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sábado, 30 de diciembre de 2017

Interview with FIREFORCE



by Vpower




Tha Band: FireForce
Country: Belgium
Answers by: Erwin Suetens (guitar)


FIREFORCE is Belgian Power Metal at its best. From the very beginning to the end you can feel it in the great riffs and solos of Erwin Suetens. He makes guitar sound as a power metal guitar should, this is, full with emotion and energy. Their third album "Annihilate The Evil” will not leave any power metal head indifferent.


Hello Erwin  and welcome back with your new album "Annihilate The Evil", out in September 1st

Hi there, thanks for being interested!

FireForce is a power metal band from Belgium, releasing now your third album, how do you feel about it?

I’m very pleased with the result and I’m pretty sure the fans will like it!

There have been some changes in the line-up in the last years, how is it now?

Well, the line-up is ok but we still have no permanent drummer. It seems it’s very hard to find one who is willing to stay. It’s always a problem to find a motivated one. They mostly don’t realize how much work it is to play in a band like Fireforce. It’s no “kindergarten”, it’s hard work…

"Annihilate The Evil" still delivers a good dose of power metal, but may be not so much as its predecessors, right?

It’s not that much different. It’s still me who writes the songs and I’m not planning to change style or direction. If you mean that there are more mid-tempo songs on the album: you’re right! But it’s not a change of direction, just that I was in a mood to write a few mid-tempo songs… ;-)

All clear, Erwin. How long have you dedicated to the composition of the album and how was it?

I started writing the album in January 2016 and we started recording in October. We made demo’s of the songs in my home studio so Lia (our producer) could become familiar with songs before we went into the studio. It’s always a pleasure to work with him, he’s a good friend of me and he’s the only who can change stuff in my songs…haha!

A guy with “power” haha… Comparing this new album with your previous efforts we can say that it keeps the energy but sounds more versatile?

I always try to make songs that sound different. It’s useless to make 10 songs from the same riff, that’s boring… We try to create a mood that suits the lyrics, so you can immediately recognize each song…

However, looking at the cover artwork we can find an approach more to the power metal than any other thing?

I like a nice cover. I also like a cover that, when you look at it for the tenth time, you always see new details. I think we did that very nicely. If you call this a power metal cover it’s fine by me – I love it!

What are the lyrics about in the album?

Like usual, remember our Combat Metal, our lyrics are all about historical events. To be more specific, battles in history, or events that changed a war, or didn’t change it at all, haha! For example: our first video for the album is “The Boys From Down Under”. It’s about the battle of Long Tan in Vietnam 1966, were just 100 Australian soldiers fought against 2500 North Vietnamese troops and won! Or “Thyra’s Wall”, about the battle between Danes and Prussians in Denmark – inspired by the series 1864 by Ole Bornedal. That fascinated me and I did research about the war, the more than 2000 year old defence system they used, and what went wrong…

A little of a history class then. Any favorite in the album?

They are all my babies… I love them all J

Erwin, what bands have influenced your music?

I like a lot the NWOBHM, the Bay Area thrash and the German and US power metal bands. There are so many good bands it’s impossible to say who influenced me. I leave that to the critics, they know more specific what influences they hear…haha!

Power Metal is perhaps not at the highest moment, but maybe the bands that remain now guarantee a high quality?

It’s important to always deliver quality. Most bands do that, it’s mostly the taste of the people that decides who is more successful, and a big question of promotion of course… The problem is, that the bands with the highest promotional budget, are also the most successful because the smaller ones don’t have the resources… and no one knows them… even though they offer a lot of quality, sometimes more than the “big ones”…

The budget is the budget, sure. How is the Belgian scene nowadays in your opinion?

There are not much power metalbands in Belgium. We have a lot of thrash, death and black. But we’re quite unique in our power metal/thrash approach…

You are used to hit the road very often and very far, what plans do you have in this matter for the upcoming months?

First of all we have a big release show in November here in Belgium. It will be the ONLY show we will play in Belgium in 2017. We do some shows in other countries but limited, and in 2018 we will hit the road in different countries. No details yet…

We await for the news. Any especial moment in you career you will never forget?

Touring with Mystic Prophecy, supporting Artillery, friendships with bands like Tygers of Pan Tang, Omen, Savage and lots more… They are all great guys…and great musicians…
The things I will NEVER forget, that are the most important to me, are the people who help my band grow and being successful – they have my eternal respect. But I also will NEVER forget those who tried to pull us down…Karma will grab them by the balls…

Hahaha so, let’s Karma do his work ... Thank you very much for the fun chat Erwin, wish you a big success with your new album "Annihilate The Evil"!

Thanks for being interested and giving this opportunity for this interview. And to the fans: Join our forces, and grab your copy of “Annihilate The Evil”!
Erwin Suetens, Guitarplayer for Fireforce

ARGOS – Tierra de Traición (2017)




1.Travesía  01:43
2.Argo 05:36    
3.Versos Letales  04:31            
4.Sueño Eterno  06:18              
5.Mente Digital  04:27              
6.Madame Desgranges 05:34  
7.Tierra de Traición  05:01

Dany Saenz: Voz
Alex Davalos: Guitarra
Ricky Aranda: Guitarra
Lupe Ortiz: Batería
Vicente Guerrero: Bajo


Nuevo album de esta buena banda mexicana, a los que ya entrevistamos hace un tiempo. Con su primer disco de 2015, La sima del abismo, que tenéis reseñado en la web, ya apuntaban maneras, pero con esta segunda entrega de su discografía realmente la banda experimenta un crecimiento notable en su sonido y a nivel compositivo, que se traduce en composiciones más elaboradas y con mucha más pegada. Por si no lo sabéis, el alma mater del grupo es Vicente Guerrero, que no sólo toca el bajo sino que compone letras y pone todo el empeño para sacar su proyecto adelante.

Se trata “sólo” de 7 temas, la verdad es que es el único pero que le pondría al disco, ya que se pasa muy pronto y es de esos que te dejan con ganas de más, pero ya sabéis el dicho... Todos son temas propios excepto una versión de la también banda mexicana Ira. También quiero llamar la atención, antes de ponerme a desmenuzar los temas, sobre la temática de las letras. Por ejemplo, Versos Letales se basa en un personaje de ese gran clásico del cine y la literatura que es el "El nombre de la rosa", Mente Digital está basada en la novela de Sci-Fi "Mindscan" de Robert J. Sawter,  Sueño Eterno es un tema intimista basado en vivencias personales y también tenemos el tema que da título al disco y del que ya os hemos ofrecido un video, que habla sobre la historia del país azteca, con todo lo que han tenido que pasar y sufrir a lo largo de su historia. Es decir, como podéis ver, no solo aportan en el terreno musical, las letras también son muy interesantes. Y dicho esto, vamos con las canciones.
Travesía es la intro acústica y melódica que da el pistoletazo de salida al disco, le sigue el primer aldabonazo del disco, Argo. Se trata de un power metal de voz potente, buenas melodías y una base rítmica con fuerza y sonando clásica, el punto álgido del tema lo pone el excelente duelo de guitarras, se explayan a gusto, redondeando uno de esos temas que te ponen las pilas.

Versos Letales se reconcilia con el sonido heavy de toda la vida, un medio tiempo que se inicia con grandes líneas melódicas. Me gusta el sonido tan clásico de la banda, no se andan con experimentos ni modernidades y no faltan las buenas guitarras ni las aceleraciones, sobre todo al final del tema donde se acaban demelenando por completo, previamente habremos disfrutado de otro duelo de solos de muy buen nivel.

Sueño Eterno arranca con acústicas y a ritmo de balada, a ratos meten distorsión y luego vuelven a retomar las acordes pausados. El vocalista demuestra ser un todoterreno, tan válido y solvente para los temas rápidos como para los más lentos. Pero ojo porque el tema esconde sorpresa, se imponen un marchamo militar que da paso a un solo heavy top, lucimiento del vocalista y otro nuevo solo, esto es territorio heavy 100% chachos.

Mente Digital lleva un ritmo de power muy alegre y potente a lo Vicious Rumors, galopadas brutales y sin olvidar las melodías que tan certeramente son capaces de crear. Además, como ya decía antes, merece la pena fijarse en las letras. Se trata posiblemente del tema más adictivo del album, gracias a la conjugación de excelsas melodías y un ritmo vibrante.

Madame Desgranges es la versión que comentaba con anterioridad, para mí es de los temas menos interesantes del disco, aunque se deja escuchar con esa mezcla entre un heavy de riffs más oscuros combinado con power metal. Se cierra el disco con Tierra de Traición, un medio tiempo heavy de letra muy interesante que destaca por el buen cambio de ritmo a mitad de tema para meter un solo con mucha pegada. Más que recomendable este segundo disco de esta banda mexicana, confirman su progresión y muestran una madurez y un sonido clásico a prueba de bombas.

Puntuación: 7,75/10

PURPLE HILL WITCH – Celestial Cemetery (2017)




1.Ghouls in Leather  08:14        
2.Harbinger of Death   04:02    
3.Celestial Cemetery    05:02    
4.Around the Universe 05:04    
5.Menticide  04:27        
6.The First Encounter 05:38      
7.Burnt Offering 06:12            

Kristian - Guitar & Vocals
Andreas - Bass
Øyvind - Drums


Si te va el sonido de bandas clásicas como Black Sabbath y los Pentagram sin duda esta banda es de obligada escucha para ti. Se formaron en Oslo en 2010, su primer larga duración llegó en 2014 y ahora esta es la continuación.

Una de las notas más características de la banda es la labor al micro del que es al mismo tiempo su guitarrista, diría para que me entendáis que el parecido con el eterno y venerado Ozzy Osbourne es más que notable, aunque rejuvenecido tres o cuatro décadas comparado con el Ozzy de hoy en día. Ghouls in Leather es el tema con el que abren el disco, nada menos que ocho minutitos de duración. Otra de las claves del sonido de esta banda es el predominio de los tiempos doom y stoner. Este primer tema es el que mejor impresión y sabor me ha dejado, tiene más variedad y riqueza de matices que los demás temas que componen el disco. Guitarras setenteras, dibujando melodías superpuestas que destilan emotividad. Riffs y cambio de libro a lo Black Sabbath y uno de los temas en que meten una marcha más con sonido new wave para insertar el solo. Un tema redondo, sin duda el que escogerúa como single para este disco.

Harbinger of Death ya no tiene las mismas connotaciones ni riqueza compositiva, es un tema muy stoner doom, pausado y con las voces al estilo Ozzy, con sicodelia, como elemento más jugoso, aparte de eso poco más. Celestial Cemetery es otro tema con sonido Iommi a tope, el solo con efecto wah pero siguen con el ritmo sin cambiar marcha, un tema que da vueltas y vueltas pero no acaba de explotar.

Around the Universe hace gala de riffs machacones y las voces cargadas de sicodelia ya comentadas, con ritmos que se acercan más al sonido de los grandes Pentagram y con un solo guitarrero que le sube la bandera al tema, atmosférico, con mucho efecto, muy logrado. Otra vez vuelvo a reiterar la similitud en las voces y el estilo del grupo con los primeros Black Sabbath, lo ponen de manifiesto en Menticide. Para algunos esto puede parecer un halago, otros lo tildarán de clon de los padres británicos, el eterno debate, lo que está claro es que es un grupo que no demuestra un sonido propio, suena clásico y consistente pero le falta su punto de originalidad o de frescura, calidad pero...

El disco es corto en cuanto a número de temas pero estos son bastante extensos, The First Encounter sigue los mismos ritmos y lo novedoso es la parada en clave doom y algunas guitarras de corte arabesco en los riffs, sonido setentento y otro de esos cambios que te levantan de la silla, con un estilo que sigue claramente la estela de un War Pigs. La traca final es Burnt Offering donde ofrecen una cara más fresca, doom con matices atmosféricos y de jam session, plagado de solos y con un lucimiento instrumental más destacado. Claramente tienen calidad, pero son tributos de un sonido que les resta frescura y hace que suenen un poco a refrito, sin que eso quiera decir que suenen mal, para nada, la cosa se resume en que si te gusta repetir el mismo menú las veces que haga falta entonces no tendrás problema con estos noruegos, pero si buscas algo más fresco no son la opción ideal ni de lejos.

Puntuación: 7,25/10

Too late to pray (by Cerebus)


martes, 26 de diciembre de 2017

Interview with GRAVDAL


by Vpower



The Band: Gravdal
Country: Norway
Answers by: Phobos (guitar, drums on Aeternus)


GRAVDAL is naturally rooted in the black metal genre, but beware if you don’t know these guys, because they are willing to innovate and continuously test their own musical boundaries, so with every new album they always offer something cool, their own version of black metal. Don’t miss the good advice from Phobos to the Spanish guys at the end…




Hello Phobos, this year you are releasing "Kadaverin", your third album, how was the composition process?

Hi! yes, our new album will be availeble 11.8.2017 via Soulseller records on Digipack Cd, LP and digital. And the process of making this has been a joyful but challenging ride starting back early 2012.

With 2 members leaving, and 2 new coming, problems with our previous record label and my duties in other bands has been a reason for it to take a while to finish, but in the end we are very happy with the result, and we hope as many people as possible checks it out, and hopefully they like it as good as we do.

Your first two releases received very good reviews and put Gravdal in the map of Black Metal, what are your expectations fot this third effort?

Yes, it did and so far this one has received even better reviews than the two firsts records probably also because of way better promotion than our previous albums got, but also as expected as it is in my opinion our best album up to date.

We agree on that. You are not new in the genre, I suppose that helps when you deliver new stuff…  

Maybe, it`s hard, because there is so many bands out there and its been seven years since last time we released something. But at some point it helps of course, as we already have a fan base. But to those who have checked out our 2 first albums, and felt it was not "their cup of tea" i suggest they check this out anyway as it is very different, event though we have keept the essence in our music.

By the way, it surprises that seven years have passed since your last album, Torturmantra, until this "Kadaverin", too much work in other projects?

Yeah, time flies you know... And as mentioned earlier in this interview, we had some line up changes, some troubles with our previous record label. And on top of this, i have my duties as a drummer in Aeternus, as well as i have been doing session drumming for a few bands during those years. 

Gravdal is right now your main project or you dedicate more efforts to other acts?

Gravdal is the medium i use to do stuff i don`t usually do, which is drumming.  Drums are my main instrument and i play drums in Aeternus, and sometimes live for Gorgoroth.
My main bands are Aeternus and Gravdal, and with all bands i take part in, even if it only as session member i dedicate myself 100% to what i do.

 Any big difference between your new full-length and previous releases?

Yeah, production wise this is more "naked, and raw" not many effects, only 2 guitars recorded and it sound more like a live band, more organic. As for the music we`ve kept the elements we felt we did best on the first 2 albums, which is the rock`n roll "in your face" / straight forward  riffs, but added new elements like a saxophone, some progressive stuff and a few other changes we felt necessary, having a new singer has also made the outcome differ from the rest.

Gravdal is known for being a band quite innovative inside the genre

Thanx. I agree, and i think its important to try out new things, and to make something that does not sound like anyone else. There is of course many riffs and ideas that will remind people of others, but as a whole (especially with this album) i believe i stands out from the masses.

In fact, we could say Black Metal is a style more opened to innovations, in contrast with other genres as heavy metal, thrash metal…?

Hmm.. Maybe compared to heavy and thrash i guess. But there is of course frames here as in other genres, and people look at the picture differently. In many`s opinion, you have to sound exactly like old DarkThrone to be considered Black Metal.. An old boring discussion i stopped having ages ago. I am very confident on what we do, and what we stand for.

Phobos, In "Kadaverin" you have counted with guest appearances from members of Satyricon, Taake, SAHG, The Ruins Of Beverast, Seven Impale and Orkan. How was it and who has been more supportive?

It was great! They are friends of the band that we needed help from to do things we could not do as good our self. Fex: playing the piano, saxophone etc. they where all very supportive and we appreciate they sharing their talents with us.

Counting with such guests means you are growing fast as a band, that you are very friendly or both of them?

Yeah they are all friends of us and was not asked to do this because of what bands they normally play, but because they have the skills we needed. Of course there is a bonus of them being involved with bands that has fans that is likely to enjoy our band as well.. But that`s was not the agenda, it`s a small scene here in Bergen, and the best artist we know plays in a band that`s it.

Lyrics were written by V`gandr (Helheim, Taake), how was it?

Yeah, he have done an amazing job, our lyrics have never been as good as it is now. I was stuck when trying to do this myself, i had many ideas, but struggled to put it on paper. As well as being close friend of V`gandr we have played together in Aeternus (he played there before) and he wrote many lyrics there (and still writes our lyrics in Aeternus ) so i am aware of his skills and he was the first and only person i felt could help us out, and he did write all lyrics expect one of them.

Usually people think that lyrics on extreme metal at not that much important, what do you think?

To me, personally, they are. Some people care about it, some people don`t, we`re all different and i don`t mind.

As a Norway band you are in the middle of the Black Metal hurricane, how do you see the scene nowadays?

What hurricane ?  Honestly i don`t have many opinions about the scene, i like a few bands, and those bands have been around since the beginning, of newer bands i have no clue. Beside  Bolzer and Cult of Fire has caught my attention. I might miss something as i am not good at checking out bands, and the few times i do i think it sucks... 

Any tour programmed?

Nope, but we`re ready. If any of you readers would like to book us. Please get in touch with us on Facebook.

Thanks for the cool chat, Phobos! If you wish to add something…

Yes! And thank you for the support and for a good review of our album.
To the Spanish people:
When you wake up from your siesta, make yourself a sangria, put on the new Gravdal record on HIGH volume, and Enjoy.
If you like what you hear, buy the record, or just spread the word.
Thanks!

HITWOOD – Detriti (2017)




1,As Far as I Can Remember 01:17
2.My Path to Nowhere  04:50
3.Year of Sadness  05:50
4.More Winters to Face... 05:08
5.Chromatic     04:51
6.Venus of My Dreams  04:12

Antonio Boccellari - all instruments

Hitwood es el proyecto en solitario del músico italiano Antonio Boccellari, antes de este ep había publicado su primer disco el año pasado y otro ep, este es el segundo y en lo que va de año y lo primero que yo escucho de este caballero, que por cierto lo hace todo, él se lo guisa solito. 

El ep se compone de seis temas y se inicia con una intro atmosférica, a la que sigue el primer corte propiamente dicho, My Path to Nowhere  es un death melódico al uso, entendedme, no nos va a sorprender el sonido de esta banda, sigue el patrón marcado por grupos de renombre como In Flames o Dark Tranquility, lo que no quita para que muestre solvencia y algo de atmósfera a lo largo del tema.

Ritmos a media velocidad y blasts de por medio en Year of Sadness, voces que varían entre guturales y limpias. De nuevo, la parte más interesante me parece que llega en la fase ambiental del tema, con un estilo similar a los clásicos Edge of Sanity, recreándose en las melodías y prolongando el tema a base de riffs y coros. More Winters to Face... es un tema que busca más la ambientación e incluso se acerca al doom en algunos momentos, las acústicas copan la primera mitad de un tema que se puede interpretar como un etapa de transición en el disco. Retoma la senda del melodeath con Chromatic, lo más destacado es la conjugación de melodía con cierta melancolía y agresividad.

Cierra su trabajo este músico con Venus of My Dreams un corte donde suena más contundente y los riffs tienen más presencia. Es un puñado de canciones más que correcto, especialmente si lo que buscas es sobre todo la orientación melódica, si te gusta un death más aguerrido esto se te quedará ciertamente corto.

Warriors dawn (by The lord weird slough feg)


viernes, 22 de diciembre de 2017

DIGNATARIOS DO INFERNO – Sem Deus (2017)




1.Democracia Teocrata
2.Franquias da Fé
3.Alcunha do Mal
4.Morte Alada
5.Prisões sem Grades
6.Dá Pena
7.Cidadão de Bem
8.O Deus da Experiência
9.Bancada Evangélica
10.Província Maldita

Bernardo Falcão -  guitar, bass, vocals.
Luci Tenebrion - drums


Special guests:
Lucas Santana Saab: bass on 5 & 9
Thiago Salomao: bass on 4 & 10
João Paulo Ferreira: solo on 3
Mauricio Avila: backing vocals on 9 & 10

El año pasado ya os comentamos el album de esta banda brasileña que lleva por título Impastor. Pues bien, un año después nos vuelven a dejar nuevo material, más canciones y creo que subiendo el nivel respecto a su anterior disco. Este Sem Deus suena más compacto, más sólido y estructurado que el anterior, que iba en diferentes direcciones según los temas. Parece que han perfilado más su sonido y suenan mucho más convincentes.

Si veis la composición de los miembros del grupo os daréis cuenta de quién corta el bacalao en esta banda es el señor Falcão, prácticamente se ha echado a sus espaldas toda la composición de los temas. Y la cosa comienza bien con Democracia Teocrata, mucha distorsión y escalando de tono a medida que avanza la canción, a medio camino entre el thrash y el death, un tema que suena a revolución, monoriff y con un solo muy distorsionado que encaja perfectamente en la ideosincrasia del tema.

Franquias da Fé tiene un comienzo de heavy punk que luego da lugar a un sonido thrash, suena oscuro, corrosivo y transgresor, en medio del lo cual el solo melódico le da un nuevo enfoque al tema. Alcunha do Mal arranca en modo melodeath, a destacar las buenas vocales, le dan ese toque agresivo y oscuro que hace que las canciones ganen en presencia. Un medio tiempo con un solo de heavy rock que pone la guinda al pastel, sin duda en este disco el apartado de los punteos está más cuidado que en el anterior disco.

Morte Alada se me parece a los riffs que saca Jeff Waters en el King of the Kill, esos riffs que te enganchan y son como una apisonadora. La expresiva voz de Bernardo y el solo sucio con melodía le da una emotividad extra al tema. Prisões sem Grades nos ofrece un bajo con mucha más presencia, unos riffs sencillos y efectivos, cambio de ritmo hacia un thrash con un solo muy fiestero, para acabar de nuevo con los riffs pesados.

Dá Pena  es un tema de heavy death, a fuego lento, a ritmo de balada demoníaca con su nota sicodélica e incluso doom en algunas fases, un tema que destila oscuridad y le da aplomo al disco. Cidadão de Bem es un tema que suena más punk, más de corte social, pero también con ese sonido heavy doom que la banda expresa de manera tan natural, el sonido under del solo es marca de la casa. Una onda muy similar lleva O Deus da Experiência, heavy punk oscuro.

Bancada Evangélica de nuevo vuelve a tirar hacia el death pero sin olvidar las raíces heavys que siempre salen a aflorar en el solo de guitarra, introducido por una sirena y distorsionado a tope, buenas sensaciones. Rematan el disco con Província Maldita, un tema de sonido más extremo, death grind y suciedad en cada nota.

Como decía al principio, Dignatarios do Inferno da un paso adelante con este disco, consolidan su sonido, oscuridad y suciedad pero sin ausencia de toques técnicos, con temática social en sus canciones y a veces una actitud punk beligerante. No es una banda que te haga temazos de esos que arrasan a nivel comecial, pero son como un apisonadora, poco a poco te van ganando y el disco suena sólido y con personalidad.

Puntuación: 7,5/10

JUPITER



Júpiter era una banda de Aor que lograron editar dos álbumes a finales de los ochenta, pero la historia se remonta a los primeros ochenta, cuando se llamaban Goliath. Esta banda se creó en 1984 y logró editar un álbum en 1985 de título homónimo, como Goliath practicaban un Hard Heavy... lee la historia completa en http://metalbrothers.es/bios/biografias/jupiter/

RIG TIME! – War (2017)




1.WAR
2.Garbage
3.Succumb
4.Three Fools
5.Deserve
6.Restricted
7.Blister
8.Discomposure
9.Cleanse
10.Vengeance

Rebecca Fleming-Guitar
Mark Trueman-Bass, Vocals
Bryan W. Fleming-Vocals, Drums


Nuevo disco de esta banda americana que centra su sonido el hardcore y el death, esa combinación es lo que más me ha atraído de su apuesta, en un mundo musical en el que escuchar una banda que suene a una sola cosa es cada vez más extraño, y que suene bien haciendo una sola cosa ya es pedir juegos malabares.

Arrancan con War un tema de sonido death doom, lento, guitarras pesadas y voces semiguturales. Garbage cambia el paso y sale toda la agesividad que lleva dentro esta gente, death y metalcore a flor de piel con cierto toque black si quires, el tema es tan básico que me acaba gustando.

Succumb es un hardcore con adornos sludge, con una pausa para darle más intensidad y contraste, guitarras pesadas, espesas y desesperadas son las que dominan este tema, casi pura agonía. Three Fools va al grano, como el resto de los temas, no os esperéis cortes minuteros, este dura dos minutos y bebe de las raíces del punk y el hardcore, sin buscar más allá, lo que oyes es lo que hay, ni grandes tecnicismos ni complejidad en las composiciones, agresividad y a pisar el acelerador.

 Deserve me gusta y destaca por su inicio sicodoom de guitarras chirriantes que dan paso a un medio tiempo sludge, aquí se estiran y llegan a los tres minutos, oscuridad, donde de nuevo se palpa la agonía aunque estés atascado, se te mete en el cuerpo.

Restricted es una especie de calentamiento en formato hardcore, apenas un minuto que no da para más que ensayar un acorde y un ritmo. Pero con Blister le meten un poco de variedad al sonido del disco, un hardcore death de guitarras más contundentes y con menos suciedad, con ritmos también que no van tanto a piñón fijo.

Discomposure y Cleanse son dos cortes de hardcore, no se han roto mucho los cuernos en ellos, el primero tira un poco más hacia la orientación doom y el segundo hacia el punk. Bajada de telón con Vengeance, tiene agresividad como el resto del disco, pero aparecen momentos donde te meten sonidos bizarros y otros más oscuros. Una banda que no te ofrece nada que no hayas escuchado antes, pero que transmite agresividad y guitarras que a veces van más allá entroncando con el death y el doom, en pequeñas dosis, nos os vayáis a creer.

Puntuación: 6/10

Oh holy night (by Halford)


miércoles, 20 de diciembre de 2017

SUPERBEAST – A New Future (2017)




1.Killer Shower  03:42             
2.Hidden Truth  04:05  
3.A New Future  04:27            
4.Waking Power  04:46            
5.Revenge of the Anger  02:12           

Thunder - Bass
Ganzz   - Guitars
Dr Valan - Vocals


Es mucho el material que pasa por nuestros altavoces amigos, y eso que quedan cosas fuera. Una de esas que he rescatado del cubo de reciclaje es la primera grabación de estos japoneses. Todo lo que se salga del territorio europeo y sobre todo si tira hacia oriente me ha llamado siempre bastante la atención, luego te encuetras de todo, grupos buenos, normalitos (la mayoría) y pestiños auténticos (una cifra nada despreciable), pero eso es algo normal en una franja del mundo que se ha incorporado tarde a esto del metal, ahora están recuperando el terreno. Japón es la excepción dentro del continente asiático, son una de las referencias mundiales, tanto a nivel de discos como de giras, así que una vez más tuve que pelearme con esa piraña del metal que es Hombre Rancio, que ya quería meterle el diente a este ep de los nipones.

Sin ninguna referencia sobre la banda me muevo por intuición y me hago con la promo, sacándosela materialmente de las manos a Mr. Rancio. Killer Shower me da la bienvenida con un thrash death de voz sucia y gorrina, que no me atrae en absoluto, hacen incursiones en el brutal death y el solo caótico y sicodélico es lo que mejor me sabe de este primer corte.

Hidden Truth fusiona el thrash con el groove metal, blast beats, grind… otra vez, el punteo speedico y el riffeo posterior es lo que más me atrae del tema. A New Future es un groove metal bastante sucio, con algún riff más técnico y una batería más trabajada. Sin duda el tema más técnico y variado en lo que va de grabación, con muy buenas acometidas y guitarras que se encienden, el solo típico de la bay area.

Pasamos el ecuador con Waking Power, curioso cambio de escenario, un melodeath que después de toda la suciedad que hemos tragado en temas anteriores cuando menos llama la atención. El ritmo también baja el pistón, media velocidad y solo limpio, para rematar con una aceleración final metiendo el groove, ya tenían ganas y no veían el momento de introducirlo. Revenge of the Anger es el corte más ramplón, brutal death básico y sin historia. Como buenos japoneses tiene su punto neurótico y en ese sentido no me equivocaba cuando mi olfato me decía que aquí había algo. Lógicamente todavía tienen mucho que desarrollar, pero veo buenas ideas y posibilidades de que nos caiga un buen disco en el futuro si saben sacarle punta a esa vena loca que tienen.

Interview with ATTIC



by Vpower




The Band: Attic
Country: Germany
Answers by: Chris (bass)

In words of the own bassist of the band,Chris, ATTIC’s new album has taken almost five years of efforts and struggling to overcome all those things that make life what it is. But when you listen to it you truly realize it’s worth every minute of it. With  “Sanctimonious” Attic takes a step forward in terms of composition, a concept album that guarantees fun and great atmospheres.




Hello Chris, your new album is called “Sanctimonious”, due out in August 18th, how do you feel about it?

Hailz, and thanks for getting in touch with us. The Release date is the day we've all been waiting for for so long, and we feel relieved. Writing and recording Sanctimonious was an extraordinary tough process and we had to overcome a lot ob obstacles. We got a new drummer, played live a lot, to promote the Band’s name and as well our first album. We spend 2 months in the Studio and then had some issues with the pressing of the album, so that  it took us almost 5 years to finish that piece of Art, but we're all sure, the wait was worth it.

 “Sanctimonious” is just your second full-length but you sound as a very experienced band, so mature

Well thanks, I really appreciate that. Well actually we ARE all just old farts, haha. No, but seriously all of us were very lucky to gain experience in former Bands over the past decade. I played in Warhammer for 10 years, as well for a short time with our guitarist Katte, who as well learned most of his skills with Erazor and more Bands. Meister Cagliostro as well gathered experience in a few bands before Attic and Robert too, while our drummer still plays in approximately two or three thousand different bands. At least It feels like that. So all this experience we gathered with writing music, being in Bands, live as such, its all  coming together in Attic. As well, the time of 5 years we took for ourselves to make Sanctimonious such a unique hearing experience, was very important to make sure every detail fits and every historical aspect is considered.

“Sanctimonious” is a complete concept album that contains 13 tracks and over an hour playing time, what is the story about?

The Story takes place in an old Convent in the year 1687. You would expect a peaceful christian atmosphere here, but nothing is at it seems. The listener will get to know four main characters, who will guide him through the old walls of which has once been a place to find sanctuary in God. We will see death, murder and utter Horror.

How long have you worked in your new album and how was the composition & recording?

First musical ideas already emerged between the recordings and the release of “The Invocation”. All in all we worked on the album about four and a half years in between extensive touring. The Recordings were smooth and very well observed by our producer Mersus, who already recorded our first Album. Still we took as much time as we needed, to give every song the fine-tuning it deserved. We adjusted the drum Sound a lot, since this was a part of the debut, which most people criticized.

Aha, very interesting, the feedback works. As with The Invocation, in “Sanctimonious” you continue to work with Ván Records…

Yes, and I'm pretty sure, we won't change that in the future. With Ván records we signed a contract for a few Albums, and we're still in that window.. And even if we wouldn't: Ván records combines everything we need and expect of a label. They support us as much as they can, they granted us such a long time in the studio as well. And despite that, they are family already. There is nothing more, that we could wish or ask for right now.

Comparing “Sanctimonious” with your debut album, any especial difference to mention?

Well the main difference of course is, that Sanctimonious is a concept album. The Invocation was the beginning, the summoning of the demon. Now we're here, we established a musical direction that we still pursue on our second one and will on the follow ups.

Another difference is the sound, which we had more time to find this time. Invocation was good, Sanctimonious is way better. We're pretty content with the result and worked on it more than double the time than on our debut. One more difference -along with many others to be found out by the fans- is obviously the playing time. Sanctimonious is 20 Minutes longer than its predecessor, which makes the LP a double Vinyl version, with much love for the details in the layout.

If you keep up the level in your compositions probably Attic will be one of the references in the heavy metal scene in the following years

Oh, thank you, that feels really nice to hear. There is this thing going on for just a few years called new wave of Teutonic heavy metal, and Attic is always a name of that. So we feel,that somehow we have already had an impact on the scene, and it would make me proud, if the future generations would talk about us and our colleagues of Stallion, Vulture, Chapel of Disease, Iron Kobra and all the Bands out there, from our Generation the same way, as we do about Sodom, Kreator, Destruction and all these Bands. Even if we won't ever become that big, I suppose. The time of the stadium Bands is over, and there won't be anything like it coming after them.

Sure we try to be influences for the younger ones, that just start up, and I hope we're successful and can keep up with that. Thanks for your words.

There are some clear influences in your music, I cannot avoid to name Mercyful Fate

Sure, when Cagliostro hits the first notes you always think of the King in the first moment, but if you then listen closely, you hear not only Mercyful Fate, but also many more Influences like Accept or as well a lot of the impressions, that Iron Maiden did on us with their two-part guitar riffs. Judas Priest is part of it and even if we don't want to leave the Heavy Metal to far behind, you'll find riffs on Sanctimonious, which will remind you of “Denial of God”, “Dissection” and even “Claudio Simonetti's Goblin” and those Giallo movie soundtracks of the 60s and 70s.

“The Invocation” became “album of the month” in Germany’s Rock Hard magazine, now you have made another big step ahead with “Sanctimonious”. Who is more responsible for that success inside the band?

I think the success that we have is based on the fact, that we are an entity. We write the songs as Attic, and everyone has his ideas on his instrument. When you're on a movie set, you don't have one or two guys who do everything. You have an expert behind the lights, an expert behind the camera, an expert as an director an expert writing the story book, and so on and this makes a good movie. When we write our Songs, we just try to reflect on what we hear of the other, but never tell him what to play or to sing. We reflect and give advice. Sure, Meister Cagliostro lets us know, where the story he wants to tell in a Song should lead to, and thus we focus in what kind of Song its going to be. Fast, Slow, complex, simple.... We write Songs the other way round: There is the Story or the Lyrics, and we work around it to create a Song, which is tailored to it. But everyone on his own is responsible to produce his own part as good and close to perfection as possible. That may take more time than usual, but you and the listener are more content with the result as well.

Off the stage we all have our functions within the Band as well, and so we can be an organized institution, which is a benefit for the success and everyone around. Us, the Fans, the promoters and so on.

I love the feeling of Meister Cagliostro’s voice, it takes Attic’s music to another level

Yes, we are very fortunate to have such an Artist on our side. Meister’s voice makes our music unique in this time and age, where we have so many Bands in the underground scene. He is a perfectionist, and I think it was never more important than on this Album and for no other than this Band as well.

Any favorite song in the album?

During the making, every song that was just finished was the favorite and even better than the one before. Now, almost 6 months after the recordings, I can say, that there is no song which I like more than the other. But there are parts in every song, which fill my heart with joy more than other. I think of the Chorus of “Born from Sin”, the carrying Part of Prioress Claire in “Die Engelmacherin”, the Mercyful Fate part in “There is no God” or just the thunderous beginning of the title track “Sanctimonious”. There is so much to find, and every time you listen to the album, you'll find something new.

Yes, a world to discover little by little. In your album we can find some hints of the dark side of the NWOBHM, represented by bands such as Angel Witch o Wytchfinde, true?

Since we always focus on the dark ages and the dark side of things which may seem normal and peaceful for the other people, I think these hints (as you say) seem obvious. But we did not intent to hint on those bands. We simply have the same interest in the dark side of the middle ages, the Inquisition, Christianity and death.

 The occult inspiration flows naturally in your music. How does it happen? You focus on some riffs, lyrics or whatever…?

As I said above, Meister Cagliostro always has an idea of what kind of story he wants to tell in a Song. And thus he knows in which direction the music shall go. So we make up our minds what would fit and start writing and playing. Then the writing process is like gear wheels which fit into each other. You adjust here and there but always with the goal not to lose the dark atmosphere within the song. So every part of the music is written for the dark tales he sings about and vice versa. If there's a new riff, reflecting the dark atmosphere Attic is about, he knows what to sing in that part. So we don't focus on something special in a song, we just follow our inspiration and drive Attic gives us in general.

The cover artwork is a good introduction to what we are gonna find inside…

Yes it is. The first thing you will notice, is that we focused on a very white, and bright concept. You'll see a very peaceful situation on a nice and sunny day, with some suspicious things happening in the Background. But since Sanctimonious takes place in a Convent, where nothing is as it seems, you'll find very dark drawings inside and the story is Illustrated completely black and white. We are happy that we could again work with Markus Vesper for the cover Artwork. The inside was created by Misanthropic-Arts who as well worked with us in the past, and we knew they would be the perfect people for this Project. And we all are very happy with all results.

You have already played many gigs around with big bands and in great fest as Keep It True, for instance. Are you programming already the dates for this 2017?

Sure, we're planning a Sanctimonious Promotion tour for the End of the year, and as well contact people for shows and Festivals in 2018, to make sure, as many people as possible get to hear the new material live.

We will be ready for the incoming news. Any specific goals for the near future?

Mainly, to play in Countries, where we have never or almost never been. Portugal for example, but returning to Spain for a second time after a mini Tour in 2015 is as well on the top of our wishlist.

And hear that makes us happy \m/. Thanks for the cool chat Chris and congratulations for your fantastic new album!

Thank you again as well. We're glad you like it, and we're sure, Spain will. Be Prepared for utter Horror and pure darkened Heavy Metal starting August 18th!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpJtujr691s&feature=youtu.be