Collapse/Arms And The Covenant/Transcend Music/2013 CD Review

  Collapse  are  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  modern  thrash,  groove  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Arms  And  The  Covenant"  which  was  released  by  Transcend  Music.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

 Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  death  metal  with  groove,  hardcore  and  thrash  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  thrash  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  deep  death/groove  metal  growls,  high  pitched  screams  and  some  spoken  word  elements,  while  the  lyrics  cover  hateful  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Collapse  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  thrash,  groove  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Cursed"  "Bloodlet"  "Of  Iron"  and  "Heartwork"  which  is  a  Carcass  cover.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

BornBroken/The Healing Powers Of Hate/2013 CD Review

  BornBroken  are  a  band  from  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  death,  thrash  and  groove  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  album  "The  Healing  Powers  Of  Hate".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  death,  groove,  hardcore  and  thrash  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  technical  and  melodic  elements  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times,  while  the  lead  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  are  very  old  school  and  melodic  sounding  extreme  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  to  add  more  variety  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  growls  that  utilize  elements  of  death  metal,  hardcore,  groove  and  thrash  metal  along  with  some  samples  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent,  hateful  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.  

  In  my  opinion  BornBroken  are  a  very  geat  sounding  hybrid  of  death  metal,  hardcore,  thrash  and  groove  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Old  News"  "Control"  "Bleed  The  Sky"  and  "The  Healing  Powers  Of  Hate".  RECOMMENDED  BUY. 

Noisem/Agony Defined/A389 Recordings/2013 CD Review

  Noisem  are  a  band  Maryland  that  plays  a  very  heavy  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Agony  Defined"  which  was  released  by  A389  Recordings.

  Drums  range from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  playing  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  and  heavy  riffs  that  combine  death  and  thrash metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  old  school  sounding death/thrash  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  deep  death/thrash  metal  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  professional  and  old  school  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Noisem  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  old  school  thrash  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Birthing  The  Bestial"  "Mortuary"  "Split  From  The  Inside  Out"  and  "Agony  Defined".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Master/Unknown Soldier, Unreleased 1985 Album/Vic Records/2013 CD Re-Issue Review

  Master  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  long  history  while  also  being  one  of  the  creators  of  death/thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  unreleased  1985  album  "Unknown  Soldier"  which  was  re-issued  by  Vic  Records  during  the  year  of  2013.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  early  death  metal  riffs  that  still  had  the  thrash  sound  to  them,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  raw  and  primitive  sounding  death/thrash  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  early  death  metal  growls  that  have  a  thrash  edge  to  them  without  the  melodic  elements,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  violence  and  anti  religion  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Master  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Master"  "Funeral  Bitch"  "Pledge  Of  Allegiance"  and  "Submerged  In  Sin".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.    

Johansson And Speckmann/Sulphur Skies/Vic Records/2013 CD Review

  Johansson  And  Speckmann  are  a  duo  that   has  teamed up  with  the former  being  known  for  his  work  in  Paganizer  and  Human  Delete  with  the  later  being  known  for  Master,  Abomination  and  Krabathor  with  the  music  style  on  this  recording  being  old  school  death  metal  which  was  released  under  the  album  title  "Sulphur  Skies"  by  Vic  Records  during  the  year  of  2013.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to   fast  drumming  with  only  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from s low,  mid  paced  to  fast  death  metal  riffs  that  are  very  heavy  and  old  school  sounding  with  some  thrash  influences  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  old  school  and  dark  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals a re  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  that h ave  some  thrash  influences  to  them,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  gore  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  old  school  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my opinion  this  is  a  great  sounding  album  from  Johansson  And  Speckmann  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spiritual  Wasteland"  "Rotten  Lands"  "The  Wretched  Mann"  and  "The  Stench  Of  Mankind".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.     

Swazafix/Anthems Of Apastacy/Vic Records/2013 CD Review

  Swazafix  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Anthemes  Of  Apastacy" which  was  released  by  Vic  Records.

  Drums  range  from s low,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  death  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  thrash  influences  in  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  old  school  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  utilize  some  dark  sounding  melodies  at  times.

  Vocals  are  all  deep  death  metal  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes,  as  for the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  professional  and  old  school  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on t his  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Swazafix  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy  old  school  death  metal  band  and  if  you are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should c heck  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Anthem  Of  Apastacy"  "Burdened  Sufference"  and  "Where  Chaos  And  Order  Are  One".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Arcania/An Uncertain Collision/2013 CD Review

  Arcania  are  a  band  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  mixture  of  thrash,  death  metal  and  Latin  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  album  "An  Uncertain  Collision".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording  with  some  tribal  style  percussion  being  utilized at  times,  while  saxophones,  trumpets, trombones  and  flutes  bring  in  elements  of  samba  and  other  forms  of  Latin  music  to  the recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.  

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  thrash,  groove  and  death  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  and  technical  elements  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death/thrash  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  use  finger  picking  and full  chords  to  further  enhance  the  Latin music  elements  of  the  recording  while  also  adding  in  elements  of  folk  metal.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  growls  that  combine  elements  of  thrash,  groove  and  death  metal  along  with  some  tribal  chanting  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  elements,  while  the  lyrics  cover  human  and  spiritual  passions,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  along  with  a  couple  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Arcania  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  thrash,  groove,  death  metal  and  Latin music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Now"  "Revolutions  And  Tequila"  and  "In  my  Land".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Prime Evil Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

PRIME EVIL is currently finishing up the writing for our first full length album that we plan to start recording in May.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new recording and how it differs from previous releases?

As far as overall production sound, we feel it is the best that we have ever released. Concerning the songs; I have continued writing foe PRIME EVIL since we disbanded in 1992, so they are a natural progression to where we should be...heavier, faster, & sicker!

3. When I listened to your music I hear alot of early traces of death metal  while the  music was still thrash,

do you feel that you have influenced alot of the early death metal bands that popped up during the early 90's.

I don't know if we had any influence on any bands, but we met the guys in Suffocation and Incantation at our shows before they had started. We became and remain good friends with them.

4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

We write about a lot of different topics, but some are how Catholicism is based on a lie; the archaic rites of all religions; the evil tendencies of mankind; bludgeoning your enemies; blood mutations; etc...

5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

Our vocalist Andy came up with the name. It was taken from the word primeval, which basically, means ancient. Andy changed the word, making it two words, and respelled the ending of the word to Evil. Thus, we have PRIME EVIL - meaning the ultimate evil; which is mankind. PRIME EVIL is true, real, pure evil!

6. The band was broken up for a long time what was the cause of the split and decision to reform?

We disbanded in 1992 basically because we were young, broke, and we didn't have any record label to back us. We pretty much hit a brick wall back then. In 2010, the Metal Underground documentary book GLORIOUS TIMES was published, and that is what got all of us together for the first time in 18 years. It was then that we decided we were able to complete PRIME EVIL's journey, with or without label backing. 

7. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

The best shows so far have been with Mausoleum and Funerus in Poughkeepsie, NY; Deceased & Derketa in Brooklyn, NY; our first night of the 'Enter the Evilution' tour with Midnite Hellion in Philly; 'A Day of Death' in Buffalo, NY; and Metal Thunder Radio's live broadcast concert with Malignancy and Sacrificial Blood in Brooklyn, NY. Our stage performance could best be described as energetic and violent!

8. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

Yes! We are currently putting together a US tour to follow the recording of our album. So far we are booked on the Wermacht East Coast Tour in August, and we are playing the NYDM 10th Annual on August 17th in Long Island, NY

9. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the newer material and reunion by fans of death and thrash metal?

Worldwide we have had very good feedback. We seem to have a pretty loyal fan base that we are extremely appreciative of!

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

The ONLY direction for us is forward! Always, heavier, always faster, always sicker!

11. What are some bands and musical  styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I guess some bands that have influenced me would be Carcass, Macabre, Napalm Death, Fear Factory, and Goatwhore as well as most Death Metal, Black Metal, Grindcore, and Jazz fusion. Besides the bands I just mentioned, I also listen to Immolation, Cannibal Corpse, Sick Feet Under, Amon, Incantation, Funerus, Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Gutbucket, Abnormality, Atheist, Watchtower, Goreaphobia, Tortured Existence, Belligerence, and so many more!

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Outside of music....pretty much just my family. Besides writing and playing, I love to record! I've been building up my own studio slowly.

13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview? 

I appreciate your interest in our band. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell you about PRIME EVIL. It is your support of Metal, and that of all the fans, that has kept it alive! For more info on us, visit our official web site atwww.primeevil.net HAILZ!

The Resistance/Scars/Armoury Records/2013 CD Review

  The  Resistance  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  their  new  recording  going  for  more  of  the  classic  Swedish  death  metal  sound  with  a  thrash  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Scars"  which  was  released  by  Armoury  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  Swedish  death  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  thrash  and  hardcore  influences  in  the  riffing  as  well  as  some  melody,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  old  school  sounding  Swedish  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  and  aggressive  sounding  death/thrash  growls  with  a  brief  spoken  word  part  being  utilized  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent,  hateful  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Resistance  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Your  Demise"  "The  Serpent  King"  "Warmonger"  and  (I  Will  Die  Alone".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Prime Evil/Evilution/Inferno Records/2012 EP Review

  Prime  Evil  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  death/thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  ep"  Evilution"  which  was  released  by  Inferno  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing   has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  primitive  riffing t hat  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  early  death  metal  with  thrash  to  bring  a  very  old  school  sound  to  the  recording,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  raw  and  primitive  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  early  death/thrash  growls  to  high  pitched  screams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death  and  evil  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Prime  Evil  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death/thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  e.p.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Evilution  Decree".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

  

Sectesy/Promo 2011/EP Review

  Sectesy  are  a  band  from  the  Chezch  Republic  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2011  promo.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  used  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  death  metal  riffs  that  use  a  good  amount  of  melody  in  the  riffing  along  with  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing  being  used  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  with  some  high  pitched  screams  being  thrown  into the  music  at  times  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  samples,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  gore  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  dark  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  promo  with  the  2  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Sectesy  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy  and  dark  old  school  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  promo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Beyond  The  Gates  Of  Doom".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

    

Trials/In The Shadows Of Swords/2013 CD Review

  Trials  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  on  this  recording  that  I  would  describe  as  being  a  mixture  of  death,  thrash  and  melodic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  album  "In  The  Shadows  Of  Swords".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  modern  day  technical  thrash,  death  and  melodic  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of soft  and  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  extreme  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  to  add  more  variety  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  range  from  thrash  style  vocals,  deep  death  metal  growls  and  clean  singing,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  album  along  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Trials  nad  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Believers  In  Black"  "With  Only  Sorrow  Now"  "Upon  This  Day"  and  "Jawbreaker"  which  is  a  Judas Priest  cover.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Monsterworks/Album Of Man/Mortal Music/2013 CD Review

  Monsterworks  are  a  band  from  the  U.K  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical style  that  combines  thrash,  power  and  death  metal  together  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Album  Of  Man"  which  was  released  by  Mortal  Music.

  Drums  range  from  slow, mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  thrash,  power  and  death  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along  with  some  melody,  grunge  and  progressive  influences  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  modern  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  along  with  some  classic  rock/metal  influences,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  more  progressive  elements  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  range  from  deep  death  metal  vocals,  thrash  style  singing,  and  clean  singing  power  metal  vocals  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful, heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on t his  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Monsterworks  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "It's  Alive"  "All  Suns  Die"  "Taste  Of  Doom"  and  "Being  Human".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.        

Swarm/Invasion/2012 EP Review

  Swarm  are  a  band  from t he  Chezch  Republic  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  technical  form  of   death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  ep  "Invasion".

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  death  metal  riffs  that  combine  some  progressive  and  technical  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  technical  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  deep  death  metal  growls,  high  pitched  screams  and  background shouting,  while  the  lyrics  cover  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Swarm a re  a  very  great  sounding  heavy,  technical  and  progressive  death  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Threat"  and  "Show  Your  Fear".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

  

Tormented/Death Awaits/Listenable Records/2013 CD Review

  Tormented  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical style  I  would  describe  as  being  old  school  Swedish  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Death  Awaits"  which  was  released  by  Listenable  Records.

   Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from s low,  mid  paced  to  fast  old  school  Swedish  style  death  metal  riffs  that  are  very  heavy  sounding  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while t he  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  that  are  very  easy  to  understand  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  horror  and  gore  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  old  school  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tormented  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blood  Orgy"  "Insane  With  Dread"  "To  Spill  Her  Blood"  and  "Black  Sky".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Moregengrau Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

Quite a lot! We just released our debut album on 4/2/2013. It's been a
whirlwind of preparatory activity over the last few months - mixing,
mastering, album cover, layout, proofing, then getting all the
infrastructure in place to handle sales. Clawhammer PR has been helping us
with the promo campaign. If it wasn't for them, I think I would have had a
stroke by now. We're actively booking up shows around Texas and polishing
new songs which we will play at the Martyrdoom fest in June. There's a
great amount of momentum right now - we intend to keep it rolling.

2. The musical sound of the album goes back to the early days of death
metal, what was it that motivated to go into this direction?

I grew up with old school death metal. I'm tapping into those themes and
riffs which inspired my most passionate reactions. I think it's important
to remember how you felt when you first heard a style that ignites your
inner fire. For me, I go back to two points in my life: shows at the tiny
River Rock Cafe in Buffalo, NY and sitting in my college dorm room
listening to Pestilence's "Consuming Impulse". At the River Rock, I came
to know who I truly was while getting killed in the pit of that sweaty
little room: I may be small but I’m tough and stubborn as hell. I can
withstand just about anything and do just about anything I put my mind to.
In college, listening to “Consuming” taught me how I wanted my own metal
band to sound. Of course, I’ve gone on to enjoy and take inspiration from
tons of other music but time and again, I go back to October 1990, lonely
as fuck, away from home for the first time, studying those Pestilence
songs with a near obsessive focus. Whenever I sit down to write music I go
to these places; I’d like to think I’ve captured elements of both
formative times.

What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with
the new release?

I didn't want to do a concept album as I knew that would take me far too
long to write the lyrics. I am the slowest lyric writer in the world.
There's abstracted occultism in Extrinsic Pathway, Chemosh Enlighten,
Grave of Lies and worship of destruction (self or external) in
Antithetical. Choking Grove explores the former Houlthust munitions dump
in Belgium and The White Death takes place in the split second before
famous WWII sniper Simo Häyhä pulls the trigger on one of his 505 kills.
Polymorphic Communion is my answer to Municipal Waste's "The Thing." Many
of the lyrics in the occult-focused songs have a double, personal meaning
which lends a special intensity when we perform those songs live.

4. Some of the lyrical subjects deal with occultism and the left hand path
how would you describe your views on these systems?

I don't have definitive views nor do I subscribe to one particular way.
It's more of a general lifelong current that’s flowed through me always. I
have memories of being about eight, pouring over the booklet from this LP
"Vincent Price: Witchcraft and Magic." It was full of old woodcuts and
engravings featuring demons and demonic rites - same ones you now see
every day on T shirts and album covers. Back then, I'd never seen anything
like it. I must have read that booklet 100 times; I had every word in it
memorized. The animal-headed demons fascinated me, leading to a deep
interest in lycanthropy. Any book with even a paragraph about werewolves
was read cover to cover, so of course I was simultaneously exposed to a
lot of information about witchcraft and demonology. I think it all comes
down to the fact I've never felt quite right in my own skin. There's
always been this ferocity in me which never agreed with the cute little
girl who stared back in the mirror. No surprise that subjects which deal
with transformations, the letting out or embracing of inner demons catch
my attention. Much of my life has been defined by being uncomfortable -
socially, emotionally and physically. A dark and different child, my path
of life has only made me darker and more strange.

I believe in the power of the opposite, of inversion. I believe in
closeness to and acceptance of death. Strength and internal poise are best
gained through enduring discomfort, physical and mental. We live in a
world where we avoid any type of discomfort and look what it’s gained us:
The Hipster. No. Adversity builds character. I believe in living with eyes
wide open, and seeing All: beauty, decay, pain, happiness, simplicity,
complexity, genius, stupidity, and most of all, Onself as One Truly Is.

5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

The word itself means "gray morning" which is a fine theme for our focus
on dark, depressing subjects. Selecting a name took quite a while. Four
hundred thousand metal bands have consumed every good medical term, Latin
phrase, occult word and demonic name two times over. While cruising
through some old German songs, I stumbled upon the word "Morgengrau."
There was an instant connection. We researched it thoroughly, found no
evidence of use by a metal band, then claimed it as our own... only to
discover a year ago that a black metal band in Germany now has the same
name. Seems they showed up on the Web after we'd finished our search.
Frustrating. I'm trusting that interested listeners will be able to tell
which band is which.

6. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how
would you describe your stage performance?

We’re intense. Focused. We seek to project as much dark energy as
possible. We don’t have a tremendous roster of shows under our belt yet -
I’m a big fan of being tactical rather than playing every gig that crosses
beneath our noses. Every show has had excellent responses with each one
bigger and more ferocious than the last. Very exciting to see how things
are building. Playing NYC’s Martyrdoom festival this year will certainly
be a huge milestone. It’s been a long time since I’ve played outside of
Texas and last year’s Martyrdoom fest was killer, so when we hit the stage
in June we’ll be fully charged with adrenaline and ready to destroy.

7. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?

Touring is something we'd love to do but the feasibility at this time is
questionable. Nick and Jake are young enough to do the "quit your job go
on the road" thing, but Reba is just starting her career and I'm going to
work my corporate job until I die, if I can manage it. We've talked about
short 5 day runs. Two weeks max is probably all we could ever manage.
Still... you never know. Nothing’s impossible.

8. The new album came out on Blind God Records, how did you get in contact
with this label and how would you describe the support they have given you
so far?

Great label. Full support. Never say no to a request for more money...
because the imprint is mine. Christ, this last credit card statement was
huge! Completely worth it, though. I don't like the way it looks when a
band puts out an independent release that’s missing the label imprint on
the back and the spine. Feels lacking somehow. Furthermore, it took us so
long to record and mix the CD, I didn’t want to waste another six to nine
months shopping it around. Now it’s out in the pipeline and the response
is great - we’re moving quite a few ourselves, getting excellent reviews
and are working on some distribution so we can move product in greater
volume. Label support of some kind for the next one would be great so we
have more flexibility around recording and merch budgets.

9. On a worldwide level, how has the feedback been to your music by fans
of old school death metal?

As I mentioned above, it's just getting started. We've had some fantastic
feedback. My little mid-life experiment seems like it’s going to prove
successful. I've always wanted to do a death metal band - starting one at
age 38 after 20 years not playing guitar was a bit of a gamble. There have
been a few freaked out reactions from people who only know my work in
Ignitor or Autumn Tears. Can’t say I blame them - especially the Autumn
Tears fans - Morgengrau is quite the change. The great thing is of all my
musical endeavors, this is the most comfortable band I’ve ever been in -
the most work but the most satisfaction with the least stress. Easiest to
perform. Most satisfying shows.

What is going on with the other musical projects these days?

I have my Iron Maiden cover band, Drifter, which I’ve been in since 2006.
I like being in a cover band because it’s super low stress - no musical
arguments or hurt feelings, plus it keeps my clean vocal chops in shape.
I’m always down for session vocals of any kind but right now that avenue
is quiet. Jake’s other band Plutonian Shore is actively playing shows and
demoing tracks for their new album. A capella esoteric vocal ideas are
always kicking around in my mind but I know my limits - I have time right
now only for Morgengrau.

What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Morgengrau will remain old school death metal. No blinking or going off
course. We have no desire to go skipping down the paths of experimental,
ambient, hyper blast, progressive, gore or whatever else. Our job is to
keep writing interesting, catchy songs that remain true to the genre.

12. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music
and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I'm listening to way too much Finnish Death Metal these days - Torture
Killer, Winterwolf, Demigod, Scent of Flesh. Been overdosing on Immolation
new and old in anticipation of the upcoming album and the tour. I’ve
already mentioned Pestilence’s influence. Other influences: Asphyx,
Deicide and Morbid Angel. All the old DM classics. I do try to pay
attention to other forms of music which I may not like but understand to
be structurally successful - 80s pop is a great example. Simple, catchy
and not overdone. Nobody’s trying to prove the length of their penis by
playing 25 notes a second. There’s much to be learned from the excellent
songwriting of those days.

Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Murder. I am an amateur student of forensic anthropology, particularly
violent death. Military history and technology. Paleontology, with a focus
on therapsids and theropods. Parasitology. Bizarre diseases and medical
conditions. I enjoy people watching and studying human behavior in
stressful situations, as the truth of a person is revealed when the going
gets tough. I also love exotic and muscle cars. In a couple weeks, I’m
going shooting for the first time in just about 30 years so that will
probably start up a new obsession around guns as well.

14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Thanks Extreme Metal Zine for your interest and support! Check us out at
Reverbnation.com/Morgengrau and pick up a CD via morgengrau.bandcamp.com.
Come walk the Extrinsic Pathway with Morgengrau... Hail Metal, Hail Death!

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