Tag Archives: heavy metal

Album Review – Anvil / Anvil Is Anvil (2016)

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Against all odds, Anvil are still the same Anvil from their beginnings, but that doesn’t seem to be translating into thrilling heavy music in the end.

frontSomeone definitely needs to write a dissertation or a graduate thesis on how Canadian Heavy/Speed Metal power trio Anvil has managed to survive for such a long time (the band was formed back in 1978) without releasing anything truly remarkable in their career except for their 1982 classic album Metal On Metal. Well, I guess we all know that the main reason for the band to still be alive was the 2008 highly acclaimed documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil (if you haven’t watched it yet, please do it as soon as possible), but in terms of the quality of their music, let’s say nothing has really changed or evolved through the years.

Maybe I’m being too harsh on those Canadian metallers, but the music found in their sixteenth studio album, “cryptically” entitled Anvil Is Anvil, doesn’t really allow me to say anything newsworthy about them after so many years on the road. The only difference from all of their previous albums (and I dare you to name two or three of those, excluding Metal On Metal) is that this is their first release to feature bassist Chris Robertson. Apart from that, everything that the iconic lead singer and guitarist Steve “Lips” Kudlow and drummer Robb “Robbo” Reiner have to offer us is an uninspired and wearisome cover version of themselves during the entire album.

Why Anvil decided to “think outside the box” and go with a pirate song called Daggers and Rum to open the album is beyond my comprehension, but that’s fine, at least they tried something different.  What we have here is extremely basic and relatively fun Heavy Metal that should work well when played live, but somebody please ask Lips not to pretend to be a pirate again in his life. Up, Down, Sideways is much better in terms of speed and sound quality, with Chris Robertson doing a decent job on bass while Robb keeps delivering his classic beats. However, in Gun Control, an 80’s metal tune with some Sludge Metal elements added to it, its irritating and banal  lyrics (“Do you defend your family? / Or go and rob a bank? / Do you defend your country? / For that who do we thank? / Do we need some? / Gun control / Gun control”) make me think only diehard fans of the band are capable of enjoying this song.

Die for a Lie is a song with a religious connotation (against radical Islamism) that doesn’t actually make too much sense, not to mention its completely bland instrumental, with only some decent guitar solos saving it from being a total disaster; while Runaway Train puts the band back on track with its very direct and effective approach and great performances by Lips and Robb. This is in my opinion what Anvil should be doing nowadays, kind of a mix of their classic sounding with Motörhead’s high-speed Rock N’ Roll. On the other hand, they should stay away from the ridiculousness of Zombie Apocalypse, with its cliché lyrics (“Death and destruction becoming a routine / Only just a thought in reality obscene / Virus and bacteria, the biochemical host / Extinction of humanity, nothing but a ghost”) and a Hard Rock/Stoner Metal vibe that doesn’t work really well.

anvilAnd this roller-coaster of quality doesn’t seem to have an end, as once again they are the Anvil we enjoy and not an amateur garage band, delivering the fast and metallic It’s Your Move. It might not be brilliant, but at least it has a lot more electricity than most songs in the album. The same can be said about Ambushed, another good song that keeps the energy flowing at a decent level due to its nice chorus and what’s probably the best vocals delivered by Lips in the entire album. I also liked the drumming and the vibe in Fire on the Highway, despite the vocal lines sounding a bit disconnected from the music. Yet again, there’s absolutely nothing new presented in this tune, but that’s doesn’t mean it’s bad or tasteless.

Run Like Hell, a lot more complex and electric than all other songs, showcases a perfect synchronicity between Lips and Robb, nicely complemented by Chris’ bass lines and, therefore, resulting in the best song of Anvil Is Anvil by far.  Its kick-ass riffs and nonstop beats sound like an ode to their own legacy, with even Lips’ guitar solos sounding much better than usual. Regrettably, Forgive Don’t Forget was the worst possible way they could have chosen to close the album. Nothing in this tune works, from its mediocre rhythm to its even worse lyrics and backing vocals. I’m pretty sure I will forget this song exists really soon. And if you get the digipak version of the album you can consider yourself relatively lucky, because both bonus tracks Never Going to Stop and You Don’t Know What It’s Like are above average songs that should have been part of the regular version instead of all those weak tracks.

In summary, unless you’re completely mental for this Canadian band, don’t invest too much of your time on Anvil Is Anvil. I suggest you stick to their 1982 classic album and also to their 2008 documentary, because these are what the legacy of Anvil is all about. I still respect them for always keep trying no matter what, for always being the same Anvil from their beginnings and going against all odds, but that doesn’t seem to be translating into thrilling heavy music in the end. They’re still having fun being Anvil and that looks like everything they need to keep moving forward, so who am I to tell them their music today is not as exciting as they think? We should simply let those guys keep on rocking until their very last breath, because Anvil will always be Anvil, there’s no way to change that.

Best moments of the album: Runaway Train and Run Like Hell.

Worst moments of the album: Gun Control, Die for a Lie and Forgive Don’t Forget.

Released in 2016 Steamhammer/SPV

Track listing
1. Daggers and Rum 5:26
2. Up, Down, Sideways 3:19
3. Gun Control 4:22
4. Die for a Lie 3:17
5. Runaway Train 3:40
6. Zombie Apocalypse 4:22
7. It’s Your Move 3:30
8. Ambushed 3:22
9. Fire on the Highway 4:35
10. Run Like Hell 3:07
11. Forgive Don’t Forget 2:40

Digipak bonus tracks
12. Never Going to Stop 4:09
13. You Don’t Know What It’s Like 3:31

Band members
Steve “Lips” Kudlow – lead vocals, lead & rhythm guitars
Chris Robertson – bass guitar
Robb “Robbo” Reiner – drums

Album Review – Sleep Signals / Transitions EP (2016)

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High-quality and organic Heavy Metal perfect for enlivening us up anytime, anywhere, delivered by an extremely promising band from the United States who are just starting to pave their path to success.

Rating4

sleep signals_transitionsBlending elements of the most traditional form of Hard Rock from the 80’s and 90’s and the modern Heavy Metal played by bands such as Avenged Sevenfold, here comes the skillful American Alternative Rock/Post-Hardcore quintet Sleep Signals and their brand new EP, entitled Transitions, bringing you huge doses of electricity emanating from catchy choruses, powerful riffs and a true passion for music. Hailing for the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, this five-piece act is here to stay, aiming at disseminating their high-octane music all over the world for many years to come.

After the release of their debut album Open Your Eyes in 2015, many doors opened to the band in terms of touring and radio exposure, and based on what you’ll be able to hear in Transitions this positive trend is going to continue without a shadow of a doubt. Either by singing about deep and thoughtful themes or by simply offering you a nice soundtrack for a Rock N’ Roll party at your place, you can rest assured the music by Sleep Signals will never let you feel bored or tired at all, always driving the level of energy (and the music volume) up, no matter what the occasion is.

The opening track, Means, quickly grows into contemporary Heavy Metal/Metalcore the likes of Avenged Sevenfold, but with noticeable Power Metal influences.  In addition, lead singer Kyle Hanson has a very potent voice and makes use of it to boost the level of adrenaline in this exciting tune, with the backing vocals providing him an incredible support. Then we have The Harbinger, where the riffs by guitarists Robert Cosgrove and Colin Smith sound heavily inspired by that fantastic movement from the 80’s called NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal), while drummer Taylor Madden dictates the rhythm with his complex and fast beats. And in order to make this song even more memorable, Sleep Signals managed to craft an extremely catchy chorus that will put you to sing along with them instantly.

sleep signalsIn the next tune, Digital Sleep, it’s easy to notice how much they love the music they play, offering the listener a modernized version of Hard Rock with a more aggressive attitude. Besides, it’s amazing how clear and tuneful Kyle’s vocals are and, although any of the songs in Transitions can be played on the radio and become an instant hit, I believe this one is the catchier of all five and a serious contender to become a Rock N’ Roll underground anthem.

Oceanus Borealis brings forward a Power Metal-ish intro that morphs into pure Metalcore in a vibrant semi-ballad, with Taylor and bassist Logan Rieger crafting an uplifting atmosphere for Kyle to deliver an emotional message through his vocal lines. And lastly, the title-track Transitions closes the EP in a more introspective and melancholic way. It’s undisputedly a lot more progressive than all previous tracks thanks to the job done by Robert and Colin on the guitars and Taylor on drums, not to mention its effective backing vocals. And when the song accelerates, it becomes a solid mix of old school British Heavy Metal and modern American Alternative Metal, something quite common nowadays in the world of heavy music, but usually not as good as what Sleep Signals are offering in this case.

In summary, what Sleep Signals deliver in a little less than 20 minutes sounds so solid and thrilling it’s hard to believe this band is just starting their career. Anyway, if you want to know more about them (and also take a listen at their previous material), go check them on Facebook, YouTube and ReverbNation, and don’t forget to show your support for the new by purchasing Transitions at the band’s official webstore or on iTunes. If I had to pick just a few of the several new bands I receive every week as the most promising ones or the ones with the highest potential to succeed in heavy music, Sleep Signals would definitely be among my choices. It’s good, organic and honest Heavy Metal that can be played anywhere, anytime, and that’s all we always look for in music, right?

Best moments of the album: The Harbinger and Digital Sleep.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Means 3:58
2. The Harbinger 3:39
3. Digital Sleep 4:02
4. Oceanus Borealis 3:51
5. Transitions 5:21

Band members
Kyle Hanson – vocals
Robert Cosgrove – guitar
Colin Smith – guitar
Logan Rieger – bass
Taylor Madden – drums

Concert Review – Cradle of Filth (Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 03/06/2016)

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As Toronto turned 182 years old yesterday, nothing better than celebrating the anniversary of our beautiful city with a gargantuan amount of fuckin’ “filth”.

OPENING ACTS: Ne Obliviscaris and Butcher Babies

COF_Inquisitional Torture 2016What a lovely day in our stunning, charming and multi-cultural city of Toronto. It might not be Summer (and not even Spring) yet, but sunny Winter days with temperatures above the freezing mark like this Sunday are such a thing of beauty they make us completely forget how harsh Winter can be sometimes. Perhaps that was Mother Nature giving her “birthday gift” to all Torontonians who were celebrating the 182nd anniversary of their beloved city. And what could have been better than hosting one of the most influential Extreme Metal bands of all time at the Phoenix Concert Theatre to properly commemorate the date? Finally, after five long years, the iconic Cradle of Filth returned to the “Land of the Moose”, as Dani Filth himself stated during the show.

This metallic feast started at around 7pm, when Australian Extreme Progressive Metal band NE OBLIVISCARIS hit the stage with their fusion of Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, Folk Metal and several other subgenres of heavy music blended in their sound. It took a few minutes for those guys from Melbourne, Australia to actually warm up and start entertaining the crowd, but once their concert took off it was indeed a nice experience, especially due to the amazing performances by Tim Charles with his violin and left-handed guitarist Benjamin Baret with his wicked riffs and solos. I confess I didn’t know much about the band before this gig, which means I’ll obviously go after their music to truly understand what they’re all about. And, of course, it’s good to know there’s more high-quality metal music coming from Down Under.

Setlist
Devour Me, Colossus (Part I): Blackholes
Of Petrichor Weaves Black Noise
Xenoflux
Painters of the Tempest (Part II): Triptych Lux
Pyrrhic
And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope

Band members
Xen – harsh vocals
Tim Charles – clean vocals, violin
Benjamin Baret – lead guitar
Matt Klavins – guitar
Cygnus – bass
Dan Presland – drums

When their concert was over and we all had a few minutes to rest and have a beer before the next attraction, I have to say it’s always nice when people come to talk to you about anything without being too wasted or high. That happened to me when a guy from Oshawa wearing a Bad Religion T-shirt approached me to say he liked my Pantera T-shirt, and from then we started chatting about music in general, focusing on bands such as Anthrax, Megadeth, Iron Maiden and Volbeat. So kids, next time you go to a concert try not to be so wasted, falling like a bag of potatoes on everyone around you, or too “Justin Bieber-ish” that no one else can touch you or talk to you. There’s always somewhere in between that works a lot better for everybody, got it?

IMG_1117Getting back to the concert, it was then time for the dynamic duo comprised of Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey, known as the BUTCHER BABIES, to kick some serious ass on stage and make everyone in the audience go absolutely mental before the main attraction of the night. It was also my first time seeing them live, and I must say those girls know how to put up an entertaining show. Armed with their demonic voices and supported by very competent musicians, especially bassist Jason Klein, those two girls from Los Angeles, California (dressed like an evil version of Babymetal) didn’t stop banging their heads and screaming for a single second, showcasing their deep passion for heavy music while playing every song of their setlist, which was mostly based on their 2015 album Take It Like a Man. There were a few technical issues with their sound, but no one seemed to care about that. All people wanted were more “excuses” to slam into the pit and do some stage diving, and both Heidi and Carla knew exactly how to ignite that fire with their Alternative Metal, playing some high-octane songs such as National Bloody Anthem, The Butcher and, my favorite of the night, Monster’s Ball. Girls, Toronto loves you and we can’t wait to have you back in the city!

Setlist
National Bloody Anthem
Blonde Girls All Look the Same
The Butcher
Gravemaker
Igniter
Jesus Needs More Babies for His War Machine
Monster’s Ball
Magnolia Blvd.
The Deathsurround/Goliath/I Smell a Massacre
Axe Wound

Band members
Heidi Shepherd – vocals
Carla Harvey – vocals
Henry Flury – guitar
Jason Klein – bass
Chris Warner – drums

CRADLE OF FILTH

IMG_1144It was around 9pm when the diabolical intro Humana Inspired to Nightmare announced the gates of Hades were open wide, therefore releasing the devil’s favorite dark angels to spread hell on earth with their unparalleled Extreme Metal. Promoting their latest opus Hammer Of The Witches under their current tour entitled Inquisitional Torture 2016, British titans CRADLE OF FILTH began to mercilessly discharge a flawless mix of classics with brand new chants, driving all fans at the venue utterly crazy. When a concert starts with Heaven Torn Asunder and Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids, you know it’s going to be a fuckin’ massacre.

The most interesting fact for me about their setlist was that it was divided in two “acts”, like a theatre play. There was an intro for each act, followed by a sequence of blasting classics (covering almost all of their albums) that put a huge smile on the face of this guy here, a longtime fan of Dani and his crew. I simply love songs like Lord Abortion, Honey and Sulphur, Her Ghost in the Fog and my top Cradle of Filth song of all time, the insane From the Cradle to Enslave, but their newer stuff such as Right Wing of the Garden Triptych and Deflowering the Maidenhead, Displeasuring the Goddess work so well when played live I’m sure they’ll become a constant part of their future tours. In addition, Dani (who was the demon himself last night), as a treat to all fans for waiting patiently for the band’s return to Toronto, dedicated to all of us For Your Vulgar Delectation, from their previous album (which unfortunately could not have a Canadian tour due to visa issues).

dani_toronto2016_02The whole band was on fire and Dani’s performance was epic, screaming like a rabid demon and wearing his Stygian attire and corpsepaint the way we all love, but I have to say last night belonged to the adorable keyboardist and singer Lindsay Schoolcraft. Although she’s not exactly from Toronto (technically, she’s from Oshawa), she was so excited and pleased to play together with Dani and his crew in her hometown she couldn’t stop smiling, waving to the fans and headbanging like a maniac during the entire concert. I guess I don’t need to say how memorable the night was for our talented Canadian girl, right? The only band member I couldn’t really watch well was drummer Martin “Marthus” Škaroupka, who was “hiding” not only behind his drums, but also behind some kind of aquarium/glass cell to the left of the stage. That was a weird stage setup, by the way, as if they were keeping Marthus caged before he could escape and kill someone, but nothing that would make the whole concert less memorable.

dani_toronto2016And can you guess why Dani, Lindsay, Marthus and the other band members played so well and were so electrified last night? That’s exactly it, because of us, loyal and demented Cradle of Filth fans. I don’t remember seeing a crowd so insane and in sync with the band like that. What the fans did during Gilded Cunt, growling the lyrics together with Dani, and the furious mosh pits during Nymphetamine (Fix), which is in fact a heavy ballad and not a sick blasting tune, was truly outstanding. Even Gimli, the brave dwarf from Lord of the Rings, was among us weating a Testament T-shirt! If you were there, you know who I’m talking about. Anyway, Cradle of Filth provided us fans another memorable metal night at the Phoenix Concert Theatre, and I’m pretty sure we also made the night memorable to the band as well, especially to Lindsay. I just hope Mr. Dani Filth and his horde of darkness do not take another five years to return to the Land of the (Headbanging) Moose. Actually, how about celebrating each and every anniversary of this distinct city together with the band? That’s the type of “filth” I’m sure no one would complain to have around all the time.

Setlist
ACT I
Humana Inspired to Nightmare (Intro)
Heaven Torn Asunder
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids
Blackest Magick in Practice
Lord Abortion
Right Wing of the Garden Triptych
Malice Through the Looking Glass
Deflowering the Maidenhead, Displeasuring the Goddess
Gilded Cunt

ACT II
Walpurgis Eve (Intro)
Yours Immortally…
Nymphetamine (Fix)
Honey and Sulphur
For Your Vulgar Delectation
Her Ghost in the Fog
From the Cradle to Enslave
The Principle of Evil Made Flesh
Born in a Burial Gown
Blooding the Hounds of Hell (Outro)

Band members
Dani Filth – lead vocals
Richard Shaw – guitars
Marek “Ashok” Šmerda – guitars
Daniel Firth – bass
Lindsay Schoolcraft – female vocals, keyboards
Martin “Marthus” Škaroupka – drums

Album Review – Stabbed / Submerge EP (2016)

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Time to get “stabbed” with the groovy and metallic music by this emerging Hungarian Post-Sludge Metal band.

Rating5

stabbed_cover_fnl_txt_smlIf you appreciate all the crazy progressiveness and pulse from bands such as Opeth, Meshuggah, Katatonia, Mastodon and Tool, I think I have a brand new underground Post-Sludge Metal band hailing from the sophisticated city of Budapest, Hungary that might fulfill your needs for the interesting fusion of the modern Heavy Metal from the late 90’s with the vigorous punch of Groove Metal from the early 00’s. This band answers to the name of Stabbed, and they’ve just released their debut EP, straightforwardly entitled Submerge.

Formed in 2012 as an industrial/ambient rock project by guitarist Attila Kecskes, which culminated in a demo of six songs written and recorded solely by Attila, Stabbed evolved to a bolder and heavier act in 2013, and since then the band has been working hard to deliver good music to fans of contemporary metal music. From the enigmatic album art designed by Hungarian artist Zénó Rolf Farkas (Artphetamin) to the darkling lyrics found in each of its five songs, Submerge offers the listener Stabbed’s current view of the society we live in, also pointing to the direction the band will probably follow in their future releases.

The opening track, Ruins, is fully progressive and groovy from the very first second, proving Stabbed are not kidding when they say they’re heavily influenced by Opeth and Mastodon despite all the additional Metalcore elements found their music. Switching from pure heaviness to ominous passages and back to a more visceral sounding again, this song highlights the precision of drummer Mark Potkovacz behind his kit, as well as its Pantera-inspired solo ending things properly. Creed keeps the high level of energy up with guest vocalist Péter Palotás and its weird but interesting lyrics (“We carved graves into our eyes / Burying illusions of our flawless mind / Tremors of a heavy beating heart / Rupture scars into our restless skull”), getting a lot closer to the demented music played by Mastodon. In addition, pay good attention to the peculiar guitar sounding crafted by Attila and his fellow guitarist Gergely Kovacs, it’s indeed a nice experience.

009-D-FBLast Stand, with its spot-on headbanging beats and riffs, is another song that blends Sludge Metal with Metalcore in a solid manner especially due to the clean vocals by lead singer Alex Karamusko, who by the way also provides a good amount of anger through his harsh screams during the entire EP. And in Reversal a slower and melancholic start suddenly turns into a violent rhythm, with Alex powerfully vociferating the song’s cryptic lyrics (“Leave before they / Picked up your scent / Find out you’re not one of them / Never let yourself be seen / Through the smoke of fears / They will reach inside your dreams”). In a nutshell, this is an introspective Sludge Metal/Metalcore tune with some interesting tempo changes a la Mastodon.

Lastly, closing the EP Stabbed deliver another angry composition entitled Carceri, featuring Peter Kelner as a guest vocalist doing the deeper growls. Let me tell you this partnership works extremely well, turning this into the best tune of the EP in my opinion, with David and Mark smashing their bass guitar and drums respectively until the music flows into a groovy finale.

In order to get “stabbed” with the organic and metallic music by Stabbed, go check their Facebook page, YouTube channel (where you can take a listen at the entire EP) and SoundCloud page, and don’t forget to support this emerging Hungarian act by purchasing Submerge at their BandCamp page, on iTunes (where they also offer the instrumental versions of all songs) and in many others locations.

Best moments of the album: Last Stand and Carceri.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Ruins 5:10
2. Creed (feat. Péter Palotás) 3:09
3. Last Stand 4:17
4. Reversal 5:13
5. Carceri (feat. Peter Kelner) 6:04

Band members
Alex Karamusko – vocals
Attila Kecskes – guitars
Gergely Kovacs – guitars
David Rosko – bass
Mark Potkovacz – drums

Guest musicians
Péter Palotás – additional vocals on “Creed”
Peter Kelner – additional vocals on “Carceri”

Album Review – Anthrax / For All Kings (2016)

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A classy and electrifying Thrash Metal album especially crafted for all of us, the real kings of heavy music.

Rating3

anthrax_for all kingsFor All Kings, the eleventh studio album by American Thrash Metal titans Anthrax, is definitely not just another ordinary Thrash Metal album. It truly feels like a classy and passionate tribute to heavy music and to their longtime hardcore fans, who have never turned their back on these Ney York City metallers and kept flying the flag of old school Thrash Metal high no matter what. Actually, I shouldn’t be calling those people as just “fans”, but as real kings according to Anthrax themselves when explaining the title of the album. “The meaning, to me, for this title is that everybody can be a king.”, said the iconic guitarist Scott Ian. And you know what? We should indeed feel like kings being honored by Anthrax with such a beautiful album.

After the superb Worship Music, released in the distant year of 2011 when Anthrax emerged from the ashes like a metallic phoenix, I had no idea if they would be capable of maintaining (or even surpassing) the extremely high level of quality and energy flowing from now classic songs such as “Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t” and “The Devil You Know” in their future albums. Especially after the departure of the amazing Rob Caggiano (who joined Danish rockers Volbeat in 2013), being replaced by Jon Donais on lead guitar, that uncertainty grew even more as Rob used to be one of the masterminds behind the band’s unique musicality. Well, I said once to a friend that if they were able to deliver maybe just half of what they did in Worship Music I would be extremely happy, and fortunately for all of us For All Kings is more than that, sounding just as electrifying as its predecessor.

Are you ready to get caught in a breakneck Thrash Metal mosh? This is what will happen in the opening track, the fantastic You Gotta Believe, where after an imposing intro (featuring background noises from probably Anthrax fans during their live performances) we are treated to 7 minutes of the purest and finest Anthrax. Scott Ian and Charlie Benante are already on their beast mode, while “newcomer” Jon Donais does a superb job with his guitar solos providing a nice balance between violence and melody to the song. The following chant, Monster at the End, is not only a melodious ode to Thrash Metal similar to some tunes from Worship Music, but also an irreproachable option to sing along with the iconic Joey Belladonna. And what can I say about the great riffage by Scott in the title-track, For All Kings, especially during the chorus? In addition to that, the thunderous bass guitar by Frank Bello adds a lot of power to this amazing hymn, putting a smile on the face of every fan of old school Thrash Metal.

anthrax 2016You might not agree with me, but in my humble opinion the superb Breathing Lightning is a masterpiece, and I simply cannot wait to see them playing this live. Thrilling and electrifying from the very first second, its classic rhythm is flawlessly complemented by its simple but beautiful lyrics (“You always have the chance to do the right thing / Until the right thing comes undone / And with a thunderclap I’m breathing lightning / And this world has moved on / I look inside myself is this the right thing? / Is this the right thing, I don’t know”). Besides, Joey’s performance is beyond outstanding throughout the entire song, not to mention the soulful guitar solos by Jon. Suzerain is another kick-ass traditional Anthrax chant, showcasing precise beats by Charlie and tons of riffs by Scott and Jon, and sounding as if it was recorded back in the 80’s but with a fresh vibe; while Evil Twin, inspired by events like the 2015 attack on the offices and staff of the French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo and various other mass shootings (Scott mentioned the song is about the actions of people “who feel they have become judge, jury and executioner over their fellow man”, calling this mindset the “evil twin” of humanity), has that perfect rhythm for having fun inside a circle pit with your friends. The band once again shows all their passion for Thrash Metal through the song’s heavy riffs and acid lyrics (“You represent your discontent slaughtering the innocent / Insolence, you’re no martyrs / The arrogance to reinvent / The holy words their meanings bent / Evil twins, you’re no martyrs”), with the riffs and bass lines at around three minutes being fuckin’ awesome.

After so much destruction and shredding, it’s time for some classy and passionate Heavy Metal entitled Blood Eagle Wings (Anthrax surely don’t need to be fast all the time to be awesome), where you can feel the entire band is putting their hearts and souls into the music; followed by the fighting chant Defend Avenge, which despite being heavy as hell it’s still very melodic, with Anthrax demanding us fans to bang our fucking heads nonstop and scream its chorus together with them at the top of our lungs. The good All of Them Thieves falls flat after a while due to its repetitive lyrics, despite the great job done on both guitars and bass, whereas in This Battle Chose Us it feels like Anthrax are paying a tribute to themselves, with Frank kicking ass on bass while Charlie provides his always groovy and pleasant beats. Moreover, it’s indeed incredible how Anthrax still sound crisp and alight after so many years on the road.

for all kings poker edition

For All Kings Poker Edition

Now just grab a beer and head to the mosh pit to the sound of the insane riffs and nonstop adrenaline flowing from one of the best songs of the album for sure, entitled Zero Tolerance. This is the perfect way to close this solid album, with Joey and Scott leading this fiery hymn which will undoubtedly please all fans of good Thrash Metal. But wait, there’s a lot more Anthrax if you purchase the limited edition of the album (or even better, the jaw-dropping POKER EDITION) in the form of four high-octane bonus tracks recorded live in Tokyo, Japan, with my favorite being obviously their most recent classic Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t.

What are you waiting for to keep worshiping the unique music crafted by Anthrax in For All Kings? Featuring a stunning artwork by American comic book writer and artist Alex Ross, this is one of those albums that without even noticing you’ll be listening to nonstop at home, in your car, at work or anywhere else where first-class Thrash Metal is needed to fight our biggest enemies and fears. For All Kings is classy, electrifying and, more important than that, especially crafted for all of us, the real kings of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: You Gotta Believe, Breathing Lightning, Defend Avenge and Zero Tolerance.

Worst moments of the album: All of Them Thieves.

Released in 2016 Megaforce/Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. You Gotta Believe 7:32
2. Monster at the End 3:55
3. For All Kings 5:00
4. Breathing Lightning 6:33
5. Suzerain 4:53
6. Evil Twin 4:40
7. Blood Eagle Wings 7:53
8. Defend Avenge 5:13
9. All of Them Thieves 5:14
10. This Battle Chose Us 4:53
11. Zero Tolerance 3:48

Poker Edition/Limited Edition Box Set bonus tracks
12. Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t 6:11
13. A.I.R. 6:38
14. Caught In A Mosh 5:18
15. Madhouse 4:06

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

Radio Show Review – Timão Metal

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If you’re crazy for Heavy Metal and the almighty Corinthians, come join the “bando de loucos” together with Mr. Jorge Diaz and his weekly metal show.

Rating1

Timao MetalWe have to admit we metalheads go completely crazy while listening to the thunderous sound of heavy music. Although each one of us has a different taste and style, there’s no way we can live a single day of our lives without the electricity emanating from either an old classic by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, or from the modern headbanging riffs from Disturbed and Slipknot, and it’s this strong passion for Heavy Metal that unites us all and keep us moving forward no matter what. Thus, if there’s one type of person that truly understands what I’m talking about, it has to be a real soccer fan. However, I’m not talking about fans of specific players, like many “supporters” of Barcelona or Real Madrid nowadays, but people that love their clubs or national squads more than anything, and if those people root for the Brazilian team Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, from the city of São Paulo, Brazil, or if you prefer Corinthians, Timão or Coringão, the first FIFA Club World Cup winner, it’s when things get even better.

With over 30 million passionate fans all over the world (known as the “bando de loucos”) and a beautiful history of over 100 years of glorious triumphs and a distinct connection to each one of their supporters, which translates into over 10 million fans on Facebook and 4 million followers on Twitter, it was time for Corinthians to provide their metalhead fans a special show where soccer and Heavy Metal are combined in a compelling way. That’s the awesome fusion you’re going to get every week while listening to TIMÃO METAL, broadcasted by the official Corinthians web radio station Rádio Coringão.

Rádio Coringão has been active in the promotion and coverage of several sports events organized in different corners of the world since 2009, focusing obviously on all professional soccer matches played by Corinthians throughout the year in different championships, with approximately 500,000 likes on Facebook and about 140,000 followers on Twitter, also providing their listeners a solid mix of Rock N’ Roll, Heavy Metal, Samba and several other rhythms during their weekly schedule. As this is a webzine dedicated to Heavy Metal, I’ll “ignore” the other programs that do not play metal music, but if you also like listening to different stuff I can assure you Rádio Coringão is an excellent choice for your daily playlist. For instance, their show called Noite Corinthiana, where only the best of Rock N’ Roll is played, is indeed fantastic.

Radio Coringao

Rádio Coringão – The Official Sport Club Corinthians Paulista Web Radio Station

The high-octane Timão Metal, presented live from “Fiel Chile” in Santiago, Chile every Tuesday at 10pm BRT – Brasília Time (which would be at this time of the year 8pm EST – Eastern Standard Time and 1am of the following day GMT – Greenwich Mean Time, but it always depends if the daylight saving times are on or off) by Jorge Patricio Diaz Guzman, or just Jorge Diaz, will offer you the cream of the headbanging elite from Hard Rock to Black Metal, while at the same time providing news and comments on what’s happening in the world of Corinthians. The show started back on October 10, 2012, and since last year it became live instead of pre-recorded, adding an extra layer of fun to it as you can now request a song in real time through the Twitter account from Rádio Coringão.

How about keeping up with the world of the almighty Corinthians and, at the same time, bang your head to powerful tunes such as Black Sabbath’s Children of the Sea, Unleash the Archers’ Test Your Metal, Satyricon’s Dark Medieval Times and Metallica’s One? And let me tell you the program grew to a point that there’s another show following the same format every Saturday at 5pm BRT – Brasília Time called Gavião Metal, broadcasted also live by Jorge Diaz from Santiago, Chile through Rádio Livre Gaviões. The only suggestion I would make to the show host would be to record both Timão Metal and Gavião Metal as podcasts (through online services like Spreaker, for example) and make them available online for fans who cannot connect when the shows are being broadcasted live, but as I said, this is just a minor detail.

Of course, as huge supporters of Corinthians, we at The Headbanging Moose could not miss the opportunity to build a promising partnership with Timão Metal, providing all fans of Heavy Metal that enjoy the show what’s new in the world of heavy music. In other words, while Jorge will keep taking care of firing some classic tunes to you, we will send him the best of the underground. For instance, this week’s show already featured three amazing compositions by indie bands from different parts of the world: Children of the Stars, by Canadian Heavy Metal act Phantom; Heart of Darkness, by Ukrainian Black Metal horde Morkesagn; and Degrees of Solitude, by the up-and-coming Belgian Ritualistic Black Metal band Cult of Erinyes. I’m sure everyone who was listening to Timão Metal got thrilled to the flaming sound of those bands, and I don’t need to say you can find all details about them on our reviews here at The Headbanging Moose. And guess what? This is going to happen every week, which means tons of excellent independent bands for you, impassioned supporters of our magnificent Coringão!

There are several different places where you can listen to Timão Metal as well as to the rest of the programming by Rádio Coringão, as for example:

1. Through their official website

2. On Facebook

3. And on smartphones with iOS (iPhone and iPad), Android, Bada, Blackberry and some Nokia models, you can download the TuneIn app and search for Rádio Coringão

After all is said and done, I believe you all know the steps you need to take every Tuesday at 10pm BRT – Brasília Time, right? Tune into Timão Metal at Rádio Coringão, enjoy the best of classic heavy music, discover the most promising new metal acts from all over the world, bang your head nonstop, raise your horns, and obviously… VAI CORINTHIANS!

Album Review – SystemHouse33 / Regression (2016)

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Regression might be a return to a former or less developed state, but the new album by this talented Indian act is undoubtedly the evolution of Thrash and Groove Metal.

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systemhouse33_regressionI guess the first time I realized how crazy for heavy music people in India are was when I watched Iron Maiden’s Flight 666 documentary for the first time some good years ago. Watching around 30,000 people in Mumbai, India being completely smashed and screaming like lunatics to my favorite Iron Maiden song of all time, the unique “Aces High”, showed me there’s a lot more in the Land of Prayers than that hardly watchable Bollywood shebang. And it’s exactly from the city of Mumbai that come the demented thrash metallers SystemHouse33, who are not only releasing an amazing new album entitled Regression, but are also more than ready to conquer the entire world with their high-quality metal music.

Unleashing a rip-roaring fusion of the traditional Thrash Metal by Sepultura with elements from Groove and Death Metal (and even Melodic Death Metal), and having released four albums already in their career, this talented band has been reaching many important milestones since their inception in 2003. Always against all the odds, SystemHouse33 was the first metal band to ever emerge from the small Indian town of Nagpur, quickly spreading their Heavy Metal over several rock festivals and music events around India, including Campus Rock Idols, Metal Meltdown and Wacken Metal Battle. And before the release of the new album, those Indian metallers toured with American Death Metal icons Six Feet Under around Germany and Austria in December 2015 on their annual Xmas in Hell tour, being the band’s first ever foreign tour and becoming the first Indian metal band to tour with a legendary Heavy Metal headliner.

SystemHouse33 founding member and vocalist Samron Jude elaborates on the concept behind the new album, “Regression is the paradox of progress; it is the disintegrating world we live in. We are doing more, but feeling worse.” And let me tell you there couldn’t be better words to describe the aggressiveness and the feeling of insurgency found in every single song of the album, because right after the ominous intro Catharsis, which feels as if the band is rising from the ashes of a fallen world, we have the title-track Regression, starting their Indian onslaught the best way possible. Featuring huge doses of savagery amidst a polished and groovy rhythm, this amazing tune showcases guitarist/drummer Atish Thomas providing his “business card” in the form of some serious riffage, and you can easily sense how much he loves Groove Metal by his drumming style.

systemhouse33Indian brawler Samron Jude’s insane growls lead the powerful tune Lift This Plague, a solid composition perfect for banging your head nonstop where all band members are on fire, with highlights to its acid lyrics (“Pretentious flowing blood / Ignorance reaps resentment / Downward spiraling sky / Slumber of the sluggard”). Following that massacre we have the even better Namesake, one of the best tunes of the album (if not the sickest one), emanating endless electricity from all instruments. How not to get thrilled by those riffs and beats? Besides, it reminds me of the latest installments by many excellent Eastern European Groove Metal bands such as Ektomorf and Omega Diatribe. And a song named Death Chamber couldn’t sound any less visceral and obscure in a flawless display of what can be called Progressive Groove Metal, from its headbanging riffs to more progressive passages.

There’s not a single second to rest with the rhythmic and violent Detestable Idolatry, where you can feel the metallic bass chords by Leon Quadros striking you mercilessly while its contentious lyrics add a welcome touch of rebelliousness to its sonority (“Blood-filled ignorance in your soul / Self-righteous sacrifice of innocence / Slaying the name of a higher power / Shameful indulgence”). Pagan Breed is another progressive and experimental tune that never “forgets” the band’s core violence, with Samron firing anger through his harsh growls and the rest of the band doing a superb job in maintaining the ferocity of the song at a high level. Lastly, closing the album we have another berserk chant named Malicious Mind, yet again offering a potent fusion of progressiveness and old school Thrash and Death Metal. It sounds like if the band is demanding the listener to jump up and down with them, with Atish and Leon being in perfect sync with their guitar and bass lines, respectively.

I was about to give Regression a 3.5, but it honestly deserves a 4.0 for the band’s tenacity and passion for Heavy Metal in a country where almost everything seems to go against that type of music. And if you share the same passion for heavy music as the high-skilled metallers from SystemHouse33, go visit their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud page, and grab your copy of Regression at their BandCamp page, at their official website, on iTunes, on CD Baby and many other locations. Although the word “regression” means a return to a former or less developed state, SystemHouse33 are making sure they change that concept to an evolved and exciting state of Thrash Metal with their flaming new album for our total delight.

Best moments of the album: Regression, Namesake and Pagan Breed.

Worst moments of the album: None. This album kicks fuckin’ ass.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Catharsis 1:35
2. Regression 4:42
3. Lift This Plague 3:04
4. Namesake 3:49
5. Death Chamber 4:07
6. Detestable Idolatry 5:09
7. Pagan Breed 3:14
8. Malicious Mind 3:56

Band members
Samron Jude – vocals
Leon Quadros – bass
Atish Thomas – guitars, drums

Additional musician
Jack Thomas – guitars (live)

Album Review – Primal Fear / Rulebreaker (2016)

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Who said rules must be broken for a metallic eagle to spread its wings and soar high in the skies of heavy music?

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coverOne important thing must be said about the action-packed Rulebreaker, the brand new release by German Power Metal soldiers Primal Fear. Although the album is called “Rulebreaker”, there are barely any rules being actually broken by the band in its 50 minutes of pure effulgent Heavy Metal. However, who said rules must be broken for a metallic band such as Primal Fear to thrive? The eleventh studio album by this long-established Teutonic act might not aim at all at revolutionizing heavy music, but it will unquestionably put you to bang your heads and raise your fists (and beers) to the unique sound of the most traditional form of Power Metal, and for me that’s pretty much all we need in a good metal album.

There are a few new elements added to Rulebreaker that end up differentiating it from the most recent releases by Primal Fear. First of all, it marks the debut of Italian drummer Francesco Jovino (U.D.O., Edge of Forever), a high-skilled musician who brings everlasting stamina to the band’s musicality. Secondly, German artist Stephan Lohrmann returns as the designer of the band’s emblematic eagle on the cover artwork for the first time since their 2006 compilation Metal Is Forever – The Very Best of Primal Fear. And last but not least, the album also features a third guitarist, the left-handed Tom Naumann, back as a permanent member of the band after a long studio break (since their 2005 album Seven Seals) and after touring with the band for the past two to three years. And with that “triple axe attack” you can have a very good idea of how blazing the band’s riffs and solos are going to sound.

Are you awake? Are you alive? Are you ready for a fight? That’s what you’re going to get in the opening track, the excellent Angels of Mercy, a song that represents all we love in the music by Primal Fear, including their powerful riffs, pounding drums, and Ralf Scheepers kicking fuckin’ ass as usual. The crisp production of the album only makes this song even better, as well as its official video presenting everything we live for, or in other words, girls, leather jackets and spikes, motorbikes and, obviously, Heavy Metal played louder than hell (at the “legendary” Rule Breaker’s Inn). In the electric metal chant The End Is Near, newcomer Francesco doesn’t take it easy with his beats, which is one of the main reasons why this tune so gripping, not to mention its sing-along chorus perfectly screamed by Ralf. And the metallic party goes on with Bullets & Tears and its Judas Priest-ish vibe, more specifically “Breaking the Law”, putting you to dance with the band. Moreover, Mat Sinner is not only an amazing metal bassist, but his work on the album production is superb, delivering a polished and melodic sounding no matter how heavy the music gets like in this amazing tune.

primal fear 2016The title-track Rulebreaker is a great Heavy Metal/Hard Rock hymn, the best of the whole album in my opinion, where all instruments sound solid and fiery, showcasing another lesson in Power Metal by Ralf on vocals while the bass lines by Mat keep breathing thunder. In addition, its powerful chorus sounds like a tribute to Lemmy, which obviously means it’s badass (“He’s a rulebreaker / Hell on wheels / And it’s not my last goodbye / Rulebreaker / Hell on wheels / And there’s no one left to hide / He’s a rulebreaker / Born a rebel and born to die alone / Rulebreaker / Hell on wheels / Into the great unknown”). And despite In Metal We Trust being as cliché as possible, the work done on guitars by the razing trio Magnus, Alex and Tom is awesome, and its overall electricity will make sure we all go mental during their live performances.

The 11-minute song We Walk Without Fear is very similar to “One Night in December”, from their previous album, with highlights to its beautiful guitar lines and smooth passages, as well as the flawless vocals by Ralf; whereas At War with the World, boosted by its uprising lyrics (“There is something deep inside me / That keeps my faith alive tonight / You’re gonna burn, there’s no return / A fight to survive”), presents the listener a perfect combination of speed and heaviness. I love the high energy of this simple but effective Power Metal tune, not to mention how Primal Fear have truly mastered the art of crafting catchy choruses through the years. In The Devil in Me, the band offers something between the classic “Heaven & Hell” by Black Sabbath and many songs by Manowar, but it feels a little out of place amidst so many high-octane songs. I enjoyed the accurate synchronicity between Mat and Francesco during the whole song, though.

primal fear_rulebreaker_boxset

Primal Fear Rulebreaker Limited Edition Boxset

Things speed up again with Constant Heart, where the guitars are like nuclear weapons so heavy they sound. It can’t get more Primal Fear than this, with Ralf’s potent vocals excelling once again in special through the song’s ascending chorus. But as we can always expect emotional heavy ballads coming from Primal Fear, it’s time to soothe our souls with The Sky Is Burning, a memorable tune thanks to its harmonious guitars and passionate vocals. Lastly, in Raving Mad we can enjoy the high-pitched screams by Ralf reaching the skies in a powerful fusion of madness and metal, spiced up by the song’s deranged lyrics (“Can’t sort the pictures all blurred and skewed / Dystopian vision I’m simply screwed / Schizophrenic – addled brain”), putting a maniacal end to the regular version of this more than pleasant album. And if you get any of the special editions of Rulebreaker, there’s more incredible Heavy Metal for you to relish, especially the orchestral alternate version for “The Sky Is Burning” that comes in the Japanese deluxe edition of the album.

And in case your craving for the uproarious Power Metal by Primal Fear keeps burning inside you incessantly, the special edition of Rulebreaker also comes with a DVD including the official videos for “Angels of Mercy” and “The End Is Near”, and the making of the album. Well, I think I don’t even need to mention the magnitude of the special Rulebreaker boxset strictly limited to a thousand copies, which includes the deluxe edition digipak version of the album, the DVD and an eaglehead sculptur, right? Anyway, I read somewhere Primal Fear never have anything innovative to offer fans of Heavy Metal, but I don’t recall that being an issue for this band at any point of their career. Quite the contrary, this metallic eagle from Germany doesn’t need to break any existing rules to spread its wings and soar high in the skies of heavy music, and Rulebreaker is a faultless illustration of the band’s galvanizing traditionalism and dominance.

Best moments of the album: The End Is Near, Bullets & Tears, Rulebreaker, At War with the World and the alternate version of The Sky Is Burning.

Worst moments of the album: The Devil in Me.

Released in 2016 Frontier Records

Track listing
1. Angels of Mercy 3:35
2. The End Is Near 4:27
3. Bullets & Tears 3:05
4. Rulebreaker 4:38
5. In Metal We Trust 3:34
6. We Walk Without Fear 10:45
7. At War with the World 4:06
8. The Devil in Me 4:44
9. Constant Heart 4:50
10. The Sky Is Burning 4:45
11. Raving Mad 3:14

Deluxe edition digipak bonus tracks
12. Final Call 4:04
13. Don’t Say You’ve Never Been Warned 4:23 

Japanese deluxe edition bonus track
14. The Sky Is Burning (Alternate Mix) 3:48

Band members
Ralf Scheepers – vocals
Mat Sinner – bass, backing vocals
Magnus Karlsson – guitars, keyboards
Alex Beyrodt – guitars
Tom Naumann – guitars
Francesco Jovino – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Vicky Psarakis

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vicky01

You! Pull me out and plug me in!

As our Metal Chick of the Month beautifully chants in one of her band’s best songs, fear is not her master. Owner of a powerful and wide vocal range that allows her to sing anything from the smoothest Jazz to the most visceral Heavy Metal, she’s the present and future of female singing, with a more-than-promising career ahead of her. I’m talking about the dashing long-haired singer Vicky Psarakis, the frontwoman of one of the most influential contemporary metal bands in Canada, The Agonist, and a woman that represents pure talent in heavy music.

Vicky was born on June 22, 1988 in Chicago, Illinois, United States, but moved to Greece with her family at the age of 10. Her Greek roots were the main reason why she grew up listening to traditional Greek music (as well as Jazz, Blues, Pop and Disco classics), something not very common in the background of most Heavy Metal musicians. Our blonde diva started singing when she was around 5 or 6 years old, when her teachers would make her participate in school plays and musicals. Then when she was 10 she laid her eyes on a piano and fell in love for it, getting her first keyboard and starting playing on her own. When Vicky was attending middle school she started listening to metal and rock music, singing a lot and writing her own songs, later growing an interest towards orchestral arrangements and soundtracks. She mentioned during one of her interviews that the great support she received from people around her was the main reason why she continued to pursue a career in music, leading her to where she is today.

Before joining The Agonist, Vicky had a band named E.V.E., which started off as a Progressive Rock personal project in 2010. Among the bands that influenced the music by E.V.E. there are some very interesting names such as Pain Of Salvation, Ayreon, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd and Fates Warning. In regards to the meaning of E.V.E., according to Vicky herself it stands for “Equations Vanquish Equality”, where the first word is connected with science, math and technology, while the following words refer to humankind and how each person is affected by modern society, giving the idea of how progress, usually a positive term, can affect our lives in a negative way at the same time. You can take a listen at their only release, the 2012 self-titled EP Equations Vanquish Equality, at the band’s BandCamp page or at their official YouTube channel (by the way, on YouTube you can check out their tribute to the renowned diva Anneke Van Giersbergen with a cover version for the song Beautiful One), and witness how Vicky’s vocal performance used to be in the early stages of her career.

Another key point in Vicky’s career are the cover versions for several different bands and artists available on her official YouTube channel, which are either personal favorites or requests from friends or fans and have nothing to do with E.V.E. or The Agonist. Among all the awesome versions uploaded by our stunning singer, I recommend you go check her performance in Audioslave’s Show Me How To Live, in Nightwish’s Slaying The Dreamer, in Disturbed’s Stricken, and especially in Aerosmith’s Dream On and in one of the biggest Iron Maiden classics of all time, The Clairvoyant. Moreover, what seemed to be just a nice and healthy hobby became in fact the spark that changed her life forever: The Agonist’s guitarist, songwriter and founder Danny Marino sent Vicky a message saying how he was impressed with her covers after watching some of her videos on YouTube, asking her later on if she wanted to try and track some vocal and lyric ideas on a couple of his new songs. Vicky ended up sending him back almost a full song (which is now the incredible Danse Macabre), and after listening to it and sharing it with the rest of the band he asked her if she would be willing to join The Agonist as their new frontwoman.

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Although Vicky’s been with The Agonist for such a short period of time, having recorded only the single Disconnect Me in 2014 and the superb full-length album Eye of Providence in 2015, which showcases all her versatility in songs such as Gates Of Horn And Ivory and A Gentle Disease, she already has a lot of interesting stories and facts to share. When asked what’s easier for her to record, if clean singing or harsh vocals, she said screaming might be faster to track, but it’s something relatively new to her and her clean vocals come out a lot more natural due to her music background. Regarding her live performances with The Agonist, Vicky said she was really nervous before stepping on stage for the first time with the band, but as soon as the adrenaline kicked in all nerves were gone and she enjoyed the moment. She also said the most intense concert with The Agonist so far has been Summer Breeze 2014, where they played for a crowd of over ten thousand people. And it looks like Vicky doesn’t have any issues singing songs she didn’t originally write or record: she just sings them in a way that’s comfortable to her, giving her own personal touch to the music.

Apart from her career with The Agonist, E.V.E. and her cover videos on YouTube, Vicky has featured in some other projects and bands as a guest musician, recording female vocals on the song Siege of Ruad, from the album Nuclear Winter (2008) by Greek Heavy/Power Metal band Orion’s Reign; backing vocals on the album Depressive Icons (2010) by Greek Doom/Gothic Metal band Daylight Misery; female vocals on the album Lasting Forever (2013) by Chinese Power Metal band Barque Of Dante, as you can see in the song The Way to Freedom; additional vocals on the album Anthem to Creation (2013) by Greek Progressive Metal band Until Rain; and female vocals on the 2014 self-titled album by Greek Power Metal band Rage of Romance, as in the song Let Me Breathe Again. Is that enough Vicky for your taste?

Such a multifaceted artist like Vicky couldn’t have a short list of influences, of course. If you thought she would say her favorite singers of all time are Angela Gossow or Phil Anselmo, for example, you’re totally wrong, because as aforementioned screaming is something new to her music career. Although Heavy Metal inspired her to become a musician, her list of influences include names from different genres of music like Anneke Van Giersbergen, Daniel Gildenlow, Mikael Akerfeldt, Mikael Stanne, Devon Graves, Roy Khan, Russel Allen, Tom Englund, Marilyn Manson, Sting, among many others. She also enjoys listening to classics such as Led Zeppelin, and to more modern bands like American Rock group Rival Sons.

Lastly, despite all the growling and jumping on stage, her personal hobbies and interests are similar to what most of us like to do in our free time, including activities such as working out, watching a movie, cooking, hanging out with her friends and going out for a beer or to a good restaurant. In other words, if you’re a fan of Vicky Psarakis keep your eyes open wherever you are: she might be sitting right next to your table, sharing a beer with her friends and having some fun, just like you.

Vicky Psarakis’ Official Facebook page
Vicky Psarakis’ Official Twitter
The Agonist’s Official Facebook page
The Agonist’s Official Twitter

“I believe it’s very important for a vocalist and musician in general to be able to maintain their identity by adding their own stamp instead of copying someone else’s rendition on a song.” – Vicky Psarakis

Album Review – Megadeth / Dystopia (2016)

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And the dystopian world portrayed in the brand new album by the iconic Dave Mustaine and his Thrash Metal army is beyond awesome.

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megadeth_dystopiaDys·to·pi·a
\disˈtōpēə\
noun. An imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.

It’s this hopeless but unfortunately actual view of our decaying society that inspired the one and only metal lord Dave Mustaine and his Thrash/Speed Metal infantry Megadeth to compose Dystopia, the fifteenth studio album in their magnificent career and, in my opinion, their absolute best since their 2009 album Endgame. The reason behind that? Well, Dystopia is a rip-roaring feast of lancinating riffs, crushing beats and spectacularly austere lyrics, all led by one of the most influential, unrelenting and technical musicians in the history of Heavy Metal. In other words, Mr. Dave Mustaine nailed it once again for our total delectation.

Let’s say that this remarkable achievement also comes partially from the band’s  two new members, the awesome Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro (Angra), who took the six-strings from the also amazing Chris Broderick, and especially the insane American drummer Chris Adler (Lamb of God), replacing longtime drummer Shawn Drover. While Kiko added a lot of feeling to Megadeth’s distinct guitar lines, Chris simply came smashing everything and everyone with his groovy and bestial technique, and the final result is what every single “MegaFan” in the world was expecting from this iconic band from the United States.

The smooth vocals by Jordanian singer Farah Siraj kick off Mustaine’s dystopian world in the magnificently trenchant chant The Threat is Real, a killer traditional Megadeth song with the trademark piercing riffs by Dave and his always politicized lyrics (“See the burnished images / Of a crest fallen nation see / Violent conditioning, cause the nature of the enemy / You’re terminal lack of vision / Blinded, I see no light / A chronic lack of perspective / Their cancer now eats us alive”). I can’t wait to see this played live, and don’t forget to check its awesome animated video because Vic Rattlehead gets his revenge in the official video (including references to some of their old albums) for the following tune, the superb Dystopia, with highlights to its strong feeling of desolation and its thoughtful lyrics (“Demoralized and overmastered people think / The quickest way to end a war is lose / Dictatorship ends starting with tyrannicide / You must destroy the cancer at its root”). Not only its initial riff is outstanding, but its chorus is so catchy I’m sure it will be one of the best moments of their future live performances.

Fatal Illusion, which brings lyrics about a person who is a misfit in society and ends up getting taken before the judicial system (“Lost inside the system, locked away without a key / No one will ever miss a menace to society / A gross lack of potential, bad decisions made in spite / A touchy hairpin trigger and such a wasted life”), clearly showcases the enormous positive impact Kiko and Chris had on the overall result of the album in terms of groove and complexity; while Death from Within, another dark and bitter composition by “MegaDave”, gets closer to what he did in albums such as The System Has Failed and United Abominations. Moreover, Chris is simply pounding his drums with endless anger, in a classy exhibit of how good heavy drumming is supposed to be. And in Bullet to the Brain, an eerie intro morphs into a heavy and psychological tune, blending old school and modern Megadeth while focusing on the guitar riffs and solos by Dave and Kiko, with Dave providing an excellent chorus to be screamed along with him.

megadeth 2016Post American World is perhaps the darkest of all songs, with many elements from their classic “Symphony of Destruction” added to its musicality. Dave sends a strong message to his countrymen, whereas bassist David Ellefson keeps delivering his precise and thunderous bass lines, just as expected from such an amazing musician. Then guest singer Farah Siraj returns with her gentle voice in Poisonous Shadows, a pensive and melancholic aria that will please most fans of the band where Kiko Loureiro displays some of his abilities on the piano, and guest musician Charlie Judge takes care of the orchestrations amidst the song’s gripping riffs.

The beautiful instrumental tune Conquer or Die! sets the stage for the heavy as hell Lying in State, my favorite of all tracks by far. This kick-ass chant will penetrate your mind and soul and crush you mercilessly, with Chris and David demolishing everything that crosses their path with their boisterous drums and resonant bass lines, respectively. Needless to say how violent and acid the lyrics are in this awesome Thrash Metal anthem, right? Anyway, in the high-octane thrashy tune The Emperor, the biggest question is who the lucky person being “honored” by its lyrics is (“You look so perfect, but everybody knows / Their petrified to say the emperor has no clothes / So bloody perfect, but everybody knows / Their just so petrified, the emperor has no clothes”). Even if you have no clue about the answer, just enjoy this straightforward Megadeth tune, where Dave steals the spotlight with yet another intense performance. And closing Dystopia in solid fashion, Megadeth offer us their flawless cover version for Foreign Policy, one of the biggest hits by Fear, a Hardcore Punk band from Los Angeles, California (take a listen at the original version HERE).

In a nutshell, if there were any fans still a bit skeptical about the direction the music by Megadeth was taking after the good but controversial Super Collider was released in 2013, I’m pretty sure their fears are completely gone with Dystopia. As aforementioned, Dave Mustaine didn’t disappoint at all, providing his legion of loyal admirers another marvelous chapter in the band’s history. Thus, it’s sad to realize we’re actually living in a dystopia, where everything surrounding us seems to be tending towards a tragic ending. However, at least the dystopian world created by the iconic Dave Mustaine and his Thrash Metal army is indeed beyond awesome and will surely make our lives less miserable for years to come.

Best moments of the album: The Threat is Real, Dystopia, Lying in State and The Emperor.

Worst moments of the album: None, of course. This is Megadeth at their finest.

Released in 2016 Universal Music

Track listing
1. The Threat is Real 4:22
2. Dystopia 5:00
3. Fatal Illusion 4:16
4. Death from Within 4:48
5. Bullet to the Brain 4:29
6. Post American World 4:25
7. Poisonous Shadows 6:02
8. Conquer or Die! (Instrumental) 3:33
9. Lying in State 3:34
10. The Emperor 3:54
11. Foreign Policy (Fear cover) 2:28 

Japanese edition bonus track
12. Me Hate You 3:44

Spotify bonus track
12. Melt the Ice Away (Budgie cover) 3:28

iTunes & Best Buy edition bonus tracks
8. Look Who’s Talking 4:14
12. Last Dying Wish 3:49

Band members
Dave Mustaine – lead vocals, lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars
Kiko Loureiro – lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars, piano on “Poisonous Shadows”
David Ellefson – bass guitar, backing vocals
Chris Adler – drums

Additional musicians
Farah Siraj – guest vocals on “The Threat is Real” and “Poisonous Shadows”
Charlie Judge – orchestral arrangements on “Poisonous Shadows”
Miles Doleac – voice-over in “Conquer or Die!”
Steve Wariner – steel guitar
Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals