemptor and keyboardist Antitron Desecratum W2J1L8.

And this unrelenting five-piece horde form hell begins their raw and dirty Black Metal attack with the old school Revelation in Sin, with Cryptic Tormentor’s piercing guitar lines exhaling darkness and fire, while Sulphur Irae and Condemptor bring a touch of Doom Metal to their already devilish sonority and Antitron Desecratum W2J1L8 adds sheer dementia to the overall result with his wicked keys, all spearheaded by Traumatic’s infernal gnarls and screams. Put differently, this is one of those songs tailored for haunting the souls of the lighthearted. Then after such demented onrush of extreme music, cryptic sounds permeate the air in the Stygian and sulfurous title-track Devoted to HIM, suddenly exploding into ass-kicking Black Metal infused with the speed and fury of Slayer and the rebelliousness of classic Punk Rock. Moreover, all band members are on absolute fire from start to finish, in special Cryptic Tormentor armed with his hellish axe, and Condemptor, who doesn’t stop hammering his drums not even for a single second, providing Traumatic all he needs to blast his demented growls.

This short but utterly infernal display of the rawest form of Black Metal imaginable is available for a full listen on YouTube, but of course if you consider yourself a true servant of darkness and evil you should follow such insane Teutonic horde on Facebook and, above all, purchase your copy of Devoted to HIM from the band’s own BandCamp page, or from the Iron Bonehead Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore (in black or white vinyl). The demonic and ruthless Black Metal played by Baxaxaxa (which by the way was a name selected before the band’s first rehearsal and refers to a demon found in a now-lost-and-forgotten book) might not be an easy-listen at first for the regular metal fan, but you know what? That’s exactly how their music is supposed to be,  staying true to their roots and, obviously, forever and ever devoted to HIM.

Best moments of the album: Devoted to HIM.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Iron Bonehead

Track listing
1. Revelation in Sin 6:43
2. Devoted to HIM 4:05

Band members
Traumatic – vocals
Cryptic Tormentor – guitar
Sulphur Irae – bass
Condemptor – drums
Antitron Desecratum W2J1L8 – keyboards

Album Review – Beltez / A Grey Chill and a Whisper (2020)

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It’s time to embark on a 65-minute journey into the abyss in the form of contemporary Black Metal by an unrelenting Cologne, Germany-based horde.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Mario Dahmen at Liquid Aether Studios in Schladern, Germany, the breathtaking opus A Grey Chill and a Whisper is an expanded vision of contemporary Black Metal by an unrelenting German horde formed in 2002 in the city of Cologne that goes by the name of Beltez, based on the original short story “Black Banners” written exclusively for the band by German writer Ulrike Serowy (known for her novella Skogtatt). Following up on their highly acclaimed 2017 record Exiled, Punished…Rejected and dealing not only with despair and hopelessness, but also with courage and strength, A Grey Chill and a Whisper is a 65-minute journey into the abyss (plus an incredible audiobook with the full “Black Banners” story backed up by Beltez’s original music), a monolithic entity that frightens as much as it allures thoroughly crafted by vocalist Marc, guitarists Dominic and Jens, bassist Christian and drummer Sebastian, showing again what artistic freedom could mean in Black Metal, yet without denying the roots of the genre.

Featuring guest Alex Newton of Dzö-nga on keyboards, the cinematic intro In Apathy And In Slumber sets up the stage for Beltez to crush in the atmospheric The City Lies In Utter Silence, where Marc roars the lyrics with tons of anger and hatred (“Silence / Absent are any signs of life / A nameless city under a cloud-laden Sky / Dwelling aimless in vain existence / Half-awake, half-alive, half deceased”) while his bandmates smash our senses with their fulminating riffs, bass lines and beats. Put differently, it’s Black, Doom and Post-Metal all at once, and above all, it’s pitch black darkness in the form of music. Then the band comes ripping like a beast from the underworld in the doomed Black Banners, where the scorching, razor-edged riffs by Dominic and Jens walk hand in hand with Sebastian’s menacing beats, exploding into vicious Black Metal for our vulgar delectation, followed by A Taste Of Complete Extinction, another top-of-the-line, bestial Atmospheric Black Metal spawn by Beltez where Sebastian sounds utterly infernal with his blast beats and fills while Marc keeps growling rabidly, supported by the phantasmagorical keys by Jens.

Christian takes the lead with his low-tuned, vile bass in The Unwedded Widow, again morphing into a reverberating fusion of Atmospheric Black Metal and classic Black Metal with Marc taking his enraged growling to a whole new level of despair; then a purely atmospheric and instrumental interluded titled From Sorrow Into Darkness brings some peace and serenity to our hearts before the title-track A Grey Chill And A Whisper arrives like a thunderstorm from hell, with Sebastian and his demolishing drums crafting a solid base for the headbanging riffage by Dominic and Jens and the inhumane gnarls by Marc in a lecture in contemporary Black Metal. The 14-minute full-bodied aria I May Be Dammed But At Least I’ve Found You begins in the most atmospheric way possible and gradually evolves into Beltez’s piercing music, with the band’s guitar duo breathing fire through their riffs building a menacing ambience for Marc to viciously scream the song’s words (“Dreadful fortress hovering high / Final destination after a fateful decision / Walking the road of the dead”), and curiously enough the band decided to end such grandiose album of Black Metal with a more visceral creation titled We Remember To Remember, where Christian slams his bass in great fashion together with obscure vocalizations and a sense of hopelessness, clearly drinking from the fountain of Blackened Doom.

As aforementioned, one of the versions of the album comes with a beyond special bonus called “Black Banners Audiobook”, a beautiful story that served as the inspiration for Beltez to compose the entire A Grey Chill and a Whisper, and the fact the band added background music to it plus the amazing work done by Dan Capp of Winterfylleth on narration, Corinne Henderson on female voices, Evan Hunt of MetalTower on the introduction, the artwork by Benjamin Harff and the booklet illustrations by Jana Kourgierakis gave it an even more vivid and thrilling vibe. It’s like a hybrid of storytelling and poetry that will please all metalheads who also enjoy a good reading (or listening, in this case), plus an acoustic and vile rendition of “We Remember To Remember”. You can enjoy A Grey Chill and a Whisper in full (except of course for the audiobook) on YouTube, follow those German metallers on Facebook and on Instagram, and purchase your favorite copy of the album from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgard Music BandCamp page, from Sound Cave (in CD or LP format), from Season of Mist, from Amazon or from Walmart. Raising their black banners high, Beltez will drag you to the pits of the underworld in A Grey Chill and a Whisper, and I dare you to not get addicted to their splendid fusion of Black Metal and a captivating background story after that.

Best moments of the album: The City Lies In Utter Silence, A Taste Of Complete Extinction and A Grey Chill And A Whisper.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. In Apathy And In Slumber 1:45
2. The City Lies In Utter Silence 10:48
3. Black Banners 6:04
4. A Taste Of Complete Extinction 9:50
5. The Unwedded Widow 6:39
6. From Sorrow Into Darkness 1:30
7. A Grey Chill And A Whisper 8:37
8. I May Be Dammed But At Least I’ve Found You 14:13
9. We Remember To Remember 5:37

Black Banners Audiobook (A Short Story By Ulrike Serowy)
10. Black Banners 49:49
11. We Remember To Remember 5:30

Band members
Marc – vocals
Dominic – guitars, vocals, additional programming
Jens – guitars, vocals, keyboards, synthesizer, programming, keyboards and programming on Black Banners Audiobook
Christian – bass
Sebastian – drums

Guest musicians
Alex Newton – keyboards on “In Apathy And In Slumber”
Dan Capp – narration on Black Banners Audiobook
Corinne Henderson – female voices on Black Banners Audiobook
Evan Hunt – introduction on Black Banners Audiobook

Interview – Andreas Nieratschker (Agony Atlas)

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Guitarist Andreas Nieratschker, from Germany-based act Agony Atlas, joins us for an exclusive interview about their new EP Retrogression Part I: Egomania, the metal scene in his homeland, the future of the band (and of the entire world), and more.

Andreas Nieratschker (Agony Atlas)

The Headbanging Moose: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us about the music by Agony Atlas. Can you please start by introducing yourself to our readers? Who Agony Atlas and what are your goals with the band?

Andreas Nieratschker: One could say, we are a four-person sonically chaotic gathering of people that is actually not that chaotic…

Christoph e.g., my companion on the guitar, is particularly good at collecting tattoos and being a caring father. He simply is our savior when it comes to organising whatsoever. Well actually, everyone is, except Liane and myself (laughter). Organisationally, I mean.

Markus plays like Thor’s hammer when he’s out on his drums. You can feel the concentrated power of the gods, although you hardly see it. – Absolutely smooth playing. Above all, he manages everything when it comes to texting and working towards our famosity.

Liane just has a brute voice, which has impressed me since the first rehearsal of our other band, where we used to play together. I just thought “THIS is the voice I want!”

Well, yeah and I am Andreas.

Together we decided to travel back in time to prevent humanity from its own extinction and to enlighten them about the fucked-up conditions the human kind exposes to our planet. At least, this is the short version behind our story.

THM: Your music is being labeled by fans and the media as “Progressive Metalcore”. Do you agree with that classification, and if so, how would you personally describe it? What other genres and styles can the listener expect to hear in your music?

AN: It’s almost always hard to pinpoint the band’s genre. But I think besides many different influences the term “Progressive Metalcore” describes our music best. Although the progressive part is not extremely present yet, but you will hear more of it in the future songs. Speaking in genres: you can find melodic death metal and metalcore, djent, electro, industrial and thrash metal and sometimes even a hint of black metal.

THM: You have just released your debut EP, titled Retrogression Part I: Egomania. Can you please give us more details about it? What’s the story behind the EP, and what can we expect to see in “the next chapter”, assuming this is just the first part of something bigger the band is planning?

AN: Actually, we don’t have a concrete concept for the EP. It is rather based on the general idea we are pursuing with Agony Atlas. The other publications will lead along this common thread and complement our story.

For a while now, environmental movements have been causing enormous discussions in society. The behavior of people towards one another, towards our living space and towards the world in its entirety has become an important and recurring topic. Now is the latest time for a final change to save our whole future. And that’s exactly what we want to tell with our background story: The time travel from the already destroyed future back to the here and now, to save what can be saved. “Retrogression” stands for the development that we want to prevent – from a future perspective, to a certain extent, for a regression. Therefore we chose the title. We are playing our part in not waking up in a dystopian world, like Mad Max, in the near future. So, we will continue our guiding idea and stick to the band concept.

THM: Let’s now talk about each one of the songs from the EP, starting with the opening track Economy Class, which carries a name that couldn’t be more relevant these days. Can you please elaborate a little more on the meaning of the song and why you’ve chosen such important topic as its main theme?

AN: As I said, the environmental issues are very important. In the EP, we address some of the current problems people have in this regard, such as consuming, digitally induced comfort and an egocentric worldview. The concrete events for the song “Economy Class” were the man-made rainforest fires at the beginning of 2019.

THM: What about Egomania, my favorite song of the EP? What was the process to write and compose this song, and what should the listener take from the music and the lyrics while listening to it?

AN: The irrepressible greed of the people has made them look for another “habitable” or, as I’d like to say, “exploitable” planet for years. Earth alone is apparently not enough. Although it is and was more than sufficient for the remaining living beings. However, because of our curiosity, which we take as a given condition of superiority and as unique selling point of the human kind, it seems that we want to take everything – regardless of the losses.

The song should not only serve through unbelievably good acoustic satisfaction, but also stimulate everyone to reflect one’s own behavior and to question society.

Album Review – Agony Atlas / Retrogression Part I: Egomania EP (2020)

THM: Lastly, the closing song in Retrogression Part I: Egomania, Hymn Of Hatred, is undoubtedly the heaviest and most obscure of all three songs. Why did you decide to end the EP with such dark composition?

AN: For us it’s the most forward moving song. It forges a smooth transition to what the listener can expect in the future. “Hymn Of Hatred” is the newest song on the EP and rather reflects our songwriting. Last but not least: the fact is that future doesn’t look bright, if we don’t act now.

THM: How is it to be fronted by such talented woman like Liane Walter, who certainly makes your music appeal to fans of bands like Arch Enemy and Jinjer? How do you see the importance of women in metal music nowadays, and do you see any type of rejection from fans for having a woman as your lead singer?

AN: The question could also be: What is it like to have such a good vocalist? It’s not about gender, but about skills, human interaction, commitment, creativeness and fun.

By now it should rather be normal to see and hear women in the metal genre. There are already a few more bands than Arch Enemy and Jinjer who sing gutturally in the low frequency range. I haven’t heard of any rejections for now. But in any case, I’m a huge fan of her singing, especially while being in the same band.

THM: Changing the topic a bit, what are your main influences in music and arts in general? And how do you incorporate those influences into the music by Agony Atlas?

AN: I can hardly say where all the inspiration comes from. Christoph, for example, takes part in local cultural associations, plays also in his alternative rock band Karabooza and is involved as guitar sub in a carnival rock band. Furthermore, Markus and I are involved in the jazz genre and beyond. And with Liane, I can only guess, but it seems like she started screaming since birth. Over the years of practicing she must be influenced by all kinds of stuff. But who can really tell? Maybe it can be compared with ideas which are formed by words to be explained. I assume, it’s the same with music. The inspiration comes from memories, visions and random synapse formations, which pop up in your mind. And if you listen closely, you can repeat them to write them down.

If you want to know what everybody of us is listening to, just take a look on our Spotify page. There you can find a playlist of each one of us.

Agony Atlas

THM: We all know the Germany metal scene is extremely vibrant with some of the best metal fans in the world, which probably means there’s more room for underground acts like Agony Atlas to play their music to live audiences there, right? Have you been able to start touring around Germany (and any other countries) with Agony Atlas already, or is the pandemic still impacting your touring plans?

AN: Standing in the starting blocks, we slipped straight into the corona pandemic and the light has not yet jumped from red to green. Well, we just recently formed up, therefore we use the unexpected waiting time to prepare ourselves sensibly with concentrated power to play in front of a trembling audience. At least now we will have an encore in petto.

THM: What does the future hold for Agony Atlas? Can we expect to see more of your heavy and melodic music in a not-so-distant future?

AN: Yes, definitely! We are already busy in the process for the next release. Five new songs are ready for recording and more are on the way. Hopefully, we’ll get them on the road in 2021.

THM: Thank you very much for the interview! Any final considerations or comments you would like to share with our readers?

AN: Thank you for the opportunity. Listen to our songs and start to change the world! Everybody has an impact to make a difference.

Links
Agony Atlas Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

Album Review – War Agenda / Propaganda (2020)

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Join those Teutonic thrashers in their quest for heavy music to the sound of their sophomore album, bringing to our ears a collection of rebellious anthems inspired by the glory of the 80’s and 90’s.

Ready to kill in the name of old school Bay Area Thrash, a Daisbach and Sinsheim, Germany-based horde formed in 2012 that goes by the straightforward name of War Agenda has just unleashed upon humanity their sophomore album, titled Propaganda, a rebellious ode to 80’s and 90’s thrash in the vein of Exodus, Slayer, Testament and Kreator, among others. Featuring an insurgent artwork by Mal Semmens Art, Propaganda has everything a diehard fan of classic Thrash Metal can ask for, from its austere lyrics to raspy vocals and smashing drums, showcasing all the talent of one of the band’s masterminds Ingo on the guitars together with his loyal henchman Hamdi on drums and newcomers Mostafa Troll on vocals, Raafat on the guitar and Marcel on bass. In other words, simply put on your best mask and join those Teutonic thrashers in their quest for heavy music, slamming into the pit and raising your horns to the sound of their visceral creations.

In the intro Sounds of Oppression we’re treated to serene and melancholic acoustic guitars, but of course darkly oppressive, exploding into the title-track Propaganda, where the metallic bass by Marcel will smash your head while Mostafa begins his Bobby Blitz-inspired vocal attack in an old school Bay Area Thrash extravaganza with the band’s own Teutonic twist, perfect for igniting the album’s endless circle pit vibe. Then blending the Speed Metal of Megadeth with the insanity of the early days of Exodus, Ingo and Raafat slash their stringed axes in great fashion firing ass-kicking riffs and solos nonstop in Plan B, a song that will inspire you to bang your head in the name of thrash, followed by Human Race, an acid “tribute” to our rotten society, with Hamdi pounding his drums accompanied by the strident riffage by the band’s guitar duo, spearheaded by Mostafa’s manic declamation of the song’s austere lyrics. And more of their no shenanigans Thrash Metal comes in the form of United in Hypocrisy, a headbanging tune showcasing crushing beats and strident riffs, recommended for slamming into the pit while enjoying a cold beer; whereas Marcel brings forward obscure bass lines in the bold Silence of Justice, before morphing into another feast of classic thrashing sounds the likes of Obituary, Nuclear Assault and Exodus, presenting Ingo and Raafat’s riffage in total sync with Mostafa’s raspy gnarls.

Heavy-as-hell and menacing from the very first second, the quintet brings forth the violent Apartheid, a lesson in 80’s Thrash Metal where Hamdi goes berserk with his wicked beats and fills from start to finish, and it’s time for total anarchy and chaos with the thunderous Chaos Invasion, blending their trademark Thrash Metal with modern-day Groove Metal thanks to the fulminating sounds blasted by Marcel and Hamdi with their unstoppable bass and drums. Then let’s head into the battlefield together with War Agenda in the frantic War of Nations, with Ingo and Raafat taking the lead with their razor-edged riffs while Mostafa vociferates and roars like a true thrashing beast in an awesome display of German Thrash Metal for fans of Kreator. In Killer Disease, despite its dark and venomous feel, the music is not as inspiring as its predecessors, sounding a bit generic I might say. Mostafa continues to bark rabidly while Hamdi smashes his drums with tons of precision, though, and closing such austere album we have Child of Dreams, showcasing a delicate intro before exploding into their classic thrashing sonority where Ingo and Raafat are on fire with their wicked solos, ending the album in a pensive and rebellious way .

You can enjoy Propaganda in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to keep supporting underground Thrash Metal you should purchase the album from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp or webstore, from Season of Mist, from Amazon or from Discogs, keeping the band more than inspired to destroy everything that crosses their path with their thrashing music for many years to come. In addition, don’t forget to also follow War Agenda on Facebook, and whenever this never-ending, shitty pandemic is finally over, I’m sure you’ll be the first to know where you can slam into the pit like a true Thrash Metal lover to the music crafted by this talented and ruthless German squad, just the way we all like it in the most rebellious music style in Heavy Metal.

Best moments of the album: Propaganda, Human Race and War of Nations.

Worst moments of the album: Killer Disease.

Released in 2020 Great Dane Records

Track listing
1. Sounds of Oppression 2:10
2. Propaganda 4:03
3. Plan B 4:20
4. Human Race 5:31
5. United in Hypocrisy 3:27
6. Silence of Justice 4:49
7. Apartheid 4:08
8. Chaos Invasion 3:20
9. War of Nations 3:46
10. Killer Disease 4:39
11. Child of Dreams 5:24

Band members
Mostafa Troll – vocals
Ingo – guitars
Raafat – guitars
Marcel – bass
Hamdi – drums