New Music Round-Up: October 11th 2014

Decapitated

The Polish veterans return with a renewed vigour and a more groove-laden direction. I was never a huge fan of this band (or for the most part, Death Metal in general), but the past few years have delivered a slew of great Death Metal albums, from the brutality of Dyscarnate to the technicality of Dying Fetus and Decapitated now join the slim ranks of Death Metal bands that I am happy to call myself a fan of. Even if you are not a fan of the genre I'd recommend clicking on the link below as this might not be what you are expecting.

Striker

If I was to say that Striker are another 80's Metal obsessed NWOTHM band, you may well roll your eyes and / or yawn. Well don't...as these chaps are rather special. Marrying the classic rock swagger of Whitesnake and Europe with the NWOBHM sensibilities of Cauldron, Enforcer and White Wizzard and with more than a hint of Speed Metal legends, Agent Steel thrown in for good measure, Striker have really upped the ante.

Darkness By Oath

Imagine a band that sits (almost too) comfortably between two disparate styles - and two Swedish bands (the sadly defunct The Duskfall and the very much active, Vintersorg) as it would happen -  These Spaniards deliver a distinctive and brilliant take on Melodic Death with a slightly progressive tinge. The underlying vibe though is definitely the aggressively unique Melodic Death Metal of The Duskfall and although it may occasionally veer a little close to plagiarism at times, I'm more than happy to let it slide for two reasons: 1, this is great stuff and 2, The Duskfall are one of my favourite bands and are also one of the most criminally under-rated bands in the history of Metal. I am sad to report that during the preparation of this post, I learned that the DBO have called it a day.

Islander

There is only one Deftones and they are one of those very rare bands that are instantly recognisable and unique. Until now. It finally happened and I'm surprised it took this long for a band to come along with a sound clearly influenced by the Sacramento heroes. On one hand it lacks originality, but on the other, bands have to start somewhere...besides, there are worse bands to sound like.

Northen Oak

Coming across as something of a mix between the furious Black Metal of Mayhemic Truth, the Folk Metal of veterans Skyclad and the Progressive Metal of Opeth or even Vintersorg, Northern Oak are something of an enigma. Distinctly different from the sound of their mainland European cousins, Of Roots And Flesh finds the band exploring ever more progressive avenues, while managing to maintain their overall sound as that of Folk Black Metal. As English as Morris Dancing and Marmite, this album will probably be as divisive among fans of the genre.

New Music Round-Up: 14th September 2014

It's been a couple of months since my last Weekly Round-Up post and although I can never make up for lost time, due in part to the massive backlog of new music I'm already facing, I can resurrect with this clutch of brilliant Metal songs from the last few weeks that you may have missed and that I think, deserve your time.

Eastern Front

Do you miss the mighty Thus Defiled, mourn for the days when Hecate Enthroned were still relevant and when Cradle Of Filth were Britain's up-and-coming hopefuls or are you just looking for an arse-kicking Black Metal band, British or otherwise? Well, look no further as Eastern Front could well be the band for you. Whereas the band's 2010 debut, "Blood On Snow" was 'merely' a respectable Black Metal album, it lacked an identity and real character. This time, the Ipswich boys do their record label (Candlelight) and the long and varied legacy of Black Metal, justice. Like peers, Fen, Winterfylleth, Old Corpse Road and their ilk, this is ferocious, brutal, in your face Black Metal, but with a distinctly British flavour.

 Aspherium

When I read about this band a while back, the dreaded words "Melodic Black Metal" made my heart sink and I expected these Norwegians to be just another by numbers band rehashing third-rate At The Gates riffs and bashing out predictable, boring and formulaic songs. Well, how wrong I was! No, this isn't really doing anything groundbreaking, but this is one band who are taking their, often glaringly obvious, influences and are actually doing them justice. This is lovingly crafted and catchier than Ebola (too soon?) and very soon, this band could be giving the old guard a real run for their money.

Black Moth

Where to begin with the brilliant and fantastically unique, Black Moth? Well, try to imagine a wonderfully potent blend of Grunge, Alt-Rock, Stoner Rock and Sabbath-esque Doom Metal. Whereas their debut was an enjoyable and promising slab of British Metal from a hungry young band, it did all too often stray into Sabbath-aping territory. This time, however, Black Moth have found their own sound and have really upped the ante. If you still haven't discovered this little gem of a band, what are you waiting for?

Falconer

So, Falconer, eh? They have always been and still are one of those love them or hate them bands. They do what they do and they don't really stray from their distinctive and well-worn musical path. Is this a band thing? Sometimes, yes...but not in this case. This is the Falconer you have come to expect, but even though the medieval minstrel element is still present and correct, this is an altogether heavier, thrashing stomper of an album. I can't recommend this enough, to both longtime fans and sceptics alike. Listen and judge for yourself.

The Haunted

After an odd and unexpected (but brilliant) foray into Tool-esque Grunge on "Unseen", The Haunted are back in more familiar Thrash / Groove / Melodic Death Metal territory on album number 8. They are never going to be world beaters and are unlikely to even regain their late-90's position as Sweden's premier Thrash Metal act, but with Marco Aro back behind the mic, this is certainly a respectable enough return to the style the band helped to put on the map.

Bloodstock 2014 Review: Part 3

So, here it is...the third (and final) part of my review of Bloodstock 2014. I need to start by winding the clock back to Saturday night to explain the odd (and anti-climatic) day that Sunday would become. At around 9:30pm, just as the mighty Emperor hit the stage, the rain started. This rain, it would turn out, wouldn't actually stop until around 1pm the following afternoon. If you've ever been to a festival in the rain (or have even seen reviews), then I'm sure your mind has already started to fill up with images of sodden grass, flooded campsites and miserable festival-goers. If it has, then you are pretty spot-on.

I decided to brave the rain at around 8am as it seemed like a perfect chance to go to the showers as there wasn't likely to be a queue (this turned out to be accurate) and after that we went to buy some waterproof clothes (a pink poncho in my case), before heading back to the tent. The weather forecast has promised heavy rain all day on Sunday and as one our party had a tent malfunction which led to him (amusingly) waking up in a water-logged tent and  the forecast had been pretty accurate the rest of the weekend, this advice / warning was heeded and we decided that staying another night wasn't a good idea. As it turned out, this was a mistake. The weather ended up clearing to a tolerable level and our premature decision to pack away and go home early meant that the festival ended on a low point. One I am still feeling sad / disappointed about as I type this (3 weeks later). Anyway, enough of the epically boring back story and on to the bands.

Luckily, Sunday was the weakest day, for me, so the first band I wanted to see didn't play until 1:30pm (and in a tent, which was a bonus). Wales' own Akb'al (9), despite sounding like a Death Metal band (Be'lakor, anyone?), are actually a tripped out Psychadelic Stoner Grunge band who managed to captivate the unusually large crowd they had attracted (well, the weather has to take some of the credit) and played a blinder of a set which never dragged for a moment. A much needed positive on a day which started (and would end) on a low.  

Pretty much straight after this, with just a few minutes to grab a beer, it was on to the main stage for the ever-reliable New Yorker's, Biohazard (9) who didn't disappoint with their rabble-rousing brand of Metallic Hardcore. Opening with the classic Shades Of Grey, this was a near-perfect set and performance from these veterans, which finished with a chaotic Punishment which saw a massive stage invasion that seemed to take the security, who were powerless to stop the flow of humanity, completely by surprise. Didn't the Bloodstock organisers warn them of the band's reputation?

The next band on the main stage was due to be Sweden's Graveyard, but due to a delayed flight, they swapped times (and stage) with countrymen, Avatar (8). This was a stroke of luck for Avatar (and for me, as I would have missed them later on), as they had the (well-deserved) chance to play for a bigger audience and on the main stage. Despite a lukewarm reception for the first couple of songs, charismatic frontman, Johannes soon won over the crowd and this went down as a triumphant show for this often under-rated band. If you're not familiar with Avatar, well you are missing out. They started life as a decent if ordinary Melodic Death Metal act, but have developed and grown into a far more experimental and confident beast.

It was the next band, however, that I had been waiting all weekend for. One of my all-time favourite bands and one I had only seen once before, Florida's Obituary (8) unfortunately suffered from a wind-ravaged sound which took the edge of their distinctive groove-laden Death Metal. On saying that, despite the aforementioned sound issues, the band delivered the goods and even the new songs sounded crushing in the live environment...which bodes well for the new album.

Unfortunately, that is where Bloodstock 2014 ended for me as we called it a day at this point....unless you count watching Megadeth (9) on the live feed when we got home?! For the record, the band silenced a lot of the naysayers with a confident, passionate and energetic performance which covered just about every stage of the band's long and storied career. A great end to a bittersweet festival. Just a shame I wasn't there to see it in person.

Bloodstock 2014 Review: Part 2

I was up and about early on Saturday morning as I wanted to catch Evil Scarecrow (10) opening on the main stage. I have missed them playing on the smaller stages before, so this time I was determined to see what all the fuss was about. As it turns out I wasn't the only one. Expecting a relatively moderate turnout of 5000 or so, I was pleasantly surprised to be met by a huge crowd which was easily equal to that of Friday night headliners, Down. These people had clearly seen the band before or, like me, had heard about their apparently all-conquering show at Bloodstock 2013. Either way, the show was without a doubt the single best festival performance I have ever seen. I mean, any band that can get an early morning crowd of hungover metalheads scuttling back and forth like crabs has definitely got something special going for them. Even charismatic frontman, Dr. Hell was a little overwhelmed by the frankly massive crowd that has turned out to greet his unsigned band. Think about that for a moment. An unsigned band that can pull a headliner-worthy crowd. If you see the name Evil Scarecrow on a bill in the future, do whatever is necessary to go and see them.

Saturday was shaping up to be the strongest day of the festival and it was already off to a fine start. After that, it was up to Norway's Shining (6) to carry the torch, and despite putting on a respectable performance, the band's saxophone-fueled Industrial Metal fell a little flat after Evil Scarecrow. I'm sure that, in a dark club somewhere, Shining would go down a storm, but here on a sunny Saturday morning, it just wasn't their time. Time to amble over to the second stage now for the UK's own folklore-obsessed Black Metal masters, Old Corpse Road (8). Far from being a generic example of the genre, they  enraptured the medium-sized crowd with a unique performance where all 6 people members of the band took it in turns to deliver shrieks, rasps and growls. After a brief wander over to the main stage to watch Decapitated play a single song, it was back to the S.O.P.H.I.E. stage for up and coming British Grunge-infused Hard Rockers, The Mercy House (8) and despite a disappointingly sparse crowd, the band played their hearts out - their 90's stylings and posturing going down well with those who had turned up to see them. Think Alice In Chains meets Skid Row with elements of The Almighty and you will be somewhere close to the band's nigglingly familiar yet oddly distinctive sound.

Israel's Orphaned Land (7) put on an impassioned performance next on the main stage, with their uniquely eastern take on Symphonic Metal being bolstered by some System Of A Down-esque quirkiness. They might not be the most interesting band on record, but they come alive on stage. Time for a short beer break before allowing myself to succumb to the crushing heaviness of Crowbar (7). Although similar in sound to the previous night's headliners, Down (frontman Kirk was in Down for a time), they are an infinitely more interesting live prospect. Sadly, the show fails to really get going as the band's Sludge Metal is more suited to a sweaty indoor venue than it is to broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon. That said, it was an enjoyable 40 minutes of heavyweight riffs and very manly beards. Italy's Goth Metal veterans Lacuna Coil (5) on the other hand, fall completely flat. For a band with a near-20 year history and a back catalogue filled with exactly the sort of songs that should go down well with a festival audience, they spectacularly fail to get the crowd on their side. It didn't help that the sound was feeble and the entire performance seemed somewhat forced. Christina's annoying faux-American accent didn't help things either. Shame.

With Children Of Bodom (Boredom as Aaron would say) up next on the main stage, it was time to take a walk over to the S.O.P.H.I.E. stage for the next two bands. Both bands delivered the goods to respectable crowds, although the relentless Thrash / Death Metal brutality of Norway's, Blood Red Throne (7) couldn't have been more at odds with the quaint old school NWOBHM of Sunderland's, Battleaxe (5). Thankfully, after a hard day of standing in a field drinking beer and watching bands, I now had a 90 minute gap in the itinerary to get a short rest before the mighty Carcass (9) hit the main stage. The reformed and reignited Grind / Death Metal maestros delivered a superb set made up of both old and new material - although such is the strength of the new songs, you would be hard pressed to tell them apart from the classic early 90's period masterworks. The set was only marred by the collapse of a fan in the crowd which caused the band to stop playing until the situation was resolved. Jeff was on typically dry-humoured form too, keeping the crowd entertained between songs. Not that there was a chance of anyone losing interest in a set like this.

Of course, nothing could compare to the buzz that was building for headliners, Emperor (10). Recently reformed (again) for a short run of festival shows to promote / celebrate the 20th anniversary of the greatest Black Metal album ever released, In The Nightside Eclipse, this show was a near-religious experience for this field of rabid, and now slightly damp, Metalheads. This was a faultless and truly life-affiriming performance which not only ended the day on the same high as which it started, but also emphasised the timelessness of the band's first couple of albums (and the essential demos). Truly stunning.

Bloodstock 2014 Review: Part 1

After arriving bright and early (around 12pm) on the Thursday and erecting the tents and sinking some beers, it's 10pm and it's finally time for the first band of the weekend (for me) and what better start than the brilliantly silly, Jaldaboath (8). After setting the tone by making his entrance on to the stage wearing an over-sized cardboard (?) knight's helmet, Jaldaboath (and his band) proceeded to play a faultless and pretty standard 45 minute festival setlist, comprising of the best the band has to offer from their 2 full-length albums. By the time they leave the stage, there isn't a straight face in the house (marquee) which is exactly as it should be. A triumphant start to the weekend's festivities.

It's 11am on Friday morning, the first "proper" day of the festival and it's up to UK's Thrash Metal hopefuls, Bloodshot Dawn (8) to kick of proceedings. And kick it off they do. Playing to a sizable crowd - considering the hour and that they are relative newcomers - The band's brand of neck-wrecking Metal seems to connect with the early risers. After a short break, which was just long enough to grab a real ale from the VIP bar, it's back to the main stage for Swedish legends, Entombed A.D. (7) who entertain the assembled faithful with a (mainly) greatest hits set, with a couple of new songs thrown in for good measure. It was a decent, if not mind-blowing performance from this veteran act. Following another short break (and another ale), it's back to the left-hand side of the stage for the inimitable and always awe-inspiring Primordial (9) and Ireland's finest deliver a masterful set, which is mainly focused on the latter-day albums. Pagan Black(ened) Metal doesn't get any better or more impassioned than this. When Primordial leave the stage, it is time for a break as there is 90 minutes to kill before the next band I want to see. I can't remember what I did in this time, but that is completely irrelevant.

Prong (6) hit the stage next, informing us that they are from New York in the United States (in case anyone was unsure) and plough their way through a slightly lacklustre and uninspiring set, before finishing off with the ubiquitous - you guessed it - Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck. Switzerland's Triptykon (9), fronted by none other than metal icon, Tom G. Warrior are next up and as expected, they don't disappoint. This is 45 minutes of Avante-garde Doom Metal mastery and Tom is, as always, a mesmerising and commanding frontman. If you are aware of the utter fuckwittery that erupted on the Bloodstock forums a couple of years ago when Hatebreed (8) last graced this very stage, then you might have been surprised to see them welcomed as conquering heroes (which I suppose they are). If you're not aware, there was a small, but vocal minority (isn't that always the case?!) who said that Hatebreed are "not Metal" and shouldn't be playing Bloodstock. Needless to say, the band silenced the doubters in 2012 and effortlessly did the same today with their ferocious and untouchable live show.

Next up for me was a short trip to the second (S.O.P.H.I.E.) stage for my all-time favourite band and the originators of Folk Metal, Skyclad (9). The set started off in real semi-acoustic Levellers territory, before exploding mid-way into full on Folk Thrash Metal (complete with former guitarist Dave Pugh taking on extra guitar duties). This was a perfect crowd-pleasing set from the veteran band, which avoided playing the "obvious" songs in favour of some gems from the first couple of albums. Skyclad were the band of the day for me....for half an hour. Then came Greek Black Metallers, Rotting Christ (10). Playing to a packed second stage, Rotting Christ finished off the day with a mesmerising and awe-inspring set comprising songs from every era of their 20+ year career. Easily the best band of the day and a definite festival highlight.

New Music Round-Up: 22nd July 2014

Dog Fashion Disco

I don't even know where or how to start to describe DFD to somebody who is completely unfamiliar with them, but I am going to avoid the inevitable and frankly lazy Mr Bungle comparisons. Yes, Mike Patton has been a clear influence on Todd Smith's vocals and to a lesser degree, song writing, but there is so much to this talented band than that. DFD really are a unique and ever-changing beast whose style changes so much on each song (and often within one song) that is is almost impossible to pin them down or to categorise them in one particular genre. If pushed, maybe I would go with Experimental Alt-Rock, but that doesn't even begin to do them justice. With obvious influences ranging from the likes of Gwar to Stevie Wonder, and Fantomas to Leonard Cohen and with the band veering erratically between almost any musical style you care to mention, making an appearance somewhere, they blend these myriad styles into one unique and exhilarating package that is all Dog Fashion Disco. Sweet Nothings is the band's first release since 2006 and is business as (un)usual. Nothing short of brilliant.

Cantabile Wind

Despite sounding, initially, almost yawn-inducingly generic and bereft of personality, Cantabile Wind actually turn out to be quite a decent Melodic Death Metal band (think a rather potent blend of The Duskfall,  Be'lakor, At The Gates and Heaven Shall Burn) and what they lack in originality, they certainly make up for in energy. While the band does have a tendency to adhere strictly to the 'rules', rarely stepping outside the parameters of the genre, this is nonetheless a good, solid record, which belies its predictability by delivering a strong and consistent clutch of technical Melodic Death Metal anthems.

Overkill

Ah, Overkill. The ever reliable and faithful old Thrash warhorses. This single is business as usual for the New Jersey veterans and finds them on exactly the sort of killer form you might expect if you heard the previous album, 2012’s ‘The Electric Age’. With a lot of of bands who have been plying their trade for 30 years, you get the impression that they are just churning out records out of habit and not because they still care. It becomes a cycle. With Overkill, although they are not reinventing the wheel, there is a genuine sense of vitality and an almost youthful exuberance that many bands half their age would struggle to muster. Whenever I see the name Overkill, I know that I will not be disappointed. At a sprightly 55 years of age, Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth still delivers the goods and his band of merry Thrash bastards still love what they are doing (as anyone who has seen them live will attest) and you can really hear it.

The Dagger

Sweden's The Dagger can't be accused of being particularly original and they wear their hearts (and influences) clearly on their sleeves for all to see (hear?). On my initial listen I picked out a whole range of obvious influences including, but by no means limited to, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Dio, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, Blue Oyster Cult, Magnum, Kiss and AC/DC. This, the band's debut, is a superbly crafted album that is more than a mere tribute - instead it pays respectful homage to their heroes and to all things Classic Rock (there is even a song involving a gypsy woman). You know you are listening to something a little special when the album appears to end abruptly leaving you wanting more and then, when you put it on again, you find yourself singing along to the songs as if you've known them all your life. I'm no huge fan of Classic Rock, but this is a real gem. 

King Of Asgard

First off I'd like to point out that, although the band's name and lyrical themes mean that they fit neatly into the Viking Metal category, this is not a Folk Metal album - at least not in the hey nonny nonny sense. I suppose you could say that it is Folk-influenced in the same way as bands such as Bathory, Thyrfing, Kampfar, Mithotyn and so on, inasmuch as the guitar melodies are decidedly catchy and, well, Folky. Personally, I would class Kings Of Asgard and their ilk as Pagan Metal as I actually loathe the term Viking Metal. If you consider yourself a fan of any of the aforementioned bands, KOA are well worth checking out. 

  

Essential Folk Metal Albums: Part 3: 5 - 1

So, here it is the third and final part of my top 20 essential Folk Metal albums list. As with all lists of this type, any and possibly even all of the albums listed are subject to change positions at any time...such is the nature of the beast. But as it stands now, these are the albums that I consider to be the very cream of the Folk Metal crop. If you've heard them, then you know what I'm talking about and if you haven't...well, it's about time you did.

5. Svartsot (Denmark)

Album: Ravnene's Saga (2007)

Recommended Track: Nidvisen

4. Falkenbach (Germany)          

Album: Heralding: The Fireblade (2005)

Recommended Track: Heathen Foray

 

3. Finntroll (Finland)

Album: Jaktens Tid (2001)

Recommended Track: Skogens Hämnd

2. Thyrfing (Sweden)

Album: De Ödeslösa (2013)
Recommended Track: Veners Förfall

1. Eluveitie (Switzerland)

Album: Helvetios (2012)

Recommended Track: Neverland