Archive for October, 2014

Agathodaimon call it quits

Posted in Uncategorized with tags on 22nd October 2014 by izaforestspirit

The German symphonic black metal band Agathodaimon have decided to split-up on 18th October 2014 after nearly two decades of existence. Here is the official statement given by the band’s vocalist and leader Sathonys:

“The important news as such to start with- we’ll split the band.
And it’s damn hard to put this into words. Agathodaimon has been my steady companion during the past years, since its foundation in 1995.
Looking back, many things changed since then, others stayed the same- we always kept our core principles and our band philosophy in focus. And one of its main aspects was to always strive to deliver the best result possible. But this means that dedication and a good amount of time is needed, and that’s what I currently can’t deliver.
Having a family (2 kids) meanwhile, I can either choose between them or the music. Or go for a half-hearted compromise.
This may sound trivial at first, and I did my best to check all available options and possibilities. But in the end it became obvious that I can’t continue with the band on a level that it deserves, that can still aim to “deliver the best result possible”.
So, after thinking about it for quite a while and discussing this with the other boys, we agreed it’s best to lay the band to rest. (It should be noted that also some other members partially face similar obstacles that would prevent bigger activities at least for next year)
It is a hard decision for me, but it would be foolish to pretend I could give both band and family proper attention the way things are currently. And working on the next album half-heartedly… that’s not an option and in the end, it would not be fair to the fans or our philosophy.
Yet, this might not mean the band is gone forever. Things and circumstances change… It’s not sure the band might continue at a later date, but yes, we wish for it, so there’s a chance we’ll come together again, some day. And continue where we left off, with new strength and energy.
(I also doubt I am able to stay away from making music anyway…)
Speaking of it, some of us will start/announce new projects sooner or later, we’ll keep you updated about it.
Thanks to all those who supported us over the years.”

Sathonys / Agathodaimon

The band’s final album ‘In Darkness’ was released last year via Massacre Records.

http://www.agathodaimon.de/
https://www.facebook.com/agathodaimon

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Enslaved release studio update

Posted in News with tags , , on 15th October 2014 by Nico Solheim-Davidson, the North Sea Poet

Norwegian progressive black metal warband Enslaved are currently in the studio recording their thirteenth full-length studio album. The band have offered fans the following update:

As always, it is hard to formulate an exact direction Enslaved is or is not heading in with the new album.  This duality is part of the essence of the band: The ability to maintain consistency and a strong identity and, at the same time, surprise both the oldest fans and even ourselves with new musical directions.  The new material is darker and rawer, more aggressive and direct, yet continues the exploration deeper into progressive, softer, and more melodic territories with at times complex song structures, combined with unusually immediate (for Enslaved, at least) elements.  The high level of energy in the songs reflects both an inspired and an ever-harder working band that keeps pushing their own and their associated genres’ limits.

Main recordings for the as-yet-untitled new album are taking place at Duper and Solslottet Studios in Bergen, Norway with additional recordings done at Conclave & Earshot Studios (presided over by Enslaved members Larsen and Ice Dale), and Ivar Bjørnson’s Personal Sound Studios.

Additional experimentation and sonic exploration will be conducted deep in the woods of Valevåg south of Bergen where the band took a mobile studio to record the infamous Thorn 7” single in 2012. The new album is being produced by band members Ivar Bjørnson, Grutle Kjellson and Herbrand Larsen together with Iver Sandøy.  Mixing will be done by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.

Cover artwork will once again be illustrated by long-time collaborating artist and “sixth Enslaved member” Truls Espedal, who has painted the band’s every album cover since 2001’s Monumension.

Enslaved online:

http://facebook.com/Enslaved

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Klaus Schulze & Lisa Gerrad – Big in Europe vol.2 – Amsterdam

Posted in Gig, Live with tags , , , , , on 12th October 2014 by izaforestspirit

Klaus Schulze & Lisa Gerrard
Big in Europe vol.2 – Amsterdam (live DVD)
Released 19th September 2014
Electronica/ Ambient
Released via M.I.G. (Made in Germany) Music

‘Big in Europe vol.2 – Amsterdam’ is a live DVD from the electronic artist Klaus Schulze (ex- Tangerine Dream) in collaboration with the singer Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance). This is a recording of their “Bootleg Concert” filmed in Amsterdam back in 2009.

I’ve never actually been to a Klaus Schulze live show so this live DVD is as close as I can get to the real deal. So for those who are unfamiliar with his work, I am now able to provide a basic introduction to his style. Mr. Schulze prides himself in the creation of experimental electronic music using a variety of synthesizers with an emphasis on improvisation in the spirit of the moment. His songs are mostly lengthy, atmospheric instrumentals with a somewhat tranquil ambience to them.

The concert has a rather slow start and it took me a while to get used to the atmosphere. I mean, I do like some electronic music but my taste leans more towards the dance/trance or industrial styles. This is not what Klaus Schulze is about. His songs are much slower and more atmospheric than the stuff which I’m accustomed to hearing. Then there is the fact that all you see in the beginning is Mr. Schulze alone on stage with all his synthesizers. His songs are really not the kind of tunes that someone can sing along to so the interaction with the audience is limited and not as frequent as it might be with a rock or metal band.

It wasn’t until Lisa Gerrard took to the stage that I actually began to appreciate this show. Her melodic voice and vibrant stage presence makes the songs sound more dynamic. The combination of electronic/ambient music with her operatic-styled, angelic vocals works surprising well on here. The songs ‘Prisengracht‘ and ‘The Polish Rider‘ are good examples of how fusion of the two styles works in harmony. One thing which I can’t get my head around though is Mr. Schulze’s experimental songs that are more more akin to synthesizer noise than anything resembling actual music.

In summary, watching this DVD has been an interesting experience. I’m not overly familiar with the work of either artist. Having seen this performance, I think that Lisa Gerrard’s music might be more appealing to me than the experimental electronica of Klaus Schulze.

3/5

Iza Raittila

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Mostly Autumn’s “Winter Tour” kicking off today

Posted in News with tags , , , , , on 10th October 2014 by Pieni

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Progressive rockers Mostly Autumn have released a new album in June – already their 11th full-length work. “Dressed In Voices” is a conceptual album, regarding the conscience of a killer. Now it’s time to bring that piece to the road and play it with the spirit that Mostly Autumn got us used to. The tour starts today in St. Helens:

03.10.2014 – The Citadel – St Helens

04.10.2014 – Islington Assembly – London

10.10.2014 – Picturedrome – Holmfirth

17.10.2014 – Legends of Rock Festival – Great Yarmouth

28.11.2014 – Spirit of 66 – Verviers – Belgium

29.11.2014 – De Boerderij – Zoetermeer – Holland

04.12.2014 – Norwich Arts Centre – Norwich

05.12.2014 – Manchester Academy 3 – Manchester

06.12.2014 – Robin 2 – Bilston

07.12.2014 – Renfrew Ferry – Glasgow

12.12.2014 – Hull Fruit – Hull

13.12.2014 – Montgomery Hall – Rotherham

14.12.2014 – The Stables – Milton Keynes

15.12.2014 – The Brook – Southampton

Mostly Autumn on Facebook

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Anthrax’s live DVD “Chile On Hell” hits the stores on the 20th

Posted in News with tags , , , , , on 9th October 2014 by Pieni

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Thrash legends ANTHRAX, 1/4 of The Big Four, are about to release a live DVD later this month (20th October, to be exact). As the title indicates, “Chile On Hell” was filmed in Chile, at the Teatro Caupolican in Santiago, on the 10th of May last year. This was an extra-long gig, where ANTHRAX visited their whole discography.

Available on DVD and Blu-ray and 2 live CDs, “Chile On Hell” was recorded in 5.1 surround sound and produced by Jay Ruston, the artwork by the hands of Stephen Thompson and drummer Charlie Benante. And here’s the setlist:

01. Among The Living
02. Caught In A Mosh
03. I Am The Law
04. Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
05. A Skeleton In The Closet
06. March Of The S.O.D. (STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH cover)
07. In The End
08. Deathrider
09. T.N.T. (AC/DC cover)
10. I’m Alive
11. Indians
12. Medusa
13. In My World
14. Got The Time (Joe Jackson cover)
15. Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t

Encore:
16. I’m The Man / Raining Blood (SLAYER cover)
17. Madhouse
18. Antisocial (TRUST cover)

“Santiago was the perfect place to film the show for this,” says Benante. “When we’d played there in the past, we’d finish our set, play our encore and go back to the dressing room. But every time, the fans would continue to scream and cheer and clap. I mean, they went on and on, they wouldn’t stop. One time Scott [Ian, guitar] and I walked out to the side of the stage just to watch what was going on in the audience, it was intense. Why wouldn’t we want to film a DVD in front of an audience like that? Plus, the time was right to do this DVD… We wanted to finish on a high note. We didn’t want to look back and regret that we didn’t record the live show.”

http://anthrax.com/

https://www.facebook.com/anthrax

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Black Stone Cherry to headline UK arenas later this month

Posted in News with tags , , , , on 9th October 2014 by Pieni

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Black Stone Cherry made a surprise appearance at this year’s Download Festival, but the release of their fourth album “Magic Mountain” was too successful for a single show to be enough. So now they’ll be back in the UK, with their own headlining show, on the following dates and venues:

Sun 26th Oct – GLASGOW Hydro
Mon 27th Oct – SHEFFIELD Arena
Tue 28th Oct – CARDIFF Arena
Thu 30th Oct – BIRMINGHAM LG Arena
Fri 31st Oct – MANCHESTER Evening News Arena
Sat 1st Nov – LONDON Wembley Arena

Supporting acts will be Theory Of A Deadman, who’ve released their fifth album “Savages” this Summer, and Airbourne – a fine rock package!

https://www.facebook.com/blackstonecherry

https://www.facebook.com/theoryofadeadman

https://www.facebook.com/airbournerock

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Silent Call – Truth’s Redemption

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , on 5th October 2014 by izaforestspirit

Silent Call
Truth’s Redemption
Released 15th September (the UK), 19th September (EU), 7th October (The USA) 2014
Progressive Metal/ Power Metal
Released via Dust on The Tracks Records

‘Truth’s Redemption’ is the third album from the Swedish progressive metal band Silent Call. It is the follow up to ‘Greed’ which was released back in 2010.

After an atmospheric intro, it’s straight into typical power metal territory with clean vocals and mixture of both melodic and slightly faster, more classic rock style guitar riffs. Then there’s the keyboards which add a symphonic element to some of the tracks such as the intro to Erasing The Sky and Alive. The progressive element can be detected from some of the guitar melodies and solos with variations in both pace and overall style evident on tracks such as These Four Walls and The Knife.

The guitar patterns tend to fall into one out of two categories: there’s the catchy, mid-paced power metal variety and the more complex, somewhat experimental-sounding, progressive metal type. Personally I prefer the former style which is sadly in the minority on this particular album. Another thing which I’m not super keen on is the amount of slow “power ballads” on here. While I don’t mind a couple of these if they are sandwiched between faster, catchier and dare I say it… more energetic songs, they seem to dominate this album. Having said that, there are some tracks which caught my attention. The most prominent is The Kingdom’s Fall which has a few decent, catchy guitar riffs and lively, energetic keyboard tunes in the first half of the song.

In summary this album has done nothing to convince me to give progressive metal another try. While I like some of the catchy, keyboard-infused power metal elements on here, some of the slow ballads have a tendency to drag on for a bit too long.
3/5

Iza Raittila

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