Interview with LUNAR SHADOW (2017)

by Vpower

The Band: Lunar Shadow

Country: Germany

Answers by: Max "Savage" Birbaum (guitars)

https://www.facebook.com/lunarshadowband

Believe me when I tell you that LUNAR SHADOW has booked a place in the history of Epic Heavy Metal with his first full-length “Far from Light”. Max, the mastermind behind this great German act, has accomplished a new level in terms of melodies and epic tunes, kind of their own sound and a path to follow for other bands to come. The work on guitars is absolutely amazing in this new chapter, the natural evolution from their EP and genuine Max’s epic concept. It’s a pleasure to talk with Max again, he writes music as well as he writes about anything, just check it below.

Hello Max and congratulations for you new and fantastic album, Far from Light

Ave and thank you, friend. First I'd like to mention, that I'm glad to speak with you again, you supported us from the very beginning and I don't forget such things.

Thanks Max, I am also glad to talk to you again and see that Lunar Shadow continues to grow. Last time we talked you had just released your first songs included in your Ep Triumphator. Around two years later we get your first full-length, Far from Light. How satisfied are you with the final result?

I am quite satisfied with the result and believe me, it has been a long and hard road. Sometimes I even struggled to see the light in the near future, but getting all this positive feedback now makes me see, that it was all worth it and I am proud of this album.

Triumphator was good, but I think with Far from Light you have given a tremendous step forward in terms of composition, melodies and feeling

I agree. This has mostly to do with the fact, that this time we had much more time and therefore could work more detailed and calm. "Triumphator" was recorded in a few days, most time being in a hurry, our drummer recorded his tracks in one fast session, mainly first-takes. This time we took our time, worked everything out and you can hear the result. Also it was clear to me, that on our first EP we would feature my faster, shorter songs, that are more direct. For this album we finally engaged the longer, more epic ones.

Absolutely true. How long have you been working on Far from Light and how was the composition process?

The production started in early summer (May) and lasted til autumn, late October/early November. It was quite an exhausting process for me, because I nearly attended all studio sessions, not only my own guitar tracks. We sometimes worked 12 hours per day on the songs and at some point you're just done. Tired, nothing works anymore, then you have to stop and return another day. As "Far From Light" is an album about Death, strange things occured in the studio. On the very first day, our producer, who felt fine all day, suddenly started to feel bad, he got high fever then and even ended in hospital, so we had to postpone the recordings for some weeks. Our singer suddenly got sick while recording, also our drummer. Guess it's the touch of decay, that somehow flowed into this album.

Nothing comes for free, and surely "Far From Light" has left blood and tears in his path. All the pieces fit perfectly in your new album, but I was absolutely surprised by the tons and tons of great riffs and solos you deliver. Is Max responsible for all that huge work or you have had some help?

No, in fact the songs were all written by me alone. It's always nice to hear, that people appreciate your work. This time we worked on all the small details, the overdubs, the riffs, if I didn't like a take, we just recorded it anew, on "Triumphator" we often had to use takes, that maybe weren't perfect, but we were under time pressure. Only my guitar solos are still 90% improvised and often first-takes. Only the solo of "The Kraken" had a planned structure.

There is also a brilliant development of melodies compared to your previous work, I even think that this has become one of your trade marks, it’s really hard to find another act so inspired in that field, you could become kind of inspiration for other bands in the future…

I agree, that there aren't that many acts these days, who work with that many twin-guitar leads. Dark Forest, our friends, are masters in that field too, I also like Seven Sisters fe. If we are able to inspire, which is a strong word, other bands I cannot really tell. If others like our music and get a bit of inspiration from it, that's nice. But please don't just copy our sound, I'm quite satisfied with the rather "Unique" sound we have achieved now haha.

Hahaha I guess it is not that easy to copy it. It seems there was not change in your line-up since the Triumphator release, this probably has helped to get to a higher level in terms of composition?

Absolutely. One important thing fe. was, that on "Triumphator" our singer Alex was relatively new to the band. This time he was part of the band for longer, we had many a gig together and I think you can hear this in his singing. It's wonderful when your band mates are your friends and you can fully rely on them. Another example, one of the few recording sessions I didn't attend was bass guitar, because I know Sven and he is so trained and technically excellent, I knew he'd do a great job and not fuck things up, haha.

Hahaha, really good. I suppose your followers have been growing steadily since your first songs were published, you have been touring around and the word of mouth seems that have worked very well, do you feel that warm welcome from fans?

Certainly there will be new fans, when "Far From Light" is finally out and we're already rehearsing a lot to present things properly on stage. I really love our fans, they are very loyal, they travel for hours and hours from for example Munich in South Germany to the West just to hear us play and sometimes even leave, when our set is finished. This dedication means everything to me and I will never forget to be thankful.

I think I do not exaggerate a bit if we say that Lunar Shadow enters by its on right in the selected club of epic acts such as Manilla Road, Atlantean Kodex, Visigoth, Omen…, one of those bands always anticipated by fans

Oh, well that question is always a little hard to answer, if you're a band member and directly involved. I love all the bands you listed here, if people become anywhere as loyal and dedicated to our music as they are to Manilla Road, Kodex, Omen or Visigoth, I'd be proud and could die a happy man. Guess it's just wait and see.

If we talk about single songs in the album is really hard to choose just one or a few of them,  because another feature of Far from Light is that you are able to keep the great level of intensity and elaboration from the first tunes of Hadrian Carrying Stones till the end of the album

I do have certain favourites of course and also songs, where I'm in doubt sometimes (but I don't want to name them). Seen as one, I think the album keeps a certain level, yes. I really like the acoustic parts in the songs, "Gone Astray" is extremely important to me personally, the solo of "Cimmeria" gets me every time, I have no idea how I actually played that haha.  The album should also be seen and listened to as one.

Yeah, if I had to choose anything for a live set, probably I would name Hadrian Carrying Stones or Cimmeria. Is there any truck you struggle more than the others to accomplish?

"Hadrian Carrying Stones" has already been part of our live set in the last year, so we'll certainly play that one. Yes, sort of, some tracks are more difficult than others, "Cimmeria" fe. Has some tricky drum parts. Also it's not always that easy to recreate the acoustic pieces on stage. But we work on that, I guess somehow we'll manage to find a good, new set list.

There are songs like The Kraken where the melodies are simply top, it reminds me of Warlord, with Tsamis mastering of melodic guitars. This is something you have developed by yourself or it was inspired by bands as that?

I do love the early Warlord and the guitars there, but  to be honest I never say "I now want to sound like Bill Tsamis!" or something. It's something that just happened, I write and play the sort of Heavy Metal, the sort of melodies and solos, that I personally like. And if that reminds people of Warlord, I'm perfectly fine with that.

The rhythm section has accomplished a great task, a very detailed work that prepares the pace for the guitars to shine

I agree, my bandmates did an awesome job, every one of them. Without them, all my playing would be worthless.

You have been signed by Cruz del Sur Music, it doesn’t surprise me a bit, if I tell you the truth, because those guys have a very good eye for signing cool and great new bands that are rising or giving their first steps. The strange would be that you released Far from Light by yourself, as you did with the ep. How do you feel about it?

First of all, it was always clear, that I wanted this album to be released by a proper label. We released our EP by ourselves, there was no label involved, we fought for everything we have now. With the EP this was fine and the way I wanted it to be, but with this album it was different.

Cruz Del Sur has been the best solution and I'm proud to be part of it. Enrico is absolutely dedicated to Heavy Metal and his bands, the whole roster of CDS is awesome. Enrico liked the EP and we had a long talk then last year at "Harder Than Steel" Festival, I showed him some pre-production recordings and when he asked me, if we'd like to join Cruz Del Sur I gladfully said yes.

I have come to know that Max is also an author, having written a trilogy called “Sturmwind”. With that background I suppose the lyrics is only your work? Where did you get that fondness for writing? Do you still write or you are just focused in Lunar Shadow and all what is around it?

Yes, I also wrote all of the lyrics, though my prose and LS don't intertwine with each other. I released two books in the vein of Tolkien or Robert E. Howard and one book in the style of Houellebecq. I always saw my books as a small tribute to these authors and it was refreshing and purifying to write down your own ideas and also sort of therapy yourself through this. I have stopped writing prose though, I only write some small poems from time to time, for my own pleasure.

Cool enough! Max, in the ep the lyrics followed the Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard’s themes, I suppose with Far from Light you continue this working line, right?

In a way I did, yes. "Cimmeria" was of course inspired by Robert E. Howard, "Earendil" by Tolkien and "The Kraken" is a perverted piece of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poems. These are just the things that rouse my interest, escapism in its purest form. Other worlds, other lands, far away from this place here.

The coverart, though still epic, has some a more refined air to me , I mean, in your ep Triumphator the cover was more evident or direct if you want to say it that way, it seems in this subject you have also evolved to a more detailed work that really fits your progression in the compositions

I know, what you mean. I knew, that "Far From Light" would deal with, let's say, more serious matters. Death. Loss. Isolation and loneliness. A cover with a sword-swinging barbarian would just have been strange. Therefore this more "mature" and epic cover was the logical result.

The songs have grown in complexity and elaboration, how near is your live performance to the studio sound?

Of course we cannot play fe. all twin-leads plus rhythm guitars live, we had to hire a third guitarist for that. But we try to come as close  to the album sound as possible when we play live. I do many backing vocals, our bass player Sven too and it works well.

Do you have already any tour dates programmed for this 2017? Will you visit Spain?

Right now as I am writing this there are only two shows set in Germany. We are not a touring band, that will never happen, but if we get an interesting offer from Spain, of course. I'd like to play there for sure.

Hopefully you will visit us sooner than later. Again, a pleasure to talk you, Max. Thank you very much.

Gracias.

Death To Life

Etapa 7 Vuelta a España

Vamos con la séptima etapa, de 205,2 km. La etapa más larga de la Vuelta, con un terreno rompepiernas hasta llegar a Cuenca. La subida al castillo, con su característico empedrado, puede provovar una división del pelotón para aprovechar las partes lisas de la calzada.

Tercer día de recorrido de la Vuelta Ciclista a España 2017 por carreteras de la Comunitat Valenciana. Tras dos etapas de ruta íntegra por las provincias de Castellón y Valencia, en el viernes 25 de agosto el pelotón recorrerá 207 kilómetros entre Llíria y Cuenca pasando por municipios valencianos como Casinos, Losa del Obispo, Chelsa, Titaguas o Aras de los Olmos. En esta séptima etapa se subirán el Puerto de la Montalbana (8 kilómetros de ascensión al 4,3% de tercera categoría), Alto de la Santa Cruz de Moya (8,7 kilómetros de ascensión al 4%, de tercera categoría) y Alto del Castillo (2 kilómetros de ascensión al 7,2%, de tercera categoría). Después de lo que vivimos ayer cualquier cosa puede pasar, desde hace unos años sabemos que en la Vuelta nunca te puedes confiar en que el día sea tranquilo, al contrario que el Tour que nos brinda etapas soporíferas con bastante frecuencia.

Devils, devils (by Argus)

Etapa 6 de la vuelta

La etapa 6 de la Vuelta 2017 se desarrolla entre Villarreal y Sagunto. 204,4 kilómetros de ruta con el paso por cinco puertos: Alto de Alcudia de Veo (11 kilómetros de ascensión con un promedio del 3,4%), Puerto de Eslida (5,3 kilómetros de ascensión con un promedio del 5,1%), Alto de Chirivilla (7,9 kilómetros de ascensión con un promedio del 4,1%), Puerto del Oronet (6,4 kilómetros de ascensión con un promedio del 4%) y el Puerto del Garbí (9,3 kilómetros de ascensión con un promedio del 5,1%).

Etapa propicia para las escapadas. La subida al Garbí puede reagrupar una selección que se dispute la victoria, pero todo depende de la solidez de la fuga.

How heavy this axe (by The Sword)

Interview with TALSUR

by Vpower

The band: Talsur

Country: Russia

Answers by: Talsur (all instruments & voices)

https://talsur.bandcamp.com/

Today we talked to TALSUR, a young musician, full of ideas and a guy that takes music to the personal field, both as a pleasure and as a cure, as he states, but evidently for anyone out there to listen to it and enjoy it. With a very creative sense, Talsur has already released 4 full-lengths, and I suspect he is not going to stop just there, hopefully. You can expect more and better every time from this Russian musician. Welcome to his world.

Hi Talsur and welcome to our site

Hello and thank you. It's an honour for me.

The honour is ours. Talsur is a Russian band formed in 2015, a one-man band that shares its name with the only member in it. How did you start the project and why a one-man band?

You know, for me Talsur is a kind of cure. I've been doing music for a long time. But about three years ago, I first heard the doom metal. It was My Dying Bride, Forest Of Shadow, Type O Negative, all those guys. And just at that time I had big problems in my life, it was very hard. And this music helped me, I realized that this is my favorite music. And then I decided to try to do something similar. I found that in me enough grief for the first two albums. Why a one-man band, well for me it's just easier. You know, for me it’s something personal, and I don’t want to involve in it other people. This is my own Calvary, if I may say so.

You do all instrumentation and voices as well, but you feel more comfortable playing what?

Most comfortable for me to play the guitar. The first time I took her in 6 years. I'm 19 now, and it's still in my hands. I am studying in the Academy of music, so I always have room to grow. It's great. Music is a boundless ocean.  And it can be studied endlessly.

We didn’t suspect you were that young, your music sounds mature enough. One question is clear, Talsur is a hard worker, you just need to have a look at your releases: one ep and 4 full-length albums since the band kicked off in 2015

I don’t know if you can call me a hard worker, because for me it is not hard to write songs. Music gives me real pleasure. Even despite the fact that it is grim. In my mind there is a thought, then a second, then another and another, and so I dipped in creativity. I get a lot of things. Then I edit it all, sort, and share with others. I am glad that my music helps someone, and it only stimulates me to further work.

Not all your albums have the same quality in our opinion, but you truly have experienced and ascendant line in composition, a constant improvement

Yes, initially there were problems with quality. There are several factors. Firstly, in my town are not many professional studios. In addition, their services are cost the resources by which I don’t have. And third, I was vital to start creating. Moreover, alone I began to study sound recording. This is also a useful skill. Now, thanks to the Internet, you can learn anything. And I'm learning. Listening previous albums, I see mistakes, which further try to avoid. This self-development, and it's great.

In terms of sound, what has been Talsur’s evolution?

Well, the sound of first album is pretty raw. Then I did not care about the quality. I just wanted to make music as more sad as possible. Even the drums I recorded manually on the keyboard. The second album, it seems to me, has the most poor quality of them all. I went too far with compression and effects. Drums were recorded as well - on the keyboard. Then I learned a couple of useful programs, and the drums began to sound more decently. The sound of third album Inanitas deliberately overloaded, because I wanted to do something psychedelic scary, and even evil. Before writing the fourth album, I listened to a lot of the previous three. Found  errors and ways to eliminate them. I listened to the other groups, and paid attention not to the music, but the record itself, mixing. Perhaps that is why Slough of Despond came out most qualitative.

As we said, 4 albums in almost 2 years, how long do you usually need to finish up an album and how is the process?

Differently. I think on the average writing music takes from two weeks to four months. Plus a week or two on the record. I wrote Slough of Despond for four months. Here's how it happens. I pick up a guitar and play something. As soon as I wrote a sufficient number of tunes, I pick it up in one song. Then I think of the vocal melody and lyrics. Sometimes I am working on a few songs at a time. Sometimes inspiration comes to me suddenly, and in my head just playing some melody. Then I need to urgently record it on a dictaphone or write on the paper. Same thing with the lyrics. And as I said, all this gives me great pleasure.

As the only musician, what is the part more difficult to complete? Do you hate some specific task of the process?

The hardest thing for me - to hear my own voice :) In fact, most problems occur when I'm recording vocals. Sometimes it’s difficult to select from multiple takes the best, and I just recording all over again. And yet it’s difficult to find the right effects for the atmosphere. Wind, sound of the sea, etc.

Any weak points you are conscious you need to improve?

I'm working on vocals, clean and growl. Also I would like more to know about the proper construction of the arrangements.

Well, you have demonstrated your steady improvement, so we only expect the better for further releases. What are your main influences as musician?

As I said, the very first was My Dying Bride, Type O Negative and Forest Of Shadows. Later, I discovered a lot of great bands. Among them Draconian, Mournful Congregation, Clouds, Fallen, Swallow The Sun, Shape of Despair. I love the last two albums Virgin Black, it's brilliant. When I became interested stoner, the most listened to Electric Wizard and Kyuss.

Usually, what are the lyrics about? Any general topic or each album is different?

Yes, every album - it is a separate chapter. The first two tell us about what people do with this world. How we are raping our own home. In the end, suffering of people forced Azrael burn everything around. After the death of world the character (that is, the listener) is captured by a terrible and incomprehensible emptiness, Inanitas. And when the fog of emptiness is dissipated, a character realizes that he is completely alone. And this solitude is the theme of the album Slough of Despond. It is on this album was first mentioned suicide. However, all these albums are united by one more theme. The death of the beloved. There is the influence of Edgar Allan Poe.

Pretty cool, indeed. Talking about your new release Slough of Despond, the best in my opinion, we are going to find great riffs on it and great atmospheres too

I also think that the Slough of Despond is the most successful Talsur’s album. I think the reason is that attitude to this release was more meticulously. Besides, I moved to another city, and has been busy. And I have looked to Slough of Despond from another angle. I had the time for painstaking work on every song that I did. And riffs were taken exactly as well - very carefully. By the time I was listening to a lot of different music, not only doom. Everything is mixed up in me and has given the desired effect. I did not limit myself, and soberly assess my strength. That’s why, probably, the album and gave such nice results.

Some previous albums were more in the stoner/doom field, but with Slough of Despond we get also a good dose of black and funeral doom, although with great and clean guitars here and there that throw light and fresh oxygen into the songs

Yes, it is. As I said, this is due to a certain concept, which connects all the albums. The third album was to be exactly in stoner, so that after him was exactly a funeral doom. This contrast shows very clearly the emotions of the character, which can be every listener.

Slough of Despond stands by itself like a very good album and you should experience an international response. So far you have released all your albums with no label, any news in this matter?

To be honest, I did not think that my music is suitable for a certain label. I did it for myself, for friends. It just helped me cope with the pain. So when the Slough of Despond caused such a reaction, I was much surprised. By the way, I would like to thank everyone who supported me and who contributed to the spread of Talsur music. It’s very nice, and means a lot for me. Of course, these results make me to think about the future plans. It’s possible that the fifth album will be released at some label, but I can’t promise anything.

Well, never say never… By the way, I like very much the cover of Slough of Despond with that dark ambient, is it also yours?

No, I am not the author. This fragment of paintings by russian artist of the 19th century Ivan Aivazovsky titled "Calm". I'm only slightly processed it. The original painting is bright and serene, and I made him cold and lifeless, what should be the funeral doom.

Will you continue this crazy pace you have kept for the last two years or you will make a break to get new ideas or whatever?

Perhaps I need a little rest. Although I love doing music, my fourth album exhaust me. But I know what I have to do this year, so the rest will not be long.

I was almost sure of it  :) How can anyone buy your albums?

All albums are available on the official bandcamp. Also there is a few forums, where Talsur albums could be downloaded for free.

Have you made any gigs around?

As soon as I founded Talsur, I decided to abandon the concert activity. After all, this music is a very personal and gloomy. It would be hard to play it in public. Let each who like my music, Talsur will be a true friend, who alone with a listener will share his grief.

Have you ever thought of making Talsur a band with more members?

No, Talsur has always been and will be one-man band. It’s an expression of my personal thoughts and feelings. If it’s involved someone else, it will be not Talsur.

I understand. What are your plans for the future?

The plans are all the same - to make music. This year will definitely be a new EP and a single. Also I would like to do split with someone. All news appear on the official page vk.com and twitter.

Thank you very much for your attention, Talsur, and we will follow and comment your new material

I would like to thank metalbrothers.es for support. I wish more success to you and your site. Also sending rays of goodness to all readers. Listen to more music, guys, and love each other. And of course, stay doom.

La Vuelta 22 agosto

Vuelta Ciclista a España: Benicàssim-Alcossebre

Quinta etapa, de 173,4 km. Media montaña, con final en alto. El terreno es rompepiernas desde el inicio. Los puertos no son excesivamente duros, pero desgastan al pelotón para que la llegada a la Ermita de Santa Lucía, la primera en alto de esta Vuelta, sea espectacular.

Una etapa ideal para que alguno de los grandes tenga un día malo y pierda tiempo, ya lo vimos hace poco con Contador, aunque con el año que lleva ya no es una sorpresa. En definitiva, una etapa que se promete divertida e interesante. 

Funeral Waltz (by Talsur)

Interview with DREAD SOVEREIGN

by Vpower

The Band: Dread Sovereign

Country: Ireland

Answers by:  Nemtheanga (bass, vocals)

https://www.facebook.com/DreadSovereign

On March 3rd you will get through Ván Records the second full-length from Dublin-based trio DREAD SOVEREIGN, a doom combo that with For Doom the Bell Tolls confirms they are at the top of the subgenre, they breath the old classic sound and they deliver a raw doom with so much feeling, an album that captures the long experience of these guys. Time to make the lights down and get into the darkness…

Hello guys and congratulations for your new album For Doom the Bell Tolls

Thanks

Dread Soreveign was born in 2013 but you needed only 2 or 3 years to get a name in the scene an rise up much expectations about your new release

I mean look it helps I am in Primordial of course but DS is it’s own entity, and I think the quality of the band speaks for itself. It just needed some focus on my part…….

Pray to the Devil in Man was a great  ep that put you in the map, very acclaimed around by fans and media

Well sure Burning World trusted me to make it happen without hearing what we were doing and then our first show at Roadburn. The idea of DS had been in my conscience for years but the pieces only fell into place the last couple of years. it was rough and raw and recorded and mixed in 6 hours…..but it has something for sure

6 hours is not a bad mark…With All Hell's Martyrs, your first full-length, you continue growing and recruiting followers

I guess we did…

So, your second album, For Doom the Bell Tolls,  was very much anticipated. You have taken your time to release it, 3 years since All Hell's Martyrs , did you feel the pressure or you were conditioned by the high expectations?

It was less than 3 years I think. No I don’t give a shit about anything like that. No one is going to get an album per year from any band I am in, Life gets in the way. Other peoples expectations have no effect on me at all.

How long have you really worked on For Doom the Bell Tolls?

I mean look I put the final pieces on one song the day before recording. I do things spontaneously in the studio also, nothing is worked out 100% I trust in my ability to deliver under pressue…...

You are 3 guys in the band, any one of you taking more composing load than the others?

Yeah me…..i write I guess 80-90% of the music? but we all structure it and Bones always puts the meat on the bones of my riffs. I just come with an idea and a basic skeleton. The lyrics, aesthetic and all of that are mine however.

Since I read the album’s title I told myself, “oh yeah, this is gonna be doom metal all the way, no jokes here”. I think your fans will be pretty satisfied with the final result

Well hey it’s a play on Hemingway and also Metallica……just sounds pretty damn cool and fits in with the aesthetic right?

You guys are from Dublin, well known for the Guinness but, to be sincere, not that much for the Metal, and less the Doom Metal. Do you have already a street with your name in the city?

Yeah I’m the fuckin Mayor…...

I suspected it… As your previous effort, For Doom the Bell Tolls will be released by Ván Records, are the guys burning all the meat on the grill for you?

Sure. They are great……mutual love and trust.

Beautiful. Comparing For Doom the Bell Tolls with your second album the winner is…? Any significant difference?

The winner? i dont look at it  like that. I’m proud of all of it

For the new comers it may be like…”wow, these guys are so cool”, but you have been around before in bands like Plagued, Blood Revolt, Perdition or Abbadon of Incarnate, burning your skin under sunshine… I mean, usually in this life, nothing comes for free

Eh……Primordial……also altar of plagues, wizards of firetop mountain, zom…...yeah iwe/’ve been around, we’ve all been around. We are old hands at this band thing but together we have a special chemistry. without a doubt

In your sound album we can feel the influence of bands like Candlemass, Saint Vitus, Trouble, Black Sabbath, even underground legends Cirith Ungol

Great sure…..definitely!!!! i dont give a fuck about being original, if that happens great, if not…..the riff is the riff. also for me add old old demo black metal simple riffs style of rotting christ, varathron, samael, acheron and masters hammer

One of the things I love in your approach is the great blend of dark atmospheres with a heavy metal spirit, it flows naturally, even in some songs we can appreciate a little taste of the darkest NWOBHM sound

Of course……i am a complete nwobhm fan so you can also hear angel witch, witchfynde, trespass, pagan altar etc…..and dont forget hawkwind and motorhead also…...

Clear as water. You have done a version of Venom’s “Live like an Angel, Die like a Devil”, how did you choose it?

We play it live…..the record live…..the gear was set up so we bashed through it

For Doom the Bell Tolls is up to the expectations, but surely the fans wil be, I am, asking for more. Are you already working on new tracks?

Nope……we might make a speed metal kinda 10” later this year, like motorhead, venom, verbal abuse meets gbh and destructor or something…..who knows

Will you release any video or some material for promotion purposes?

We are discussing that right now….i have a plan but we shall see

Any gigs around for this 2017? Will Spain be among the awarded?

Yeah we hope so……later in the year I guess though

Yeah!

Retaliation (by Goath)

MOSCOW PEACE FEST'89

Do you remember...?

 

The Story of Savatage

A veces me despierto y pienso que Savatage es la mejor banda que ha conocido el mundo, otras veces pienso que es Judas Priest. Y otras veces escucho a Pagan Altar y digo que todo esto es como deshojar margaritas, so... fuck off!!

Torturmantra (by Gravdal)

Under the spell (by Hexx)

Para de Contar

Hoy Contador ha anunciado su retirada, por fin dirán algunos, porque su rendimiento en las últimas grandes vueltas no correspondía a las expectactivas que él mismo se fijaba. Pero aparte de eso hay que reconocerle que nunca ha cambiado su forma de correr y siempre ha sido un gran animador de la carrera.

Además, ahí queda su tremendo palmarés, entre otras muchas cosas, 9 Grandes Vueltas: iro de Italia 2008, 2011 y 2015, Tour de Francia 2007, 2009 y 2010 y Vuelta España 2008, 2012 y 2014, poca broma.

Se cierra con él una de las etapas más brillantes del ciclismo español y deja en el horizonte el interrogante de hacia dónde camina el ciclismo español, huérfano fe equipos, de sponsors y desperdiciando seguramente mucho talento por el camino. Si no se pone remedio a esa situación a medio o largo plazo las cosas pintan bastante crudas. Pero de momento habrá que disfrutar de contador en su última gran vuelta, la Vuelta a España que promete emociones fuertes con casi todos los favoritos subidos al carro.

Interview with VENENUM

by Vpower

The Band: Venenum

Country: Germany

http://www.munenev.com/

VENENUM is a German death metal act that debuted with the EP Venenum in 2011. After that a long wait until their first full-length that will be out on Mach 17^th  through    Sepulchral Voice Records. The wait is over and if you like death metal you won’t be disappointed.

Venenum started back in 2008 and you released your first recording in 2011, the Ep Venenum. Why so many years between that ep and your new album "Trance of Death"?

One of the main reasons was the distance in between us. I was living in Austria until a year ago and we weren’t able to rehearse as a full band on a frequent base. It was hard to make progress and it took a long time for the album to take shape. Then our old guitarist left the band which didn’t make things easier and we had to continue as a three-piece for some time until we found a new one.

What has changed, if something, since that 2011 till now?

A lot of things have changed since the release of our mini-album. We got a new guitarist who is contributing a lot to the band and I moved to Germany a little bit over a year ago. Since then things are going very well.

Your Ep was much acclaimed by fans, but those fans have been waiting and starving a long time for your new album. Now the wait is over and I believe those fans will be more than satisfied with "Trance of Death"

We put a lot of time and effort in this record and are very proud of the result. The new album is quite a step forward compared to our first release but it has definitely been a natural progression though it might seem like a bigger change for the listener who hasn’t got the insight on the time in between the records. 

How much of that gap of 5 years you have dedicated to compose the new album and how much to watch reality shows on tv :), hang out around or whatever?

We have spent all the time and opportunities available to us on writing this album.

Who are the guys in charge of the composition tasks inside the band?

We are all involved in the songwriting and work on the material together as a band.

"Trance Of Death" will be released on March 17th, will you publish any single, lyric video, etc before that date?

There will be a song or two available to listen to online before the release date.

"Trance Of Death" sets Venenum as one of the Death Metal bands of the moment, dark, intense and full of variety

Atmosphere and diversity is very important to us and we try to create different moods with our music. This album definitely doesn’t lack of intensity or variety.

What bands have influenced your sound?

We are influenced by a lot of different genres and bands, too many to list.

Maybe now it's time for Venenum to influence other bands in the future...

That’s not for us to say.

It seems obvious that your lyrics much have a dark approach, nothing about heroes, dragons of butterflies flying in the grassland..., but can you detail us a little more their meaning?

Most of the lyrics on this album are based on the music, so we tried to put the atmosphere of those songs into words. The B-side has more of a concept to it which represents a kind of transition through different mental and physical states. How to interpret the lyrics or the meaning of the album is totally up to you. We prefer to encourage the listeners’ imagination instead of interfering with it.

I would like to remark that you are a death metal band, but opened to new horizons, that's why I said you could influence new bands in the future. For example, we find very cool the use of keyboards, or the heavy and doom parts we can find in the middle

We don’t like to limit ourselves and are open to new and different things. Of course you have to stay authentic and should not force yourself to change but to suppress progression is also bad. Stagnation is the worst thing that can happen to an artist.

Your trilogy Trance of Death explains very well that feeling, occult metal flowing throughout the songs, mixed with your death metal attack, it sounds really fresh

Most of the material on the B-side is relatively new compared to the rest of the album and stands out in the sense of arrangement and complexity. We are trying to push the boundaries on the title track and each part takes the music to another level.

Also, this kind of songs make us think that Venenum might be a very dinamic act, with a constant evolution in their style, is that your DNA?

It is something that comes natural to us and has probably also to do with the music that we prefer to listen to. Like I said before, we want our music to be dynamic and diverse and we are not afraid to explore something new and different.

Being a band from Germany, you have it all to do many gigs around and increase your popularity as hell. Any dates already?

We have a gig in Oberhausen on March 18th and are going on a European tour together with Reveal from Sweden in April.

And last, just to stop the legions growing anxious... we won't have to wait another six years to get your second album, right?

We are very much looking forward to work on new material so I hope it won’t take us so long the next time.

Turbo lover (by Judas Priest)

Abriendo camino

Hay gente que trasciende la actividad que les dio fama o a la que se le dedican, que gozan de una repercusión social y de una influencia multiplicada. Ángel Nieto fue uno de ellos, no sólo fue un gran campeón, también ayudó a un país a evolucionar, a abrirse al mundo y a darse a conocer, a avanzar hacia nuevos horizontes. Gente que hace camino, como decía el poeta. DEP.

Solomon's key (by Mausoleum Gate)