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Album Review – Sense of Noise / Sense of Noise (2021)

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This newborn Mexican unity is ready to kill armed with their debut opus of ass-kicking Melodic Death Metal deeply rooted in the Gothenburg sound.

Born in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, Sense of Noise are a Mexico City, Mexico-based Melodic Death Metal band that mixes the speed and strength of Death Metal with catchy melodies, clean vocals, a modern production and several musical influences from metal and non-metal genres. Comprised of vocalist Jero Chanona, guitarist and vocalist Fede d’Empaire, guitarist Diego Caná, bassist Mao Rubio, keyboardist Nibsen and drummer Bart Chanona, all with a remarkable experience in different areas of the music industry within and outside metal, this six-piece act is unleashing upon humanity their debut self-titled effort, presenting a collection of songs deeply rooted in the Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal sound. Produced, recorded and mixed by guitarist Fede himself, mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying a straightforward artwork by the band’s own frontman Jero, the album is highly recommended for fans of Soilwork, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Amorphis, At the Gates and Scar Symmetry, among others, positioning the band as one of the strongest names of the current Mexican metal scene.

The cinematic intro A Forgotten Oath will captivate your senses and prepare you for Sense of Noise’s metal attack in The Broken Hope, where Fede and Diego are on absolute fire with their Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal-inspired riffage, setting the tone for Jero to scream like a beast (not to mention the utterly metallic bass jabs by Mao), whereas once again drinking from the same fountain as bands like In Flames, Soilwork and Arch Enemy, it’s time for Bart to hammer his drums in War Within, showcasing a very pleasant balance between guttural roars and clean vocals. Then you better get ready for a headbanging, melodic extravaganza titled Morning Glory, again presenting classic riffs spiced up by the whimsical keys by Nibsen. In other words, it will surely please all fans of the genre, putting everyone to bang their heads nonstop to their solid metal music.

Investing into a darker and groovier sound, the band fires the smashing March of the Fallen, with Jero growling the song’s austere words manically accompanied by the rumbling bass by Mao and the always classy keys by Nibsen; and featuring the one and only Björn “Speed” Strid (Soilwork) on vocals, Zero Killed is a pure, visceral Melodic Death Metal tune that will inspire you to slam into the pit, and Björn adds tons of violence and feeling to the band’s already rumbling sonority as expected. Then after a serene, acoustic start the band offers more of their fusion of Melodic Death Metal with Groove Metal in Our Dying Light, presenting a stylish paradox between their deep roars and ethereal keys; whereas guest Antony Hämäläinen (Meridian Dawn) lends his sick growling to the band in Rage of Existence, another solid composition showcasing their traditional heavy riffs, low-tuned bass punches and crushing drums. And finally, let’s bang our heads one more time with Sense of Noise in Sense of Darkness, where Jero vociferates rabidly as usual supported by Fede’s clean vocals and the Groove Metal bass by Mao.

You can get to know more about such promising band of the Mexican metal scene by following them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about those six skillful metallers, by subscribing to their YouTube channel and by streaming their ass-kicking music on Spotify, and by clicking HERE for all that plus the links to pre-save or pre-order their debut album. As already mentioned, Sense of Noise will undoubtedly face among the biggest names in their home country when the music in question is not only Melodic Death Metal, but heavy music in general, and based on the quality of the music found in their debut effort I’m pretty sure they’ll spread their wings and fly even higher, reaching fans from all over the world with their detailed and sharp compositions, and if you consider yourself a true admirer of the Gothenburg sound (albeit made in Mexico) you better hurry and add this melodic gem to your personal collection.

Best moments of the album: War Within, March of the Fallen and Zero Killed.

Worst moments of the album: Rage of Existence.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. A Forgotten Oath 1:54
2. The Broken Hope 3:37
3. War Within 3:39
4. Morning Glory 3:44
5. March of the Fallen 3:35
6. Zero Killed 3:59
7. Our Dying Light 4:40
8. Rage of Existence 4:17
9. Sense of Darkness 4:34

Band members
Jero Chanona – harsh and clean vocals
Fede d’Empaire – guitars, clean vocals
Diego Caná – guitars
Mao Rubio – bass
Nibsen – keyboards
Bart Chanona – drums

Guest musicians
Björn “Speed” Strid – vocals on “Zero Killed”
Antony Hämäläinen – vocals on “Rage of Existence”

Album Review – Phendrana / Sanctum: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (2018)

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Immerse yourself in this concept album about a Sanctum, an ethereal place where lost souls find shelter, bringing an amalgamation of sounds and nuances that will at the same time soothe your soul and stimulate your senses.

Anuar Salum, the mastermind behind Mexican Atmospheric Post-Metal Phendrana, is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist based in Mexico City who at the age of 12 started the project under the name Pakistuf, in memory of his grandfather Emilio Kuri Rame, recording a couple of albums and sharing the stage with bands like Alcest, Gehenna and Nader Sadek. Of Syrian and Lebanese descent, Anuar then took the project into a whole new direction in 2016 by changing the project’s main focus and concept, incorporating atmospheric and progressive elements to his music, and eventually changing its name to Phendrana. Now in 2018 it’s time for Anuar and his Phendrana to unleash upon humanity their first full-length opus, titled Sanctum: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi.

Recorded between October 2016 and November 2017, Sanctum: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (with “sic transit gloria mundi” being a Latin phrase that means “thus passes the glory of the world”) is a concept album about a Sanctum, an ethereal place where lost souls find shelter. The album is divided in seven parts, those being a description of the Sanctum, three transitions from different souls to it, two stories about the past lives of Sanctum inhabitants, and an ode to the night. Featuring an elegant artwork by Mexican artist Caro Fer, based on the painting “Vanitas Symbols in a Landscape” by Dutch painter Matthias Withoos (1627–1703), this whimsical and unique album of contemporary heavy music will beautifully transport you to the Sanctum proposed by Anuar, bringing an amalgamation of sounds and nuances that will at the same time soothe your soul and stimulate your senses in a striking way.

A crescendo of dark sounds invades our ears until Anuar arrives with his harsh gnarls in a feast of contemporary extreme music titled Sanctum, a perfect depiction of modern-day Post-Metal featuring beautiful keyboards thoroughly blended with the song’s riffs and bass lines, with the second half of the song being a progressive and atmospheric sonic voyage. In addition, Anuar definitely knows how to add a touch of poetry to his lyrics (“An ivory gate, with marble wardens / A citadel, enshrined in an ocean of clouds / Hallways born in the heart of the forest / A legacy, a destiny, written in blood.”). Then we face sheer melancholy flowing from Anuar’s smooth guitar lines in The Threshold, a gentle bridge to the full-bodied aria Ethereum, with the song’s lyrics also bringing a sense of introspection to our souls (“Once an arcane blue aurora / Once ethereal, a fragrant memory / Once a sanctum for the shadows / Once a threshold to their twilight.”). Italian guest Vera Clinco (from Caelestis) provides her share of delicacy to the music with her gorgeous voice, with trenchant blast beats permeating the air in total sync with the song’s whimsical keys and atmospheric passages, again showcasing rage and desolation flowing from Anuar’s growls.

The Dream is another gentle bridge provided by Phendrana, ideal for closing our eyes and preparing our spirits for Where Ages Meet, where acoustic guitars ignite a precise extravaganza of modern metal music blended with ambient and rock music. Vera Clinco joins Anuar once again to beautify the overall musicality while the band’s mastermind continues his dark musical path through his raging roars and sharp guitar lines. Furthermore, several distinct elements from the most diverse range of styles are added to the background, increasing the song’s taste considerably. The Bog offers the listener one last breath of instrumental sounds and tones, this time infused with the mesmerizing sound of water, before the multi-layered Gjenganger presents Mexican musician Aracoelium as a guest vocalist, hypnotizing us all with her choir-like vocals, as well as what’s perhaps the heaviest sounding of all tracks with rawer-than-usual riffs and Black Metal-inspired frantic beats. And to make things even more exciting, an otherworldly break brings some peace to our hearts for a while, until Anuar returns in full force with his final stint of harmonious and thrilling devastation.

The music shelter to your lost soul crafted by Anuar and his Phendrana can be fully appreciated on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can always support such skillful artist by following him on Facebook and by buying a copy of Sanctum: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi through his BandCamp page, on iTunes or on Amazon. I confess I wasn’t familiar with the work by Anuar when the project was named Pakistuf, but I’m sure what he’s doing now with Phendrana represents an inspiring and healthy evolution for him as an artist and as a human being, and let’s hope he can continue to put us in a metallic trance with his atmospheric and modern heavy music for decades to come.

Best moments of the album: Sanctum and Where Ages Meet.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2018 Sickness Records

Track listing
1. Sanctum 9:04
2. The Threshold (Instrumental) 1:55
3. Ethereum 9:15
4. The Dream (Instrumental) 1:51
5. Where Ages Meet 7:48
6. The Bog (Instrumental) 2:10
7. Gjenganger 6:58

Band members
Anuar Salum – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Vera Clinco – female vocals on “Ethereum” and “Where Ages Meet”
Aracoelium – female vocals (choir) on “Gjenganger”

Metal Chick of the Month – Esthibaliz Rojas

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Oh mother night put thy arms around me…

Fans of Symphonic Metal with operatic vocals, rejoice! Let me introduce you to one of the most promising and accomplished female singers in the entire Latin America, a woman who, despite being really young at age, has already built a respectful career and a more than solid background in music, which obviously translates into pure delight when she hits the stage and treats us with her potent and delicate vocals. Her real full name is Rebeca Estibaliz Ramos Rojas, but you might already know her by Esthibaliz Rojas, Estibaliz Ramos or even by her artistic nickname Esthibaliz Bathory, a stylish wordplay with her own name and the name of Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Well, let’s say that this vampirical moniker totally suits our charming and metallic diva, and I’ll show you why.

Born on October 4, 1983 in Mexico City, capital of the always fun country of Mexico, and raised in a small family by her mother, grandmother and older brother, our talented Mexican lyric-coloratura soprano (who’s also an actress, composer and teacher) has nurtured a profound passion for performing arts since she was a little girl, taking part in school choirs and “estudiantinas” (or student music groups), studying classical dance and watching musical plays with great interest, especially the ones from English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. At the age of 15 she was advised by her friends and family that she should take singing lessons and pursue a professional career in music, and that’s exactly what she did by studying for two years at the Escuela Superior de Composición y Arreglo Musical (ESCAM), and by getting a bachelor’s degree in singing at the Escuela Superior de Música (CNA). In addition, Esthibaliz has also taken private singing classes with Mexican soprano Guadalupe Pérez Arias and with Mexican-Italian mezzo-soprano Eugenia Sutti. During her studies, she already started her career in music by joining the Sociedad Coral Cantus Hominum, a symphonic choir led by Mexican tenor Leonardo Villeda.

However, if there’s one type of music that truly touches her heart, it’s our beloved Heavy Metal, especially its subgenres Symphonic and Progressive Metal as they represent the perfect fusion of opera and metal music, with bands such as Rhapsody (or Rhapsody of Fire), Dream Theater and Nightwish becoming an important part of her life and the biggest inspiration for her career. It was then in 2006 when she replied to an ad requesting a female singer for a Gothic Rock band that she met guitarist Christian García, who invited her to join Mexican Gothic Metal band Erszebeth, leading to the recording of the album La Condesa Inmortal (or “The Immortal Countess”, in English) in 2007, and the album Equilibrio in 2013. By the way, all lyrics and vocal melodies found in Equilibrio were written by Esthibaliz. If you want to take a listen at the music by Erszebeth, simply go to YouTube where you’ll find excellent songs such as Equilibrio.

In 2008, Esthibaliz started a relationship with singer and composer Mario del Rio, founder and leader of the bands Oblivion Requiem and Rip Rapunzel, consequently becoming the female singer for Rip Rapunzel and releasing in 2010 their first album entitled Broken Tales. For instance, you can listen to her beautiful voice with Rip Rapunzel in the song Corazon de Plomo, and with Oblivion Requiem she recorded the song Time to Say Goodbye, for the 2008 album Sampler Carpe Noctem Vol. 1. As a matter of fact, there are so many other bands, projects and live performances where we can admire the gentle vocals by Esthibaliz it’s hard to name all of them without forgetting a few, but I’ll try my best. Our Mexican diva has already lent her voice to the eccentric project Dueto Amaterasu, as you can see in the song Terra (Wanderer of Time), from Final Fantasy VI; doing vocals and choirs in a Mexican project focused on cover songs named Los Abortos De Tu Jefa; singing the song In Dreams live in 2008 with Mexican Heavy Metal band Exsecror Vecordia, and recording the studio song Soledad, from the 2009 album Escapulario by Mexican Gothic Rock band Vía Dolorosa; as well as participating in the personal project by Oswaldo de León, guitarist for Mexican group La Castañeda.

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Perhaps the most promising project/band in heavy music featuring Esthibaliz nowadays is Mexican/Argentine Symphonic Metal band Melphomene, and this one deserves a more detailed explanation so distinct it is. In Greek mythology, Melpomene (without the “h”) is one of the two theater Muses, initially being the Muse of singing and musical harmony but later being recognized as the Muse of Tragedy. A myth says that Melpomene had all the riches that a woman could have, such as beauty, money and men, but even having it all she could not be happy, leading to the true drama of life. This is the perfect depiction of the music played by Melphomene, which can be testified in songs such as Mother Night and Maiden & Death, and many others in their official YouTube channel.

Apart from all those metal and non-metal bands, our Mexican beauty has also taken part in several plays and musicals, only showcasing how limitless her talent and passion for music and arts are. In 2010, she played a role in “Alicia Más Allá Del Espejo” by Adrian Gallardo, and adaptation of the 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; and in 2012, Philip von Reutter, director and founder of  “Canto en Movimiento”, invites her to be part of their cast for a series of presentations in Florence, Italy, becoming part of their coaching team (one of her favorite duties, by the way) in 2013 and getting ready to perform the plays “Verdi Ritrovato” and “Future Sound” in London, England that same year.

And in case you thought she would simply settle down after all that, you might be surprised with everything else she’s also engaged in. In 2011, Esthibaliz becomes interested in the Speech Level Singing technique, learning its vocal technique, style, scenic expression and contemporary interpretation at the International Vocal Training school founded by Seth Riggs and Michael Jackson. In addition to that, she also joined the Centro Cultural Virginia Fábregas to begin a career in Musical Comedy, taking theatrical dancing, Jazz, tap, ballet, acting, vocal and speech classes. Well, it looks like there isn’t a limit for our tenacious “mamacita” when it comes to expanding her boundaries in music and arts.

Lastly, if you know Spanish or if you’re studying it and already have a relatively good understanding of the language, there is a 20-minute interview Esthibaliz gave to a program called CINECAFÉ & + in 2015 where she talks about her personal life and career in a nice and relaxed way. Although I could have translated everything she’s talking about and made your lives a little easier, I won’t do that because I consider this a great motivation for you all to learn one of the top languages in the world. I guess watching the gorgeous Esthibaliz talking about heavy music and arts in her mother tongue for 20 minutes beats any grammar book hands down, no matter how good the book might be, don’t you agree? And as today, November 2, is the popular Mexican holiday named “Día de los Muertos” (or “Day of the Dead” in English), why not enjoying Esthibaliz providing her own medley for Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist and The Omen themes as part of the celebrations? Or maybe you prefer watching our screaming diva unleashing hell in her cover version for the unparalleled classic Nemesis, by Arch Enemy, or even Chop Suey, by System Of A Down? There’s a lot more to relish at her official YouTube channel, in case you’re interested in seeing more of our Mexican babe in action. I’m sure you’ll have a very good time enjoying Esthibaliz and her unique voice, no doubt about that.

Esthibaliz Rojas’ Official Facebook page
Esthibaliz Rojas’ Official YouTube channel
Esthibaliz Rojas’ Official Twitter
Esthibaliz Rojas’ Official Instagram
Erszebeth’s Official Facebook page
Melphomene’s Official Facebook page

Metal Chick of the Month – Yoli Moreno

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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