Friday, May 31, 2013

Destroyers Of All-Into the Fire EP

Self-Release/Independent
2013

"Into the Fire", which showed up in my inbox unexpectedly yesterday,  is the debut-release from Portuguese act Destroyers Of  All. The band, which was formed back in 2011, shouldn't be too hard to pin-down if you just go by their name and this EP's wicked album art. If you're stumped though here's what these guys bring to the party: death/thrash. Ripping death/thrash as it were. With João Mateus on the mic (sounding quite a bit like he's been possessed by the spirits of many a great 80's death metal vocalists!) the band tears through this EP with rage and righteous conviction! Technically-speaking these guys are sound and throughout this EP they find ways to figure in bits of not only death and thrash, but progressive thrash, speed metal and even a thin slice of black metal. As this is the group's first recording it's even more impressive how tight the band is and how well-executed these tracks are. Pinning down their sound would prove difficult though as I pick up on everything from early Sepultura to Testament along with the likes of later period Death, Pestilence, Sadus, Morbid Angel and early Death Angel. With a really solid production job (it always amazes me how some underground metal acts can pull off such profession sounding recordings on what must be shoe string budgets!) "Into the Fire" is a real winner and a great first-step for this young band.












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Grift-Fyra elegier

Nordvis
2013

There's nothing creepy about this one. No, not at all. There's only the art work that gives me chills and the every creeping melancholic metal that gives me pause. Grift, which is a Swedish duo, formed back in 2011 and somehow (perhaps by tapping into everything that is unholy?) have issued an album that sounds like every nightmare and childhood fear I've ever had! With Perditor (Orcivus, Arfsynd) on vocals and strings, and J. Hallbäck (Flagellant) handling the drums there's a simplistic vibe to this album and yet it's some of the coldest metal I've experienced in sometime. With Swedish lyrics in place there's not much to go on as far as topics go although the promo does share that this release is all about "mans' insignificance and everything unimaginable before Death's triumph." Yeah, that's not bleak or anything! Worth tracking down if you're one of those people who sees the world for the damned place it really is.

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Brutus-Behind the Mountains

Svart Records
2013


"Behind the Mountains" is album number 2 for throw-back rockers Brutus. These guys are-straight worshipers of all things 70's with a sound that is rich in texture. This Scandinavian quintet bow down in awe to the likes of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Budgie, Grand Funk Railroad and Blue Cheer. With no pro-tools in sight the group pumps out fuzzy rock that comes smoking out of the speakers in a hazy mist. With a lead vocalist that sounds like a young (and less stoned) Ozzy the band pulls out all the stops to create this blissful, beer-soaked stoner rock that carries you up and away to a time and place when things were more organic and natural. This one makes sweet love to your eardrums and is very likely to make my best of 2013 list!

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Thursday, May 30, 2013

PsychoBliss-Dreams of Dystopia

Tridroid Records
2013

Here we've got another self-release album getting a cassette release courtesy of Tridroid Records. It's unfortunate though that, unlike previous albums I've reviewed from this solid metal label, this one is severely lacking in direction and execution. This Phoenix, Arizona act tries for a gothic, dark metal sound but ends up with a far-too tiring exercise in patience. There are a few bright spots though like vocalist Kyla Pavelsk. Her vocals are perfectly suited for this kind of dark and depressing metal as she comes across as a haunted spirit. Between that and the overall concept (gothic, doom-laded dark metal with black metal elements sounds quite promising on paper to these ears) you've got a band that COULD work down the road. Right now though it's as if they've got 25% of the puzzle in place, but the other pieces are all jumbled up!

https://www.facebook.com/PsychoBliss

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Purson-The Circle and the Blue Door

Metal Blade Records / Rise Above Records
2013

Well, what have we here now? Something the black cat dragged in perhaps? How am I even to describe this? Let's see, you've got a band that has a name that, per Wikipedia, means "The Great King Of Hell" and they're fronted by the mysterious Rosalie Cunningham who, in addition to singing like her soul in engulfed in the fire of darkness, plays lead guitar solos that sound like they are right out of the psychedelic 60s and 70s!  With bits of organ, mellotron, and wurlitzer (all from Samuel Shove) added into the mix and an eye fixated on the satanic rock of groups like Coven and Black Widow this LP is both odd and interesting. The promo says that Purson's new album "finds the missing link between Pentangle and Pentagram, by way of David Bowie's dream reality and The Beatles' feel for the perfect melody". That's an interesting way to put it. The group, which is filled out by guitarist George Hudson, bassist/backing vocalist Barnaby Maddick and drummer Jack Hobbs, searches the past for inspiration and, even if this one is oddly way out there, it's still got a lot going for it. In addition to the various artists listed above you've got elements of The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, Fleetwood Mac and The Rolling Stones. All of it wraps together nicely creating a sound that is equal parts psychedelic-tinged 70's rock and proto-doom with Rosalie Cunningham sounding like a free-spirit lost in dreamland. You'll want to pull out the incense for this one folks!

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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Fair Warning-Sundancer

Steamhammer / SPV
2013

Fair Warning are one of those groups that might be long-standing heroes of melodic rock in places like Europe and Japan, but here in the States they hardly ever get mentioned. Of course that's if they get mentioned at all. While the name might ring a bell, as it did for me when I saw the promo, tracking down long-lost memories of this German group can prove to be frustrating. With that being the case and all I walked right into "Sundancer", plugged in, and let the LP take me where it would. The band, now in their 23rd year of existence it looks like, was formed back in 1991 by former V2 member Tommy Heart (vocals) and former Zeno member Ule W. Ritgen (bass). For "Sundancer" the same group that was responsible for their 1992 self-titled debut is together here with Heart and Ritgen being joined by Helge Engelke (guitar) and CC Behrens (drums). That's fairly impressive one could say as these days it sure seems as if most bands end up having line-up changes album after album. These German rockers have the same core in place and, when it comes right down to it, that consistency makes for a very fluid sound. Admittedly Fair Warning new LP doesn't offer much for heavy metal fans, but for those who enjoy solid radio rock or melodic hard rock then this 15-track release should make you smile. With a production that isn't overly flashy, while still coming across smooth and accessible, these rockers carry out their goal of having fun and giving their die-hard fans another LP to warm their hearts. This German melodic rock/ hard rock band might not be able to break through here in the states with "Sundancer", but this new 15-track affair is perfectly suited for all those that love rock n' roll with a bit of a rough edge.

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Satan-Life Sentence

Listenable Records
2013

When I first heard that a new Satan album was on it's way in 2013 I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas to finally arrive! As "Siege Mentality" (a teaser single that was released ahead of this album) had left me longing for more this new disc I knew that this "Life Sentence" was going to be good. I just didn't think (or even dare to dream) that it would be this good! When it did finally show up in my mail-box (thanks to some friends/tape traders from over in Europe) it blew away all my preconceived notions. If you're younger though you might be asking what's so special about Satan? Well, ask any N.W.O.B.H.M. fan to name some of their favorite artists of said genre and chances are pretty good that Satan would be mentioned. In fact, "Court in the Act" (Satan's 1983 album) is considered to be one finest album's to come out of that time period! What's more it's especially easy to see/hear the correlation between Satan's sound on their debut album and what would end up being called Bay Area thrash. Band's like Metallica and Megadeth owe a huge debt to Satan as their early proto-thrash sound would go on to be one of the defining influences of America's thrash scene. While the group did release a slew of other recordings (incl. the sophomore follow-up LP "Suspended Sentence")  nothing has ever compared to that first album. Blame it on line-up changes or lack of a clear focus, but, whatever the case, while their debut-album was sensational the follow-ups were only solid. On Satan's "Life Sentence" we're treated to the same line-up that was in place for "Court in the Act" and, without blowing too much smoke up in the air, the results speak for themselves. With "Life Sentence" I have another album to add to my best of list for 2013 and, if I so desired to do such an article at the end of this year, I have an album worthy of the "come-back album of the year" award! That says a lot as there has already been a slew of killer albums released by veteran acts of the eighties. Of the ten cuts there's hardly a dud to be found as Brian Ross (who sang on "Court In The Act") and company play with the same killer instinct that made "Court in the Act" such a masterpiece to begin with! In a way "Life Sentence" picks up where "Court in the Act" left off and, as you listen to these 10 cuts in all their glory, you can't help but take notice that this is how heavy metal/thrash metal sound always sound. As it borders on thrash "Life Sentence" would be an easy sell to both young and old metalheads alike. The music is a million times more impressive then what passes for power metal/thrash these days as these gentlemen know exactly how to craft heavy, memorable metal. "Life Sentence" is metal done right and whether you're a fan of old or someone just starting to get interested Satan & the whole movement this is a must-own. This one is simply killer folks.

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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Metal Law-Lawbreaker (Second Edition)



Metal On Metal Records
2013

Germany's Metal Law began life back in 1997 as Reudig. Under that name the group released the 2004 LP "Hunter & Prey". After a brief name change to Rapid Fire in 2005 they settled on Metal Law in 2006. At the tail end of 2007 the group released  their debut-album, "Night of the Wolf", before issuing this sophomore release in 2008. Now, 5 years later, the good folks at Metal On Metal Records have seen fit to re-release this sold-out album in a remastered form and with 3 bonus cuts tacked on for extra emphasis! Looking at the revamped album-art (chains have been added as a cool frame) you'd be under the impression that this is heavy metal at it's purest and really, for arguments sake, it is! Metal Law wear their influences rather proudly so no one can really proclaim that these guys rock out with originality. Fellow-Germanic bands like Accept, Running Wild, Sinner and Stormwitch are all close cousins to Metal Law's sound although the likes of Judas Priest, Manowar and Iron Maiden are not that far from the gene pool. Even if these Germans wear their influences pretty close to their sleeves it's all in good fun. "Lawbreaker", which is over 60 minutes now with the 3 bonus cuts, is clearly played with passion and enthusiasm so, even if it's not technically going to bowl people over with it's originality, it's got enough going for it metal-wise and fist-in-the -air-wise to make for a really easy listen!.

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Witch Cross-Axe to Grind

Hells Headbangers
2013

"The cult is alive...WITCH CROSS have returned". So opens the promo material that came with "Axe To Grind" and, without coming across as too much of a fanboy here, truer words have seldom been spoken! Who could have imagined that all these years Witch Cross would return with a sophomore recording that was every bit a comeback album as well? With 1984's "Fit for Fight" being such a killer LP, albeit a cult LP, fans of Witch Cross would be justified in feeling leery about this new release. When "Demon in the Mirror" kicks in though all of those fears are thrown out the window! "Axe to Grind" picks up where "Fit to Fight" left off and showcases a band that still has plenty of fire in their gut. This is track after track of straight-up heavy metal all with that very distinct Witch Cross vibe. "Axe to Grind", which was mastered by Flemming Rasmussen (Metallica, Morbid Angel, Blind Guardian) and mixed by Chris Tsangarides (Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, Anvil), is one of those albums where you can't help but think of metal's heyday. Had this been released right after "Fit for Fight" there's no doubt that it would have made Witch Cross more of a household name. Vocalist Kevin Moore, who for all the world just seems to have just fallen out of the sky as there is no mention of him playing in other bands, is the perfect front-man for this Danish band as he's got the heavy metal 101 singing down pat! With founding members Mike "Wlad" Kock ( guitars) and Jan "Little John Field" (bass) serving as a link to the past (but still playing with the same fury they did back on "Fit for Fight") the new version of Witch Cross sounds both retro and modern. All that means is that Witch Cross' new album should find wide appeal. "Axe to Grind" has already found itself in heavy rotation in my office space and I look forward to holding a physical copy of it in my hands when it's released in July (just a FYI for anyone looking for birthday ideas for me this LP comes out 2 days before my 40th B-day!). I close with this little nugget of information-it sure looks as if my best of 2013 list has found another addition!



http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Witch+Cross-Fit+for+fight+%28re-issue%29+ 

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Monday, May 27, 2013

Tumbleweed Dealer-Tumbleweed Dealer

Self-Release/Independent
2013

Tumbleweed Dealer is a new entity that features the pair of (well-traveled music veteran) Seb Painchaud (Unquintessence, Vatican, Winter Bestowed, Trails of Anguish, The Last Felony and what seems like a million other groups & projects!) and Carl Borman (Dopethrone, Downtrodden). This self-titled affair is the group's universal unveiling and, as it is presents a spell-binding sense of oddity, it is quite the treat! Yes, odd and spell-binding has to be the right words I'm searching for as this 7-track release scratches a itch that I never knew I had! Given the pair involved it wouldn't be all that surprising to find out that this one is a little left of center, but when you discover all the weird ingredients here...well, it's speaks for itself I'd say. So, what exactly are we dealing with then on Tumbleweed Dealer's first full length album? Well, the basic ingredient is stoner rock which, in and of itself, is nothing unusual. Even the addition of blues, doom and drone isn't that much of a head-scratcher. However, when you toss a pinch of western music things take an interesting turn right into the twilight zone of rock music! So, it’s a mix and match of stoner rock, blues rock, doom, drone and western music we find ourselves with and, you know what, it's all rather cool and, dare I say, yeah it's kinda hip! Seb Painchaud  and Carl Borman have created something really unique and interesting here. What strikes me the most about this album though is how this would make for a very cool soundtrack to a movie. It certainly has that feel. As these tracks unfold (splitting the landscape in half with a splash of vibrant colors!) you feel this journey opening up in front of you where anything and everything is possible. This is a remarkable album that's sure to find repeated listens in my household!

http://tumbleweeddealer420.bandcamp.com/album/tumbleweed-dealer

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The Black Dahlia Murder-Everblack

Metal Blade Records
2013

It's been 2 years since we last heard from Michigan's The Black Dahlia Murder. Since that last album, 2011's "Ritual" (which I also covered), bassist Ryan "Bart" Williams and drummer Shannon Lucas have departed the band and have been replaced by (respectively) Max Lavelle (formerly of Despised Icon and Goratory) and Alan Cassidy (formerly of Abigail Williams). Not that a new rhythm section is going to make a bit of difference when it comes to their overall sound, but it should at least be noted up front of this review. Seeing as you've still got vocalist Trevor Strnad and guitarists Brian Eschbach & Ryan Knight the band has made a smooth transition from "Ritual" to "Everblack". It's quite possible that the new blood has added a little to the overall edginess of The Black Dahlia Murder, but, seeing as I've misplaced my copy of "Ritual" to compare this with, I can only go off of this corrupted memory of mine. Given that little tidbit it sure does feel as if this one is more menacing and, overall, weaved together in a tighter form. "In Hell Is Where She Waits for Me" opens the flood gates of this album and for T.B.D.M. it's all or nothing as their distinct brand of melodic death metal thrashes the listener head over heels like a crushing wave. Lyrically Trevor Strnad takes a greater stand and throws everything he has out towards the listener. Whatever willpower the listener might have left is repeatedly punch by technical leads that, as stunning as they are, were reportedly quite often improvised for the record. Actually, the leads seem to be more of a focal point as these near death/thrash riffs are steady rocking all through the 10 cuts. I don't recall "Ritual" having such bone crushing guitars as "Everblack" does but either way its instantly recognizable that this group has matured their own sound while evolving for the scene. "Everblack" is T.B.D.M. giving their fans what they want and what they need, but it's also giving their fans what they didn't know they needed or even graved. This is a super solid LP that borders on excellent while never giving you a down-point.

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A Pale Horse Named Death-Lay My Soul To Waste

Steamhammer / SPV
2013

Brooklyn's A Pale Horse Named Death is a project turned real-band that came together in 2010 when Sal Abruscato (Life Of Agony, Type O Negative) and Matt Brown (Seventh Void,Uranium) decided to work together. The pair first released "And Hell Will Follow Me" which was, per articles found online, produced and engineered by Matt Brown. With their sophomore release it looks as if the two of them have been joined by Eric Morgan (bass) and Eddie Heedles (guitars). If that isn't the case then someone feel free to correct me as the promo that came with this is rather vague. What isn't vague though is the pairs appreciation for doom and gloom. A Pale Horse Named Death could best be summed up as Type O Negative (without the keys and Peter Steele's eery vocals) served cold with a side of post-Black Sabbath grunge. Sal Abruscato's vocals are every bit as chilling and dreadful as the band's name would imply while musically it's quite fair to say the group haunts the listener with the ghosts of Type O Negative. That's to be expected I suppose considering Sal's involvement with Type O Negative, but it's not as if this is a badly faded copy of the late Steele's band. Really A Pale Horse Named Death are much more "grunge" then Type O Negative with justifiable comparisons having been made to Alice In Chains. Again though A Pale Horse Named Death only take these influences and shift them through a distinct (and very creative!) process that results in a darkly-tinted goth/doom/grunge hybrid. There's not enough words to describe how effective the band's sophomore release is at conveying one's nightmares in a musical form so let's just leave it where it is. Fans of Type O Negative and Alice In Chains should track this one down of course as should fans of doomish metal. "Lay My Soul To Waste" is wonderfully dark and depressing and oh so enjoyable!

 

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John Gält-Served Hot

Street Symphonies Records
2013

Is there any other way to serve it then hot? I've got to say that of the pile of promos that showed up one day in my mailbox that this one caught my eye for obvious reasons! As I went to put this one in the old CD player though I did expect that John Gält was an artist and not a band. I didn't realize that they took their name from a character in Atlas Shrugged until I happened to flip through the press release. My bad. Anyway, this my friends is what you'd get if you drew a line between the everyman metal that is Motörhead and the sleazy punk of early Mötley Crüe. Mind you their not as heavy and nasty as Lemmy and his boys, but they're also not covered head to toe in make-up and spandex either! John Gält, who were formed in the summer of 2010, came to prominence thanks to a 2011 3-track EP called "First Run" and now, with this 10-track album rocking n' rattling through my speakers, this Ukrainian act has a new fan in yours truly. With glam and sleazy hard rock making a slight bit of a comeback I can see this young band, who are lead by vocalist/guitarist Ostap Molyavko (who sounds all the world like a cross between Axl Rose and Dave Mustaine!) catching on with fans here in the states. Actually, I can easily see John Gält, which is rounded out by guitarist Ivan Rybnikov, bassist/backing vocalist Alexandr Sedov and drummer Sergi Telipko, hitting all the right notes on a worldwide basis thanks to catchy songs and a nice punkish attitude. This one is spot-on for fans of  sleazy hard rock and/or glam metal, but "Served Hot" should also appeal to garage metal freaks as well!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/johngalt

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Sunday, May 26, 2013

Kobra and the Lotus-Kobra and the Lotus

Kobra Music Inc./Universal Music Canada Inc./Simmons Records
2013

This is another album that I meant to review some weeks back, but life got in the way. Damn you life LOL! What makes it worse is that I had jotted down notes for this self-titled release, but along the way I simply lost them. It is what it is though and, as I listen to this new album again, I'm well reminded how much I enjoyed this 11-track release. Anyway, with my other notes lost I'll start things off with two fresh points. With Kobra and the Lotus this is more proof that A) Canadian hard rock and heavy metal is alive, well and thriving and B) It sure seems as if we're not going to run out of female-fronted heavy metal acts anytime soon! Lead by the beautiful Kobra Page (who is reportedly a classical trained pianist!) this 5-piece band plays a brand of heavy metal that owes a huge debt to NWOBHM bands as diverse as Iron Maiden and Satanic Rites as they do 80's metal acts like Acid, Toxic, Steel Vengeance and Torch. More then anything though Kobra and the Lotus lean on Iron Maiden as well as Judas Priest and Dio. That being what it is and all at least these rockers do it well. It's not a perfect album though as some of their influences do end up a little too close for comfort (Iron Maiden riffs are recycled here) and a few cuts sound strikingly familiar. Worst of all Kobra and the Lotus ride the retro rail a little too much meaning you get a band that sounds more 80s then 80s influenced at times. With work and time they should be able to knock that vibe loose though as, even with those momentary lapses into retro-land, the talent is obvious and the music, even as a retro-loving metal feast, is fun to listen to. This self-titled release is a rare example of how a band can do something wrong (retro-worshiping too much) and still end up with a cool release. Worth checking out if your into hard-rocking heavy metal with female vocalists.

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Kingdom Come-Outlier

Steamhammer / SPV
2013

Let's start with the obvious question on every one's mind-how are these guys still together? After their 1988 album pretty much ripped-off Robert Plant and company they should have called it quits. Somehow though
Lenny Wolf has managed to keep this ship afloat with "Outlier" being Kingdom Come’s first studio album to feature new material since 2009. Since I've heard nothing out of Kingdom Come since their 1988 self-titled release it's all new to me frankly. Even back then the only release I heard their debut-full length album straight through was because of a girl. That statement alone should be enough to tell you why I suffered through it! With this new album the first thing I notice is how rough Lenny Wolf sounds. Age has not been kind to his pipes. That being what it is at least the music isn't a note-by-note copy cat of anyone. Musically this new Kingdom Come record ends up featuring fairly standard rock/hard rock. It's not completely devoid of good ideas as
"Running High Distortion" features some neat riff-age, but it's also not something I'd stop the presses over. I'd suspect that Kingdom Come has a loyal fan-base that will scoop this one up like a rabid dog going for a chunk of raw meat, but new fans are not likely to come rushing Lenny Wolf's way anytime soon. If I had to give it a grade it would be a C- as there are a few moments honestly that give you hope such as "When Colors Break The Grey", but that hope crashes down when Lenny actually starts to sing.

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Saturday, May 25, 2013

Eschatos-Hierophanies

Tridroid Records
2013

Eschatos, who shouldn't be confused with the disbanded Polish black metal act of the same name, are a 4-piece band that hails from Latvia. The band, who were formed in 2012, features several former members of Ocularis Infernum. Now, just as in Ocularis Infernum, things start off with sick black metal and burn forward from there. The Metal Archives lists Ocularis Infernum as melodic black metal and, while I'm not 100% sure if that's the case or not, there's some melodic black metal here as well, but with the added addition of some progressive moments things get both evil and epic. Speaking of evil and epic, and all things sinister and shock-worthy, the band is fronted by one Kristiāna Kārkliņa. Female-fronted black metal? Honestly I can't recall hearing one before, but it doesn't much matter as she takes center stage and pulls you in with her emotional performance. By emotional I mean soul-ripping black metal shrieks! Women in rock and metal is no big thing anymore obviously, but it's still simply cool to hear someone like Kristiāna Kārkliņa stand in front of the mic and unleash hell upon the listener. Backed by guitarists Hellgar and Hellhurl Caligula (Jānis Bušs) this talented front-woman helps carry what is a really solid debut-album. Eschatos churns out black metal that features layer upon layer of interesting and intense movements that keep the listenr entranced. For example the title cut opens with session musician Jānis Kaņeps on keys (and beautiful ones at that!) before it tears into your eardrums with blacker then black metal that's both worthy of acknowledgment and worthy to stand side by side with any great Polish black metal act. "Hierophanies" is a wicked album that might have originally been a self-release, but it has a grade A production and a grade A delivery. If it wasn't for how short this release is it would be receiving my highest marks. It's short length though left me wanting more so hopefully we'll hear more from this new group before too long!

https://www.facebook.com/eschatos.band
https://www.facebook.com/TridroidRecords

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Sign Of The Jackal- Mark of the Beast

High Roller Records
2013

When I first laid witness to Italy's Sign Of The Jackal back in 2011 (when they made my best of 2011 list!) I was blown away by the killer "The Beyond"! That 5-track EP (which included a choice cover of "Head Over Heals" by Meghan) was my personal introduction to this female-fronted, horror movie influenced, heavy metal act and that introduction lead to repeated listens of anything Sign Of The Jackal related. Now the group, who were originally formed in 2007, are finally releasing their long-awaited full-length debut album and to say that I walked into this one high on life is a huge understatement! The line-up for "Mark of the Beast" is Laura Coller (vocals), Roberto "Bob" Condini (guitars, vocals), Max (guitars, vocals, keyboards), Röby "Knife" (bass, vocals) and Heavy Mate (drums, vocals) and, from top (Laurie) to bottom (Heavy Mate) everyone sounds as if they came locked and loaded for this release! It's more of the same for this Italian act as they pull in their musical influences (everyone from Exciter to Black Lace) and stuff the sound with horror movie magic. Before we go any further though let's save some of you out there a bit of time. If you liked "The Beyond" or "Haunted House Tapes" then read no further. Just stop what you're doing and go out and pick this one up. If it's not out yet when you read this then pre-order it if you can. The foundation of killer traditional heavy metal that those two earlier recordings established is built on over the course of this new album. Brick by brick, track by track you find Sign Of The Jackal ripping through 80's-inspired heavy metal while they lovingly showcase their affection for classic horror flicks. I've said it before and I'll say it again folks. When you combine female-fronted metal, 80's influences and horror movies you get what I consider a winner! OK, that said there is a few things worth mentioning. Truthfully there are only four new tracks on the 12-song promo I listened to* so that might be a downer to some folks. That said all of the songs that were previously released on other recordings are different here. The re-recorded tracks are different versions and they sound much better on "Mark of the Beast". Side by side I prefer these new versions over the demo versions. What helps with that is the production which has improved since they signed on with High Roller Records. "Mark of the Beast" has a near perfect sound for heavy metal like this. The overall vibe is still eighties in nature, but this 12-track release never falls into the trap of sounding retro thankfully. Sigh Of The Jackal acknowledges their roots (Judas Priest, Taist of Iron, Iron Maiden, Malteze, etc), but they never look back for too long. Instead Laura Coller, who sounds as sinister as she does sensual, leads her band-mates into battle and, as they fight tooth and nail until the bitter end, they give it all for the glory of heavy metal and they succeed!

* As on "The Beyond" both the CD and vinyl version of "Mark of the Beast" will feature a unique cover song!
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=sign+of+the+jackal

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Stone Orange-The Dreamcatcher

Street Symphonies Records
2013

"The Dreamcatcher" is the second full-length release from the Slovenian 4-piece known as Stone Orange. Having formed in 2003 the band went out on the road to make a name for themselves until finally, 4 years later in 2007, they released their debut album. On "The Dreamcatcher" the name of the game is eighties style melodic hard rock and yes, they play that game hard! Lead by vocalist/guitarist Marko Erjavec this Ljubljana-based act pulls you back in time with cuts like "Pride And Pain" and before you know if you're having flashbacks of  MTV, big hair, leather pants and sing-along choruses that seemed to go on forever! Stone Orange is completed by guitarist Tomo Jurca, bassist Davorin Kovačič and drummer Vid Zgonc and, while it's not going to blow your socks of or anything, "The Dreamcatcher" is 11 tracks of melodic hard rock that's been loving soaked in eighties charm. Of the cuts I loved the softer "Pride And Pain" as well as the album's first single, "Nobody Cares", which comes off as a cross between Kiss  and the hair metal act Slaughter.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stone-Orange/343753025639119

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Friday, May 24, 2013

Gothminister-Utopia

 


AFM Records
2013

Gothminister are a Norwegian quartet that, for lack of a better description, play goth-flavored industrial rock/heavy metal. On "Utopia", the group's fifth studio album since forming in 1999, the band's lead singer, Bjørn Alexander Brem, taps into his personal nightmares for a concept album. With Icarus (guitars), Turbo Natas (guitars) and Chris Dead (drummer) joining him (Bass? We don't need no stupid bass!) the band set out to not only make a concept album, in and of itself not as easy as it seems folks, but (on the limited edition CD/DVD version) also a horror/concert film (DVD)! With all of that running through my brain I was fully prepared to loath this release. I must admit though to being wrong. Not unusually I know (just ask any/all my former lovers), but I was really, truly pleasantly surprised with this one. For times sake I'll throw out some names (Ministry, N.I.N. Rob Zombie, Type O Negative, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Alice Cooper, etc.) and have you magically mix everything in  your mind's eye. Got it? Or at least a vision of what I'm getting at? More or less Gothminister takes those bands & artists and, with a careful eye set on trying to carve out their own niche in this world, sets about writing music that acts as a soundtrack for the doom and gloom crowd. The album, which was produced by Bjørn Alexander Brem, mixed by Neil Kernon (Judas Priest, Nile) and mastered by Alan Douches (The Misfits, Dillinger Escape Plan) is not without it's charm and, as concept albums go, there's more then enough to pull you into Brem's nightmare."Utopia" is probably a misleading title (In both the sense of where this nightmare leads and the album's overall effectiveness), but it keeps you intrigued to the very end so that says something about it's cold embrace.

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Markonee-Club Of Broken Hearts

New Venture Music
2013

Chances are if you've spent anytime at all around this blog then you'll know that I am a huge fan of the Italian heavy metal act Danger Zone. Therefore, when I read that Markonee featured ex-Danger Zone guitarist Stefano Peresson in it's ranks I jumped all over this LP. Stefano Peresson, who handles lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars and keyboards in Markonee, formed this band back in 1999 together with guitarist Carlo Bevilacqua. This is actually album number three for Markonee who adapted their band name from the Italian radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. Reportedly it's also the band's heaviest recording to date. With new lead singer Alessio Trapella making his studio debut (in fine form I might add!) the band is filled out by the rhythm section of Luigi "JJ" Frati and Ivano Zanotti (bass and drums respectively). "Club Of Broken Hearts" was mixed and mastered by Roberto Priori (Danger Zone, Wheels Of Fire). So far these guys have shared the stage with everyone from Winger to Molly Hatchet and, while they might not be a household name here in the states yet, they have EVERYTHING needed to catch on here in the States. These 12 tracks have hooks and those oh-so-sweet moments when even the most rigid metalhead has to let their guard down some and just get into the groove of things! With their junior release the band sticks pretty close to their influences (Winger, Ratt, Warrent, Firehouse, Pink Cream 69) while they also smoke in the likes of Enuff Z'Nuff, Bang Tango, Black 'N Blue, Y&T, Gotthard and Tyketto. Incidentally those last two influences they've shared the stage with and, maybe it's just the working influence of Roberto Priori here, but Markonee also has a bit of a Danger Zone vibe to them as well! Straight-up this is rock driven melodic hard rock/heavy metal with great leads, sweet licks and a singer that seems like he's been custom built out of the spare parts of many hair metal/glam metal vocalists of yesteryear. If you didn't get enough of the 80's hard rock scene or you just happen to like guitar-driven rock that isn't afraid to show it's softer side while it's dancing in heavy metal's leftover embers then this 12-track platter is just what the doctor ordered!



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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Vietcong Pornsürfers-We Spread Diseases

Dangerous Rock Records
2013

Swedish 4-piece Vietcong Pornsürfers, who possess another quirky and yet cool as shit name, offer up a really interesting mixture of punk and hard rock on this 12-track album. I'd imagine that this is what would happen if members of The Dead Boys, Ramones and The Misfits got into a brutal bus crash with members of Hanoi Rocks, L.A. Guns, New York Dolls and Guns N' Roses. If you can picture a raw and punkish 80's Sunset Strip act collaborating with some of New York's 70's punk artists and then salivate at the thought then this is one slab of metal meat you'll want to take a nice big bite out of. Sometimes sloppy, but always crunchy this band delivers track after track of snarly rock that what make Iggy Pop stand up and take notice! Definitely worth tracking down if you're into punkish metal with a sleazy undercoat!

https://www.facebook.com/VietcongPornsurfersOfficial

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Current Playlist



For those who checked in last week you'd have noticed that I didn't get to a Current Playlist. For that matter I didn't get a lot of reviews posted either. Last Friday I ended up watching a 2 year old for the day and, as tomorrow holds the same fate, I'm posting this today. I'm hoping I'll get more reviews done next week. With Summer soon upon us things will get busy (especially when you're a single parent of teens!) so I am looking to push stuff out now and, man alive, do I ever have a lot of stuff sitting around for review! When I started writing for Heavy Metal Time Machine it was to help take some of the pressure off of Metal Mark. Here we are and I find myself in the same boat! Over the past 2 weeks I've gotten more promos then I've ever seen so I'll be trying to cram a bunch in. That means they might be shorter then normal, but it all adds up to the same thing either way! With that here's my list...

Listening to:
Sacred Reich-Surf Ignorance
Lyadrive-Another Time, Another Place
Axe Attack Compilation
Parkside Steelworks Compilation
White Witch-A Spiritual Gathering
Sign Of The Jackal-Beyond
Mercy House-Broken State Of Bliss
Ignorance-The Confident Rat
Wrath-Nothing To Fear
Satan-Life Sentence

Watching:
Dr Giggles
Forever Evil
Warehouse 13
Sisters Of Death
The Wild Man of the Navidad

Reading:
The Official Splatter Movie Guide

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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

M-16-Locked and Re-Loaded


Heaven and Hell Records
2013 

Year's back I remember downloading M-16's sole release, 1988's "Locked and Loaded", based solely on the gnarly looking cover (see second pic below with the skeleton!). At the time it had popped up on a bootleg compilation I believe and it was marked as being traditional heavy metal. At the time I was severely disappointed as it was more hard rock then anything and the production, done at MCE Studios in Schenectady, N.Y., was flat and life-less. What a difference this re-release makes! The remastering was done by Jamie King at The Basement Recording in NC and wow, does this thing ever pop now! Heaven and Hell Records has taken this New York band's lone-release and, after taking on two bonus cuts, turned what was once M-16's "Locked and Loaded" into "Locked And Reloaded"! It's new cover makes a lot more sense as this was clearly melodic metal in vogue with what was going on back in the late eighties. Musically it comes across to me as Stryper meets Dokken although there are clearly elements of Winger, Black and Blue, Leatherwolf, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Helix and Icon. M-16 was also similar in many way's to Stutz as they aimed for unoffensive party metal or, perhaps a better description might be, club metal. While this kind of music was hit or miss with me back then (and even when I first heard "Locked and Loaded" I was left unimpressed) I opted to pick up a limited copy of this re-release anyway. The samples I heard made me re-think this album when it was put up as a pre-order. The punch that it lacked the first time came ringing through the speakers and it was obvious that the band's sound had been given the proper treatment this time around. Even so these songs are much better playing in my car stereo and the songs are fun and rather catchy! As it was limited to 500 copies your best bet now would be to try secondary markets like Ebay, but for melodic metal/hair metal fans this is a cool pick-up from a cult New York band. The CD comes with a nice booklet with pictures and a history of the band and, thanks to some loving hands behind this re-release, the overall sound is vastly improved 100 times over! 

http://www.m16rocks.com/


Original album cover

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Rusted Brain-High Voltage Thrash

Slaney Records*
2013

Warsaw-based Rusted Brain, who possess a killer name for a metal band, are a relatively new outfit having formed back in 2009. The group issued a 9-track demo, "Juggler", in 2011 with "High Voltage Thrash" being their full-length debut album. While the title gives away what Poland's Rusted Brain are all about (ie. fast and furious, high voltage thrash) theirs is a sound firmly rooted in the 80's scene. Metallica's "Kill Em' All" is the most obvious influence of this 4-piece act, but the band does toss in elements of Exodus, Razor, Overkill and Slayer to keep things churning in the right direction. Here and there you'll find some nwobhm moments (Iron Maiden and Satan come to mind), but all in all this is raw thrash and damn, is it every fine! Rumcayz (Damian Lodowski) handles vocals and bass on the album and his style can be traced back to underground death/thrash acts of the 80s. Rogal (Przemek Rogalski) takes care of lead and rhythm guitars and backing vocals while Kretu (Michal Czerniakowski) joins him as they shred through lead solos like Freddy Kruger slashing up his latest victim. Meanwhile drummer Beny (Benedykt Zwoliński)bashes the hell out of his set and as these four whip everything into a frenzied assault all you can do is stand back and enjoy the show! Again, my copy came from Tridoid Records and hearing "High Voltage Thrash" on headphones transported me back to high school and a time when these sort of bands were coming up the pipe-line faster then the speed of light! For old-school thrash fanatics this is a no-brainer!


*Cassette version released on Tridoid Records

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Saturday, May 18, 2013

Subset-Loverdose

Underly Records, Reality Records and Venombase Records
2013

When it comes to an album like "Loverdoes" yes, it takes the cooperation of 3 record labels coming together to release it! On their new release, number 8 in their short career, London's Subset offer up 14 tracks of high energy rock and roll/heavy metal that channel's everyone from Bad Religion to STP! That's 14 tracks with not a dud to be found among the bunch! But, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself (as per usual!) so, let's do a roll back and start from the beginning. Subset actually started out playing live in 2009. At the time they had no money to their name and no real resources. Their first tour, back in 2010, was even done without the aide of having their own van to transport them from one gig to the next! And it wasn't like these four gentlemen where just playing a hand-full of gigs here and there or anything. In fact, since playing out back in 2009, these rockers have become one of the hardest working bands to come out of London! Now that says something! Well, here it is 2013 and Subset, as stated above, are on release number 8! Now, while math was not always my strong suit, I believe that averages out to 2 releases a year!As this band is constantly on the road just when did they find the time to knock out 8 different releases? I wish I knew their secret to time management or had even a 1/3 of their apparent energy! Who am I kidding, I settle for 1/5 of it! Anyway, while I had planned to do a track by track breakdown in the end I decided it just wasn't all that necessary as all the tracks converge to create a classic rock release! I've already listened to this one several times through and, as I'm about to embark on a short 2 hour trek to a girlfriend's house, I plan to burn a cop for the road trip ahead. Why? Well, with their classic take on rock (by way of everything from punk rock and roll to post-grunge/radio rock) this one is custom built for the road...or your next party. It's just that kind of rock release. It's cool and hip like some new college rock band or hipster band without all the pomp and dress up! Why I'm just now hearing about these London rockers in another mystery in a life that holds far too many. But, I'm hearing about them now and spreading the love. This one is fun and laid back while never taking it's foot off of the peddle. "Loverdoes" could be called alt. rock or post-grunge/modern hard rock. It could be called garage rock or be looked at as more hipster rock. Whatever. The names not that important. What matters is that "Loverdose" is one for the records folks! Or, at the very least, the record collection! Good job Subset. Good job indeed.

http://subset.bandcamp.com/ 




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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Noisem-Agony Defined

A389 Recordings
2013

 
Here's the deal folks. This LP was actually released in 2012 under the band's previous moniker, Necropsy. Baltimore-based A389 Recordings scoped this album up for a re-release and, more then likely in an effort to differentiate themselves from the 4,000 other bands known as Necropsy, the band opted for the name change. I'd argue that was a good call for this Baltimore-based 5-piece as it will definitely help them stand out more on the world stage. This relatively young act was formed in 2008 with "Agony Defined" being their sole-recording. While the group might be young, both as a band and age-wise (all of these gents are YOUNG with bassist Yago Ventura (born in 1993) being the old man of the bunch!) there is a real sense of maturity from this group.Vocalist Tyler Carnes (Bloodlust, Cremator) is a real threat on the mic and the band, which is filled out by guitarists Sebastian Phillips & Travis Stone and drummer Harley Phillips (who is the same age as my teenage daughter!), play with such conviction and integrity (not to mention skill level!) that you'd swear they had been kicking things up for much longer then their brief existence! Sound-wise this is death/thrash along the lines of early Sepultura, Kreater, early Slayer, At War, Morbid Angel and early Artillery. Toss in some Demolition Hammer, Forbidden, early Sodom and Nuclear Assault and what you end up with a simply wicked 9-track album! While I'm not surprised that younger musicians can sound this wicked, as I know of other young musicians in thrash bands, I am surprised that this is the first time I'm hearing about this Baltimore-based act. If this is what they have to offer at this young junction of their lives then the sky's the limits for Noisem! Recommend for fans of any of the aforementioned acts or those that just like hell-spawned twisted death/thrash!


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Noisem/100512316809410?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://www.a389records.com
https://www.facebook.com/a389recordings
https://twitter.com/a389recordings

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Septekh-Apollonian Eyes EP

Abyss Records
2013

What should one reasonably expect while looking over this EP? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't know as I didn't know and, as such & everything being equal (and blah, blah) I sat on this 4-track release until it started to get ripe and smell! It might have been laziness or the worry that it would be dreadful. Man, I don't know. You'd think the tag, "dirty trashy death metal" might have appealed to me or even the talking points of "influenced by Motörhead & Black Sabbath", but nope, I skipped this one and just now got my crap in order to listen to and review this EP. And? Well, offhand you could call it a punk rawk Motörhead with more of a deathly vocalist. Said vocalist, Nils Grznls Mesekeother, leads this 4-piece band (Guitarist David Wikström, Bassist Patrik Ström and Drummer Staffan Persson round things out) through 15 minutes of the death n' roll, trash metal that's neither great nor ghastly.  If anything this third EP from Sweden's Septekh just goes to show that garage metal can be found anywhere around the world.

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Praesepe-Hybrid Creation

Self-Released/Independent*
2012

Poland's Praespe may trace their roots back to 1996, but "Hybrid Creation" is only their 3rd full-length release. For you see, from 1996 to 2002 they were known as Ars Moriendi and they were playing this  black/death form of metal. Well, they are actually still incorporating some black and death metal into their sound, but we're getting ahead of ourselves. Their Facebook page mentions that early on (when they were still known as Ars Moriendi) they were influenced by all sorts of things from the usual (death/black/doom/thrash) to the not-so-usual (progressive rock/industrial/jazz-classical/movie soundtracks). In 2002 came the name change with a demo, "Pretentious Circle", following shortly thereafter. Why the name change? We can only guess. Anyway, following another set of demos, 2003's  "Dance Of Eternal Madness" and 2005's "B Dead - Bizzare", the band finally issued a debut album in 2006. The oddly named "NGC 2632 v M44" set the stage for this Polish act and now, finally I know, we wrap our way back around to "Hybrid Creation". When the band formed back in 1996 they were a black/death metal outfit and now, with a little stream-lining (and the added addition of progressive and dark metal elements), they've achieved a nice balance between gnarly death metal and melodic/technical thrash. "Hybrid Creation", which was recorded in London and mixed & mastered in Poland by Widek (http://widekrecords.com/), is highlighted by the unholy vocals of Przemysław Kajnat (Eternal Deformity) who, in addition to unearthing these raw and sinister demonic growls, handles bass**. The rest of the line-up is filled out by guitarist Andrzej Komarek, guitarist Dominik Gryzbon (Themgoroth), drummer Balcer and guitarist Konrad. Studio guest musicians were as follows:
Destroyer - solo guitar in "Weakness"
Marcin - midi drums arrangements & programming
Paweł Kucyper - special sound effects
Vraath - bass

With 8 tracks total, and a run-time of 48:02 (per the Metal Archives), "Hybrid Creation" proved to a great way to start up my morning. On cassette you get a slightly gritty vibe which makes this release sound like an underground recording from the long-gone (and sadly missed) days of tape-trading. Whether one chooses to call this band progressive death metal, dark metal or a hybrid of death/black and progressive metal the tag doesn't really matter. What matters most is that this "little of this and little of that" Polish band is carrying on the fine tradition already established by so many of their fellow countrymen. Poland is well-known for having some of the best black and death metal acts out there and now, thanks to this cool little LP, everyone is able to see that the talent level there won't be drying up anytime soon!

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Praesepe/124582040946181
 

 https://www.facebook.com/TridroidRecords?fref=ts




*Cassette version released on  Tridroid Records
** The Facebook page lists Przemysław Kajnat as Praesepe's vocalist/bassist while the tape I have just has him listed as vocals & arrangements. My best guess is that he handles both live while on this album Vraath actually did the bass work.

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Monday, May 13, 2013

Chains-Dancing With My Demons 7"

Svart Records
2013


Chains was formed in 2010 by Etienne "Hellscream" Chelleri (Bleeding Fist, Naberius ). With Chains he is known as E. Chains and, prior to the recording of this limited 7", he handled all of the instruments and vocals. joined by Hour of 13's Lord Samhain. On "Dancing With My Demons" Lord Samhain, who actually joined up with E. Chains after the release of Chains' sole full-length recording, "Of Death", plays drums and end the result is rather chilling and eerie.  Reportedly earlier recordings (which also included the 9+ minute demo/single "All the Colors of the Dark") where similar in nature to Sunn O))), Moss and Urfaust, only with the added elements of 70's horror movies. Those 2 releases certainly sound like they would be worthwhile tracking down as the earlier recording were also said to be influenced by bands like Death SS and Paul Chain! Here though the music, which has this musty vibe to it, come creeping out slowing like a ghoulish skeleton from an old 70's Euro-thriller! On this 2-track release Chains experiments with not only drone and doom elements, but vintage death rock and horror rock. Toss in some dark metal and give the whole thing a ghoulish vibe and you've got "Dancing With My Demons".  With another full-length album due out in either 2013 or 2014 this 2-track 7" only serves as an appetizer for all the ghouls and boys out there!



https://www.facebook.com/ChainsOfficial?fref=ts

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Soulhealer-Chasing The Dream



Pure Legends Records
2013

Finland's Soulhealer have come a long way since forming in 2009. While their last release, "The Kings of Bullet Alley", was a self-release, which I covered, the group now is signed to Pure Legends Records. A word of congratulations is in order for this 5-piece group. With album number two now here (there was also an EP released in 2010 called "Dreamcatcher") the band has added another notch on their belt. Being lead by a talented vocalist like Jori Kärki obviously helps, but the rest of the band are no slouchers either as evident by the 10 tracks on album number two. When done right melodic heavy metal can be fun and adventurous without being too light or fluffy. With guitarists Sami Mikkonen and Teemu Kuosmanen laying down fantastic leads, and a talented new rhythm section (bassist Pasi Laakkonen and drummer Jani Nyman) keeping the pace, this new Soulhealer album is justly-titled. With "Chasing The Dream" it certainly seems as if Soulhealer are living their dream of becoming a top-notch heavy metal outfit!

http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=soulhealer

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Sunday, May 12, 2013

Interview with Canada's Shock


Sometimes good things really do come to those who wait. Such is the case with Canadian thrashers Shock. The band,  which actually was formed back in 1985, just recently released their first official LP. "Once Denied", which I  just recently reviewed (link below), was a long time coming for this class act, but it was well worth the wait as it comes packed with 8 tracks of superb power/thrash! Recently I had pleasure of chatting with Shock members Steve Monette (bass) and John Tennant (guitars) about "Once Denied" and the band in general. I just want to thank the two of them for taking the time to talk with Heavy Metal Time Machine. If you haven't had the opportunity to listen to "Once Denied" yet then be sure to head over to the group's bandcamp page (http://shockmetal.bandcamp.com/ ) . Especially if you like straight-up heavy metal along the lines of Megadeth. And finally be sure to check out the band's Facebook page as well: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shock/155776471171802?ref=ts&fref=ts





Andy- First off I would just like to congratulate you guys on the long-awaited/long-anticipated "Once Denied". Can you give us a brief rundown on how, after forming over 25 years ago, this new album went down?

Steve – Thanks very much, we’re very happy with how it has turned out. When the band split up it was very amicable. We had been going for approximately 6 years and had done numerous demos and pushed really hard, but we were hit with the record industry’s push towards grunge that was coming in the early 90’s and that wasn’t who Shock was, so instead of compromising our music and who we were, we decided to end it. Fast forward to the end of 2011 and Tony decided to call everybody up and reform the band – mostly for the enjoyment of playing the songs again.

Andy-Now, Shock actually formed back in 1985 right? How did the band come together?

John - The band was formed by Tony and myself. We worked near each other and would meet for coffee to talk about our musical interests; both of us were 'between bands', so we met to knock around a few ideas. Slashing to Live came out of one of these riff-writing sessions. We came from the same 70s hard rock background, and became infatuated with the NWOBHM and Bay Area bands who were redefining Metal in the early 80s. That was our motivation when we formed Shock in 1985 - to be a part of that new movement, and try to play with as many other bands as we could. Our ambitions were actually pretty modest!

Andy-What were some of Shock's early influences?

John - The band's early influences are the usual hard rock reference points - Rush, KISS, old Maiden & Priest. We started to write around the time that No Life 'til Leather & Kill Em All came out; they were huge influences. We were also big fans of the first 2 Megadeth albums. We can listen to a lot of our older songs & reference exactly what we were listening to when we wrote them!

Andy-Despite rave reviews for your demos Shock was never able to issue an official release until now. Was there ever any offers from labels back in the day?

John - No, we never had any concrete offers from labels back in the day. We mailed out countless press kits, and met with some A&R people, but nothing came of it. With hindsight, the production quality & rushed performances on most of the recordings definitely didn't help our cause, although we still believe in the quality of the songs. We did, however, sign a 1-year management deal with Seip Management, which managed Helix: this led to a series of gigs and more contact with labels – but nothing ever materialized from that.

Andy-You guys choose 8 classic songs for "Once Denied". Was there any talk about recording a new track to go along with these songs?

Steve – It was briefly discussed when we first got back together about writing some new songs, but it was quickly decided that we would concentrate on our back catalog. We easily have enough songs for another two albums – that’s not to say we are never going to write new material, but we just have so many songs that we like that were never released it seemed pointless to start to work on new songs right now.

Andy-The band reformed in 2011 from what I've read online and then you guys opened for Helix at a sold-out show in March of 2012. How did that come about?


Steve – It was in the fall of 2011 that we had our first rehearsals, with no real goal in mind – just to play our old songs and enjoy them. Right from the beginning everything was sounding really good. At that point we decided to enter the studio and record 3-4 songs so we could have them for our own listening with much better production than how the originals were recorded. While we were in rehearsals for that we were offered the Helix show, the band was tight and we only needed to add a few more songs to give us a full set, so we did it. Once that was over we were entering the studio and we already had a full album’s worth of material ready to go, so we figured we might as well record them all.


Andy-In all those years apart how were you guys keeping busy?

Steve – Tony, John and myself all had families, jobs and the usual things. Tony kept playing music and teaching.

Andy-"Once Denied" was given some serious props by the likes of Dan Beehler (Exciter) Joey Vera (Armored Saint/Fates Warning/Engine/Anthrax and countless more!) and even famed journalist Martin Popoff! I'd imagine that was a rush of encouragement right?

 Steve – Anytime someone “gets” what it is that you’re trying to do with your music it’s really the most satisfying thing any musician can ask for and when it’s someone who you respect and admire for what they’ve done in their career it only multiplies that.

Andy-How did you manage to reel in drummer Chad Walls?

Steve – Chad works as a drum teacher at the same music school that Tony teaches guitar at, and they’ve known each other for years. When our last drummer was unable to join us, Tony approached Chad about paying with us and after Chad listened to a few of our old demos he was in.

Andy-So far the reviews for "Once Denied" have been glowing. In your eyes does that affirm that Shock was (and still is) the real deal and that record labels screwed up by passing on you guys back in the day?

John - Bitterness is a negative emotion, so that's not a factor. However, we do feel a great deal of pride and vindication at the attention and positive comments that our work is bringing in 2013. We chalk it up to a series of life experiences, most importantly, get the best musicians available to do the job, and get a guy behind the engineering console who truly understands what you're trying to do.

Andy-You guys have opened for some huge bands like Motörhead and Saxon. Any shows that still stick out after all these years?

John - Megadeth was a highlight ... we were, and still are, huge fans. They were touring just before the release of "Peace Sells", with King Diamond - we wanted to open the show, but the club owner didn't think there  would be room for 3 bands. The day of the show, King Diamond cancelled, so we were called, on short notice, to open. We got to hang out with Megadeth during the day, and they were very gracious to us; they also put on a killer performance. We were told later, by a mutual contact, that Megadeth really enjoyed our show as well. And ... Gar Samuelson - RIP. We were also fortunate to do a few shows with Montreal, Canada band Sword, including a sold-out show at the Spectrum in Montreal in front of about 1,500 people. Great guys: they've reformed, so our tour trails may cross again!


Andy-Hailing from Canada and all what's the furthest from home that Shock has ever played?

Steve – We’ve played in the farthest reaches of Ontario and Quebec, which is actually 1/3 the size of all of Europe

Andy-Are there any plans to tour now that "Once Denied" has been released? Perhaps in Ohio LOL?

Steve – Long range tours are not in the plans right now, but we’re certainly open to interesting shows and festivals.

Andy-Getting back to the album for a second it does seem as if the title, "Once Denied", is like a subtle jab at the music industry. Was that the case?


Steve – The title came from a line in the song "Fighting Chance", that states “Once denied…now my right” and we all felt that the lyrics of that song really summed up the history of the band and that line in particular stood out. Was it a jab – not really, it was more a statement that we weren’t taking no for an answer this time – we were releasing this CD one way or another.

Andy-What's your favorite song on the new album?

John - Favorite song is always a tough one, like asking who your favorite child is! I am very partial to "Splitting the Atom", though - the song has taken on a life of it's own with the band's new rhythm section. The song's main riff is very powerful, and sounds like a tank - the lyrics are also, unfortunately, timeless, as the spectra of nuclear war remains in the headlines. The acoustic guitar break & a couple of studio effects make the song a good headphone listen as well.

Steve – Favorite song is a difficult one as John said. For me it can really depend on what kind of mood I’m in. It can also depend on if you’re asking favorite song to play or to listen to. Overall though I would have to choose "Paths of Glory", as it’s a really heavy song with some cool time changes and I really like the lyrics

Andy-Good call as both of those cuts are killer! So, what does 2013 and beyond have in store for Shock?

Steve – Right now we are just trying to promote the CD as best we can, and get the word out. We are also looking for some interesting shows to play like some opening slots for bigger bands, as they can be great for exposure and opening us up to new audiences.

Andy-I'll leave you with the final word. Anything else you want to add, share or say?

Steve – Andy, we just want to say thanks to you for the interview and for reviewing our CD. As stated earlier it really means a lot to us when someone “gets” what we are doing – we’d all rather play to a crowd of 5 people who are totally into our music as opposed to 500 who don’t care. 

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