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Hate and Vader live in Tampere

Posted in Gig, Live with tags Blackened Death Metal, Death Metal, Hate, Industrial metal, Melodic black metal, Takalaiton, The Noctumblant, Thrash metal, Thy Disease, Vader on 6th September 2022 by izaforestspirit

Thy Disease, Hate, Vader
YO-Talo, Tampere, Finland
5th September 2022

I may have said this before, but it feels awesome to be able to attend a live show without having to worry about any of the pandemic restrictions. There’s something special about a physical concert that you just can’t recreate with a live-stream, no matter how good the production quality might be. This time I opted for a night of Polish death metal. I’ve been a fan of Vader ever since I was a teenager. The blackened death metal band Hate was one of the last bands I went to see in early 2020 just before the coronavirus pandemic began. So needless to say I was looking forward to seeing them live again.

I arrived at the venue just as the opening act Takalaiton were playing their final song. I can’t comment much on their performance other than that sounded like fairly decent Finnish thrash metal. So not a bad start to the night.

Next up was an American melodic black metal band called The Noctambulant. They may not have had the biggest crowd, but their music was definitely my kind of atmospheric black metal. I enjoyed their show, particularly their cover of Sisters of Mercy’s ‘Lucretia My Reflection’.

Industrial death metal isn’t my favorite genre, but I have to admit that Thy Disease were good at what they do. They managed to attract a sizable crowd and keep everyone entertained. It was an energetic show, which was fun to watch even if the music isn’t exactly my style.

The first time that I saw Hate live two years ago, they were one of the support bands and their performance lasted only half an hour. This time they were one of the main acts, so I really got my money’s worth. This was a terrific show filled with bleak blackened death metal tunes both old and new ones from their latest album ‘Rugia’. They really know how to agitate the crowd too. It didn’t take long before I was head-banging along with the others.

Then it was time for the main act, my favorites Vader. They managed to get a mosh-pit going at the start of the second song, and it was full steam ahead from that point onward. It’s great to see how much energy their front-man Peter still has, even after thirty years in the death metal scene. Their guitarist Spider did a fantastic job too. They played many of the hits including: my personal favorite ‘Carnal’, ‘Black To The Blind’, ‘Chaos’, ‘Silent Empire’ and many others.

In summary, it was a very entertaining way to spend a Monday night, head-banging to my favorite death metal bands. I’m glad that I finally got to see a full performance by Hate. I made a new discovery with The Noctumblant. Let’s hope that there will be more memorable live shows this year.

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Iron Maiden live in Warsaw

Posted in Gig, Interview with tags Gothic Metal, Heavy Metal, Iron Maiden, Lord of the Lost, NWOBHM, Within Temptation on 27th July 2022 by izaforestspirit

Lord Of The Lost, Within Temptation, Iron Maiden
PGE Narodowy (National Stadium),
Warsaw, Poland
24 July 2022

It’s been a long while since I’ve written anything for this site. I’ve been busy with other projects. I’m about to release my debut book, an anthology of fantasy short stories inspired by Tolkien and mythology on Amazon this autumn. I’m also writing a new novel set in the same universe and a sequel is already at the editing phase. With a bit of luck I can release it next year.

I recently went on holiday with my family to Poland. As well as to visiting the zoo in Łódz; an interactive science museum; a military museum and lots of fun stuff for kids, the undisputed highlight of the holiday for me and my husband was the Iron Maiden gig at the stadium in Warsaw.

We arrived there a little early, with plenty of time to grab some cold beers and a zapienkanka (one of my favorite vegetarian snacks) which is an elaborate form of cheese on toast with mushrooms and a generous amount of ketchup. Then it was time to check out the first band, German Gothic metal band Lord of the Lost. I’m a big fan of their work but this time their set had a little too many ballads for my liking. Luckily they played some of my favorites including ‘Dry The Rain’, ‘Loreley’, ‘Die Tomorrow’ and ‘Born With A Broken Heart’. So, a decent show but I’ve seen better from these guys.

I never understood the hype behind Within Temptation. As far as Gothic metal goes, for me they have always been in the ‘solid but nothing groundbreaking’ -category. No match for bands like Nightwish or Epica. At least they played ‘Stand My Ground’ as that’s the only song I recognized.

Then it was finally time for the headliners. Iron Maiden started out slow with some ballads from the new album ‘Senjutsu’. Then after ‘The Writing On The Wall’, they began a cavalcade of hits including most of the crowd favorites such as ‘Run To The Hills’, ‘Fear of The Dark, ‘Hallowed By They Name’ and ‘Number of The Beast’. Their show had an impressive range of pyrotechnics and stage props including a samurai Eddie, sword-fighting Eddie and a fighter plane replica for ‘Aces High’.

In summary, both me and my husband had a great time. It was one hell of an evening and a great way to celebrate the end of a good holiday.

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New Suicide Commando album out later this month

Posted in News with tags Aggrotech, Dark electro, Electro-industrial, Harsh EBM, Suicide Commando on 4th July 2022 by izaforestspirit

Good news for fans of Harsh EBM and industrial music. The new album from Belgian Harsh EBM artist Johan van Roy, better known as Suicide Commando. The long awaited follow up to ‘Forest of The Impaled’ will be entitled ‘Goddestructor’. This will be a double record with a 11 new songs and a bonus remix album featuring artists such as C-Lekktor and Assemblage 23.

You can check out the cover and track-listing below:

CD1
01 KILL ALL HUMANITY
02 I’D DIE FOR YOU (v2.0)
03 GOD OF DESTRUCTION
04 JESUS FREAK
05 STERBEHILFE (EUTHANASIA 2021)
06 DESTROYER OF WORLDS
07 LAND OF ROSES
08 BANG BANG BANG
09 SIN
11 BUNKERB!TCH (CENSORED)

CD2
01 God of destruction – Cryo remix
02 Sterbehilfe – Rob Dust remix
03 I’d die for you – Assemblage 23 remix
04 Jesus freak – Dead When I Found Her remix
05 Bang bang bang – C-lekktor remix
06 Bunkerb!tch – F U C K B O T remix
07 Jesus freak (die in agony)
08 Sterbehilfe – FGFC820 remix
09 Destroyer of worlds – Nano Infect remix
10 Kill all humanity – Tactical Sekt remix
11 I’d die for you – Elektro Terapi remix

‘Goddestructor’ will be released in a range of digital and physical formats on 22 July 2022 via Out of Line Records.

For more information visit:

https://suicidecommando.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/IIXIII

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New Behemoth album coming in September

Posted in Misc., News, Studio Report with tags Behemoth, Blackened Death Metal, new album, new video on 11th May 2022 by izaforestspirit

The legendary Polish blackened death metal band Behemoth have just announced that their new album, the follow up to ‘I Loved You At Your Darkest’ will be entitled ‘Opvs Contra Natvram’. Here’s what their front-man Nergal had to say about it:

“The album title means ‘going against the current’. It’s the negative of the values and morals and ethics that I, Nergal, stand against. I’ve seriously been wrestling with destructive tendencies in pop culture – cancel culture, social media, and tools which I feel are very dangerous weapons in the hands of people who are not competent to judge others. That’s something which I find very destructive and disturbing – and extremely limiting coming from an artists’ perspective.

This album is my middle finger to that.“

Here’s the cover art and track-listing:

Post-God Nirvana
Malaria Vvlgata
3.The Deathless Sun
Ov My Herculean Exile
Neo-Spartacvs
Disinheritance
Off To War!
Once Upon A Pale Horse
Thy Becoming Eternal
Versvs Christvs

‘Opvs Contra Natvram’ will be out in digital and a variety of physical versions on 16th September 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records. Those who opt for the physical formats will have a choice of a white or black covers for the limited vinyls and the CD digibooks.

For now you can check out their video for the new single ‘Ov My Herculean Exile’:

For more information go to:

https://www.behemoth.pl/

https://www.facebook.com/behemoth

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Hevisaurus live in Lempäälä

Posted in Gig, Live with tags all ages, children's music, Heavy Metal, Hevisaurus on 18th April 2022 by izaforestspirit

Hevisaurus
Idea Park, Lempäälä, Finland
18^th April 2022

It’s been two years since my last live show. Back in the first year of the pandemic I went to see The 69 Eyes live under coronavirus restricted conditions. Back then it was all about the face-masks, crowd control and hand-sanitizer. Live-streams became the new normal and live shows were a rare treat. Now two years on there’s a vaccine available and the new strands of the virus are more mild which means that live shows and other events are now back on the agenda.

Hevisaurus is a Finnish heavy metal band who specialize in playing fantasy-themed heavy metal music for children, dressed in dinosaur costumes. My children are both fans of the band. This particular show was a free event held at the IdeaPark shopping mall in Lempäälä on the last day of the Easter period. The show was geared up for children, taking place in the afternoon with an allocated slot for the young audience. The parents were encouraged to move to the sides so that the children could get a good view of the band.

One of the things that’s great about Hevisaurus is that the music itself is actually really good, old school heavy metal which makes it fun for people of all ages to listen to. My kids had a great time rocking out to some of the biggest hits including: Räyh!, Ugala Bugala, Liskodisko and my daughter’s personal favorite, the lullaby ‘Viimeinen Mammutti’. It was heartwarming to see the whole crowd singing along.

In summary, this was a fun day out for me and my family. It was the very first show my daughter has ever been to and I’m glad that she enjoyed it. I’m really happy that I got to see a live show after such a long break. Hopefully this won’t be my only gig this year.

Iza Raittila

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New Lord of the Lost EP coming next month

Posted in Misc., News with tags Dark Rock, Gothic Metal, Industrial rock, Lord of the Lost on 17th April 2022 by izaforestspirit

Less than a year since the release of their latest album ‘Judas’ and the German Gothic metal band Lord of The Lost show no signs of slowing down. They have new EP called ‘The Heartbeat of The Devil’ coming next month. This is a companion piece to ‘Judas’ with the title track being from that album. Check out the full track-listing and cover art:

1.The Heartbeat Of The Devil
2.Judas (Lady Gaga Cover)
3.Children Of The Damned (Iron Maiden Cover)
4.Wig In A Box (Hedwig And The Angry Inch Cover)
5.The Heartbeat Of The Devil (Piano Version)

‘The Heartbeat of The Devil’ will be out in both physical and digital formats on Napalm Records on 6th May 2022. For more information go to:

https://www.facebook.com/lordofthelost

https://lordofthelost.de

https://lordofthelost.bandcamp.com/

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Interview with Johan van Roy from Suicide Commando

Posted in Interview with tags Aggrotech, Harsh EBM, Industrial, Interview, Suicide Commando on 31st March 2022 by izaforestspirit

Iza had a chat with Belgian artist Johan van Roy from the Harsh EBM/ industrial band Suicide Commando about touring during the COVID 19 pandemic, live streams and his upcoming single and new album.

Here’s the full interview:

Last year you released a new single called ‘Trick or Treat’ and now there’s a new album in the works. Can you tell more a bit more about what can we expect from the new album?

Meanwhile the album is completely finished. Most of the songs were written during the pandemic and I think you can also hear it in the result, it sure did not become a “happy” album nor an easy listening album.
It still has the typical suicide commando ingredients but I also think this became the hardest suicide commando album to date, somehow you can feel the frustration of the last 2 years in the new songs. So it will be a bitter black album !

Suicide Commando’s music tends be very harsh sounding for EBM with lots of violent themes. Where does all violence come from?

I think we all have violence inside of us, it’s just a matter how to deal with aggression and violence, and for me my music is the perfect way to get rid of my aggression, my violent emotions … for me my music is also my therapy.
Furthermore we’re living in a world full of aggression and violence, just switch on the radio or the television and you get bombed with violence in the news, open the newspaper and you get confronted with violence … so my music is just a reflection of what we see or hear in every day life.

The pandemic has caused lots of distruptions with tours and shows being cancelled. Even the shows that weren’t cancelled went ahead with lots of restrictions. What are your thoughts on playing live shows under Covid 19 restrictions?

Well I considered it as a necessary evil. Of course it was really frustrating not being able to go on tour and have contact with our fans and audience. But on the other hand I’m happy we at least could do a few live shows, even those with a sitting audience. It was a weird feeling to play in front of a sitting audience, but I’m still happy we could do these few shows.
We now finally can start doing live shows again in more normal conditions, it’s still a bit strange as you notice people are still cautious and reluctant, and some people still prefer to stay safe at home, but slowly things will get back to normal … I hope !

Archive footage – Suicide Commando live at Electrowerkz, Slimelight London, UK in 2013.

Another thing that the pandemic has brought about was the rise in popularity of livestreams. Have you ever considered doing a Suicide Commando livestream?

We got a few requests to do such livestreams but in our constitution it was as get as impossible as we all live pretty far away from each other, and Torben (my live keyboarder) even lives in Germany, so coming together for such a livestream wasn’t even possible.

Has the Russian war with Ukraine had any influence on your new song Bang Bang Bang?

The song “Bang Bang Bang” was written already some months ago, so the song itself has nothing to do with the current war in Ukraine. The song actually is about gun violence, but of course it also got a new dimension with the current war. But no matter what, the message is clear, guns kill !

Finally once this pandemic is over and all the restrictions have been lifted are there any countries which you would like to tour for the first time?

Tour for the first time won’t be an easy thing as we already played in so many different countries all over the world, but of course I still have some dream locations left, for example I’d love to tour Australia or Japan one day.

Suicide Commando’s new single ‘Bang Bang Bang!’ will be released on April 14 in digital download and limited edition MCD via Out of Line Records (Europe) and Metropolis Records (USA & rest of the world).

Meanwhile you can check out his new video for ‘Trick or Treat’:

For more details visit:

https://www.facebook.com/IIXIII

https://suicidecommando.bandcamp.com/

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New album from Michael Monroe coming this summer

Posted in News with tags glam rock, Hard rock, Michael Monroe, new album on 25th March 2022 by izaforestspirit

The Finnish hard rock musician Michael Monroe has recently announced that his new album ‘I Live Too Fast Die Young’ will be out in both digital and physical formats this summer on 10th June 2022 via Silver Lining Music.

Here’s the cover and track-listing:

1.Murder The Summer Of Love
2.Young Drunks & Old Alcoholics
3.Derelict Palace
4.All Fighter
5.Everybody’s Nobody
6.Antisocialite
7.Can’t Stop Falling Apart
8.Pagan Prayer
9.No Guilt
10. I Live Too Fast To Die Young
11. Dearly Departed

For now you can check out the video for his new single ‘Murder The Summer of Love’.

The band will also be touring Europe this spring. Here’s the full schedule:

08 Apr – House of Rock Bar, Kouvola (FI)
14 Apr – Möysän Musaklubi, Lahti (FI)
15 Apr – Hyvinkääsali, Hyvinkää (FI)
16 Apr – Olympia, Tampere (FI)
21 Apr – Tavastia Club, Helsinki (FI)
22 Apr – Ikaalinen Spa, Ikaalinen (FI)
04 Jun – ROCK HARD FESTIVAL, Gelsenkirchen (DE)
06 Jun – K.B. Hallen, Copenhagen (DK)*
9-11 Jun – SAARISTO OPEN AIR, Kaarina (FI)
10 Jun – ROCK IN THE CITY, Kuopio (FI)
11 Jun – SWEDEN ROCK, Sölvesborg (SE)
15 Jun – Dolina Charlotty, Charlotta (PL)*
17 Jun – Stadthalle, Zwickau (DE) *
18 Jun – AZKENA FESTIVAL, Vitoria-Gasteiz (ES)
21 Jun – Mitsubishi Electric Halle, Dusseldorf (DE)*
22 Jun – Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt (DE)*
25 Jun – HELLFEST, Clisson (FR)
29 Jun – Ippodromo San Siro, Milan (IT)*
07 Jul – SAUNA OPEN AIR, Tampere (FI)
08 Jul – ROCK IN THE CITY, Oulu (FI)
14-17 Jul – VAUHTIAJOT, Seinäjoki (FI)
16 Jul – ROCK IN THE CITY, Rovaniemi (FI)
29-30 Jul – SKOGSROJET FESTIVAL, Rejmyre (SE)
04-06 Aug – WACKEN OPEN AIR, Wacken (DE)
04-06 Aug – VAASA FESTIVAL, Vaasa (FI)
27 Aug – HRH Sleaze, Sheffield (UK)
*Supporting Alice Cooper

For more information go to:

http://michaelmonroe.com

https://www.facebook.com/michaelmonroeofficial

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New single from Vengeant

Posted in Misc., News with tags Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal, Vengeant on 15th March 2022 by izaforestspirit

Vengeant, the Magic: The Gathering inspired, Swedish symphonic metal band are back with a new single called ‘Avalanche of Fire’.

It’s available on all streaming platforms including Spotify.

For more information visit:

https://www.facebook.com/vengeantofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/vengeantofficial/

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Sabaton – The War To End All Wars

Posted in Review with tags Power Metal, Sabaton on 7th March 2022 by izaforestspirit

Sabaton
The War To End All Wars (History Edition)
Released 4th March 2022
Power Metal
Released via Nuclear Blast Records

World-renowned Swedish power metallers Sabaton are back with yet another historically themed album. ‘The War To End All Wars’ is the sequel to their 2019 release ‘The Great War’, continuing with the theme of World War I. This time time I opted to check out the limited ‘History Edition’ version which includes some voiceover narrative intro about the historical events which inspired the songs. It’s an optional extra treat for the history buffs among the metalhead population but entertaining nonetheless.

So anyway, moving on to the music. Unlike their previous opus, this album seems to be big on the ballads. I’ll start with my favorites; the best of the ballads is the anthemic, piano-centered Christmas Truce with an emotionally charged chorus that is both sombre and memorable. Stormtroopers is another good non-ballad with some decent guitar riffs. Then there’s the energetic and bombastic The Unkillable Soldier, which is easily my favorite track on the album. It is the fastest song, packed with great guitar work and a showcase for Joakim Brodén’s melodic vocals. I really enjoyed reading about the soldier who inspired the song too. Then there’s the keyboard-driven Soldier of Heaven, another catchy song that I enjoyed singing along to.

In summary, ‘A War To End All Wars’ is a decent effort from Sabaton. Music-wise it’s not dramatically different from its predecessor ‘The Great War’. For a long time fan like me I pretty much knew what to expect from it. Not all the songs are great but I find myself discovering new favorites with every listen.

7/10

Iza Raittila

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Zwaremachine – Conquest 3000

Posted in Review with tags ebm, Industrial, Zwaremachine on 1st March 2022 by izaforestspirit

Zwaremachine
Conquest 3000
Released 17th July 2021
EBM/Industrial
Self-Released

‘Conquest 3000’ is the second album from the American EBM band Zwaremachine. The project has been around since 2011. They describe their style as “minimal hypnotic industrial body music”.All their releases are available from the Bandcamp page.

So after a few listens I can state that what we have here is a classic EBM album with a futuristic, dystopian theme. The vocals remind me of Sascha Konietzko from the German industrial metal band KMFDM. “Minimal” seems to be the keyword here as this album is full of catchy yet simple synth-driven EBM songs. The vocals are more spoken word rather than actual singing but they work well with the music.

One of the tracks which caught my attention was Toymaker, which features a memorable chorus and works as a dance track. Speaking of dance tracks, Parasol is definitely a good one. It’s hard to listen to it without being tempting to sway and stamp your feet to the tune. I also enjoyed Resist where the heavy bass lines are paired with synth melodies to produce a very danceable song.

In summary, ‘Conquest 3000’ is a well-executed classic EBM industrial album which I would recommend to fans of early KMFDM and bands such as Front 242. Retro, minimal yet very catchy.

7/10

Iza Raittila

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Efpix – No More Remorse

Posted in Review with tags Efpix, industrial death metal, Industrial metal, Melodic death metal on 20th February 2022 by izaforestspirit

Efpix
No More Remorse
Released 15th December 2021
Industrial Metal/Melodic Death Metal
Self-Released

‘No More Remorse’ is the second album from the Russian industrial death metal band Efpix. Alexander Kondrashov came up with the project concept back in 2009 but it wasn’t until 2013 when the band was formed.

Now, I like industrial and I like death metal but, based on my experience a good combination of these two genres is incredibly rare. The results can range from the sublime such as Zyklon’s debut ‘World Ov Worm’ to the downright ridiculously bad such as Morbid Angel’s ‘Illud Divinium Insanus’. So where does Efpix fit in?

Well, there’s only one way to find out.

Efpix’s signature brand of industrial is the Gothic style, industrial rock variety used by Deathstars or The Kovenant. The keyboards provide a good contrast to the harsher-sounding, melodeath growls. For example, on Erasing The Stars they managed to maintain a healthy balance between the two with the keyboards complementing the guttural vocals and guitar work rather than sounding like a cacophony. One thing I’m not so keen on are the clean vocals on some of the tracks as Watch. That song is a little too pop-ish for my liking. Luckily most of the other songs are more metal-sounding and guitar- rather than keyboard-driven. My personal favorites include: the vicious yet oddly catchy electronics-infused, death metal track Mankind Anthem and the symphonic and atmospheric Scorched.

In summary, ‘No More Remorse’ turned out to be better than I expected. It has some flaws and there’s a couple of songs which I dislike but as far as industrial death metal goes it’s a pretty decent album. I would recommend this to fans of The Kovenant and Deathstars.

7/10

Iza Raittila

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New Hocico album coming this spring

Posted in News, Studio Report with tags Dark electro, Harsh EBM, Hocico, Industrial on 15th February 2022 by izaforestspirit

The Mexican industrial duo Hocico are back with a new album. The follow up to ‘Artificial Extinction’ will be called ‘HyperViolent’. Check out the cover and track-listing:

1. When The Trumpets Of Hate Blow
2. Broken Empires
3. Acts of Aggression
4. Un Sepulcro Sin Cadaver
5. What Are Nightmares Made Of?
6. Hacked Society
7. El Jardin de Las Locuras
8. Backstabbers
9. Lost World
10. Black Reflection
11. N.W.O.
12. Crown of Knives
13. Peccata Mundi

HYPERSIDE EFFECTS (Bonus CD):
1. Weapons of Resistance feat. Aaron Matts
2. Odio Bajo el Alma (Version Mariachi)
3. Black Mirror
4. Dog Eat Dog (Desputes Remix)
5. The Fall

‘HyperViolent’ will be released in the following physical formats: double CD, vinyl, cassette, a limited collector’s edition box as well as digital download on 14th April 2022 via Out of Line Records.

In the meantime you can see their video for ‘Backstabbers’:

For more details visit:

https://www.facebook.com/hocicoofficial
https://www.hocico.com/

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Metallica’s Kirk Hammett’s solo EP coming soon

Posted in News, Studio Report with tags Heavy Metal, Kirk Hammett, Metallica, solo EP, Soundtrack on 9th February 2022 by izaforestspirit

Kirk Hammett the legendary guitarist of world renowned heavy metal outfit Metallica has recently announced that he will be releasing his debut instrumental EP ‘Portals’ this spring. Here’s a statement from the artist:

“The initial concept for Portals started with that one song. Following that, I realized I could create different soundtrack moments. These songs are what I call ‘Audio Cinematic;’ I’m creating sounds and pieces of music for the movies playing in my head. Hopefully they’ll create movies in other people’s heads in a similar fashion.“

Check out the cover art:

The EP will feature guest performances from Edwin Outwater (LA Philharmonic also present on Metallica’s S&M2) and Bob Rock plus others. ‘Portals’ will be available out worldwide in both physical and digital formats on 23rd April 2022.

For more information visit:

https://www.metallica.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Metallica

https://www.facebook.com/kirkHammett

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New album from Dawn of Ashes coming this spring

Posted in News, Studio Report with tags Dawn of Ashes, Industrial metal, new album on 20th January 2022 by izaforestspirit

American industrial black metal band Dawn of Ashes have recently announced that their new album, the follow up to 2020’s ‘The Antinomian’ will be called ‘Scars of the Broken’. Here’s the cover art and track-listing:

(Descending) Torn Inside
Love Is Asphyxiation
The Despondent Hole
EMDR
Bane of Your Existence
(Limbo) Numb
It Comes in Waves
Heart Beats Cold
Turn It Shallow
Scars of the Broken
The Antidote
(Ascending) Catharsis

‘Scars of the Broken’ will be released in both physical and digital formats on 18th March 2022 via Artoffact Records. In the meantime you can check out their new single ‘EMDR’.

For more information go to:

https://dawnofashesofficial.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Dawnofashes/

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Existance -Wolf Attack

Posted in Review with tags Heavy Metal, melodic power metal on 9th January 2022 by izaforestspirit

Existance
Wolf Attack
Released 29th October 2021
Heavy Metal/Melodic Power Metal
Released via Black Viper Records

Wolf Attack’ is the new album from the French heavy metal band Existance. The group was formed back in 2008 and they have been the opening act for Adrian Vanderberg, Joe Lynn Turner and Skull Fist. This album was mastered by Jacob Hansen who has also worked with U.D.O, Primal Fear and Volbeat.

So what we have here is eleven tracks of very uplifting melodic power metal packed with playful guitar tunes. Highlight Vampire is particularly entertaining thanks to the high-pitched vocals and infectiously catchy guitar riffs. A great start to the album. I also enjoyed Rock n’Roll, another cheerful heavy metal track that is bound to put a smile on your face. The chorus is simple but fun to sing along to and the guitar work is just as lively.

Another track that caught my attention is Sniper Alley which has a varied pace and features some of the most catchy guitar work of the album. Then there’s You Gotta Rock It, a very enjoyable guitar-driven heavy metal song with strong AC/DC vibes.

In summary, I enjoyed listening to ‘Wolf Attack’. It’s a very well executed and highly entertaining album which I would happily recommend to fans of both melodic power metal and classic heavy metal.

8/10

Iza Raittila

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Iza’s Highlights of 2021

Posted in Editorial/Opinionated with tags Blackened Death Metal, Blue Stahli, Blutengel, Bodom After Midnight, Cradle Of Filth, Darkwave, Eisbrecher, Gothic Metal, Hate, Helloween, highlights, Industrial metal, Industrial rock, Lacrimosa, Lord of the Lost, Melodic death metal, Power Metal, Symphonic Black Metal, Symphonic Metal, synth-pop, Therion on 29th December 2021 by izaforestspirit

Another year of no gigs for me but thanks to the Covid 19 vaccine I was able to travel abroad and watch a movie at the cinema. Then new strain of the virus led to new restrictions and event cancellations. It remains to be seen whether I can go to any concerts next year but for now I’m happy with watching live streams and listening to music. Here are my highlights of 2021:

1. Cradle of Filth – Resistance is Futile
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal/Extreme Gothic Metal

It’s been many years since Cradle of Filth have made an album this good. It reminds me of their eerie Gothic horror masterpiece ‘Midian’. Best tracks: ‘Crawling King Chaos’, ‘Suffer Our Dominium’ and ‘How Many Tears To Nurture A Rose’.

2. Therion – Leviathan
Genre: Symphonic Metal

Therion is a band I used to like but I lost interest in their releases over a decade ago. Then I saw their video for ‘Tuonela (featuring Marco Hietala) and I decided to give their new album a go. It turned out to be everything that I love about Therion – mythical themes, operatic vocals and movie soundtrack -style atmospheric symphonic metal. In addition to ‘Tuonela’, my favorite tracks are ‘Eye of Algol’ and ‘Nocturnal Light’.

3. Bodom After Midnight – Paint The Sky With Blood
Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Power Metal

Bodom After Midnight, Paint the Sky with Blood, 10" Vinyl - Backstage Rock Shop

This one is technically an EP but in this case I decided to make an exception. This is Alexi Laiho’s (ex-Children of Bodom) swansong, the last three tracks he recorded with his new band before he died last year.

4. Helloween – Helloween
Genre: Power Metal

While it’s no match to ‘The Dark Ride’, Helloween’s self-titled is the most memorable power metal album I’ve heard this year. Very uplifting and energetic from start to finish. Best tracks: ‘Fear of The Fallen’, ‘Skyfall’ and ‘Best Time’.

5. Blue Stahli – Obsidian
Genre: Industrial Rock/Electric Rock

This album is the final part of the industrial artist Bret Autrey aka Blue Stahli’s Dead Channel Trilogy and my favorite one out of the three. Energetic industrial rock at its finest. Best tracks: ‘The Mountain’ and ‘One Last Breath’.

6. Lord of The Lost – Judas
Genre: Gothic Metal/Dark Rock/Industrial Metal

I had some serious doubts about Lord of The Lost being able to produce another good album after the masterpiece that was ‘Thornstar’. The reason why ‘Judas’ is so low down on this list is because I didn’t like the second disc as much as the first. I think that it would have been better if it was shorter. Best tracks: ‘Priest’, ‘For They Know Not What They Do’ and ‘Born With A Broken Heart’.

7. Hate – Rugia
Genre: Black Metal/ Blackened Death Metal

Hate tend to get overlooked by many extreme metal fans and dismissed as a Behemoth clone. Whilst they also come from Poland and they play blackened death metal, the similarities end there. Their music is far less technical than Behemoth but it’s just as dark and bleak. I love the Slavic mythology themes on here. Best tracks ‘Rugia’ and ‘Resurgence’.

8. Lacrimosa – Leidenschaft
Genre: Gothic Metal

Finally a new album from one of my favorite Gothic metal bands. This one has the same melancholic ambience as their previous opus ‘Testimonium’ along with some heavier, more metal songs. Best tracks: ‘Kulturtasche’ and ‘Raubtier’.

9. Blutengel – Erlösung – The Victory of Light
Genre: Synthpop/ Darkwave

For those who don’t know I have a thing for vampires and German electronica which is what got me into Blutengel. The latest opus from the German darkwave duo features several really good dancefloor hits including: ‘The Victory of Light’, ‘Wir Sind Das Licht’ and ‘Darkness Awaits Us’.

10. Eisbrecher – Liebe Macht Monster
Genre: Industrial Metal

If you like industrial, Neue Deutsche Härte and you’re looking for some new exercise music then ‘Liebe Macht Monster’ is the album for you. Best tracks: ‘Es lohnt sich nicht ein Mensch zu sein’ and ‘Nein Danke’ and ‘Dagegen featuring Dero Goi (Oomph!, Die Kreatur).

Honorable mentions:

Ex Deo – The 13 Years of Nero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSVkjiUxW0M
Theatres des Vampires – In Nomine Sanguinis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XCn6mihi6s
Powerwolf – Call of The Wild
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf5SMqG-JHk

Most anticipated albums of 2022 – Sabaton – The War To End All Wars, new albums from Suicide Commando and Agathodaimon.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Iza Raittila

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Dargor – Descent Into Abyss

Posted in Review with tags atmospheric black metal, Poland on 19th December 2021 by izaforestspirit

Dargor
Descent into Chaos
Released 6th May 2021
Atmospheric Black Metal
Self-Released

Then a lot of people hear the words “black metal” and “Poland”, the first band name that usually comes to mind is Behemoth. Even if their style has shifted away from their black metal roots to create a mixture of black metal and death metal; more commonly known as blackened death metal, they remain the country’s most recognizable and successful extreme metal band. But those who are more familiar with the Polish metal scene will know that there are other black metal bands worth checking out such as Mgła, Vesania or Batushka to name but a few. This brings me to ‘Descent into Chaos’ – the second EP from the Polish black metal band Dargor. The project was launched in 2018. Both their EPs are self-released and available from their Bandcamp page.

So, what we have here are five tracks of melodic atmospheric black metal. There’s a subtle balance between the eerie yet melodic guitar work and the coarse-sounding vocals. The opening track Abysses is a good example of this contrast. The guitars create a haunting atmosphere and the vocalist really does sound like a tortured soul crying out in pain. Another song that caught my attention is Decay which features more eerie and atmospheric guitar tones, ghastly vocals ending with a surprisingly melodic and soothing keyboard outro.

In summary, ‘Descent To Chaos’ is definitely one of the more memorable black metal releases I’ve heard this year. If Dargor continue along the same path they’ll have a bright future ahead of them.

7/10 Iza Raittila

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Theatres des Vampires – In Nomine Sanguinis

Posted in Review with tags Gothic Metal, Theatres Des Vampires on 25th November 2021 by izaforestspirit

Theatres des Vampires
In Nomine Sanguinis
Released 19th November 2021
Gothic Metal
Released via Scarlet Records

With the notable exception of Lord of the Lost’s ‘Judas’ and the upcoming Lacrimosa album, not too many Gothic metal releases caught my attention this year. Then I discovered that Theatres Des Vampires are back with a new album so I decided to check it out. They’re a band I’ve been following for some time, but I tend to prefer their earlier stuff back when they had Lord Vampyr as their main vocalist. Since he left and Sonya Scarlet became their main singer, their albums have been hit and miss for me. I liked ‘Pleasure and Pain’ and ‘Moonlight Waltz’ but the last one they released in 2016 failed to impress me. So I’m hoping that ‘In Nomine Sanguinis’ will be better.

After a few listens I can safely say that this is a marked improvement when compared to their previous album ‘Candyland’. In many ways it reminds me of the mid-career albums, particularly ‘Moonlight Waltz’. The vampire themes are back and Sonya Scarlet’s haunting vocals have regained their mojo. The album offers a good balance of atmospheric keyboards, melodic vocals and more guitar-driven songs such as The Bride of Corinth. I really liked that eerie and atmospheric keyboard intro on that one. Other memorable tracks include ‘Christina’ thanks to its catchy melodic chorus that really makes me feel like dancing along. My personal favorite is Lady Bathory. Here the vocals take on a harsher, more eerie tone, the guitars are more prominent while the keyboards are more subtle, creeping into the background. The chorus is great too.

Overall, there’s a lot to like here if you’re into Gothic metal. While it doesn’t offer anything dramatically new , as far as Theatres des Vampires albums go this is one is definitely one of the better ones. Good to see that Scarlet and her vampire coven are back in blood.

7/10

Iza Raittila

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Duindwaler – Landloper

Posted in Review with tags Raw Black Metal on 2nd November 2021 by izaforestspirit

Duindwaler
Landloper
10th March 2021
Raw Black Metal

‘Landloper’ is the debut EP from the Dutch black metal artist Daan Bleumink (Hellevaerder, Throne of Time, Whore of the Underworld). The project was launched earlier this year.

So, what we have here are four tracks of raw and extremely bleak-sounding black metal. The vocals resemble monstrous howling and guitars are very rough and harsh. Each song has the same violent and nihilistic feel to it. It reminded me a little of Ildjarn but this is even more crude-sounding. The track that caught my attention was Ontwaakte vlam. It’s easily the most memorable song on the EP with a varied pace and long instrumental guitar parts.

In summary, I like black metal but raw black metal isn’t really my thing. As far as the genre goes ‘Landloper’ is a decent EP which I would recommend to fans of the genre.

6/10

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