Warrior Soul “Out On Bail” Hard Rock Released: 4th March 2022 Via Cargo Records
As factual as the expression “Out On Bail” may sound, given that it was the title chosen by Warrior Soul for their latest album, it must be seen as some kind of defying statement. When listening to the opening track, “We’re Alive”, one can clearly hear the “we’re back in the game” message of someone who has just done time. The cliché motto of every insurgent in “One More For The Road”. The scorn towards white-collar offenders in “Hip Hip Hurray”. A whole rebel speech/attitude, and so I guess the raw, almost punk approach fits. The same with Kory Clarke’s voice, which is way hoarser than I remember. No, scratch that – it IS hoarser than it used to be, nothing to do with my memory; time’s just gone by and wasn’t at all kind to his singing skills. And after two or three songs, you can’t help but reconsider that “broken” is more accurate than “hoarse”. Especially when the songs themselves are played in a somewhat sloppy manner. Yes, I know I’ve mentioned a punk-ish approach and so a reckless performance could be part of the picture. But something feels off. “Cancelled Culture”, however, has a pretty catchy rhythm – that bass intro bringing a smile to my face – but then Clarke tries to sing along such catchiness and he just can’t keep up, and what could’ve been the one song I’d actually enjoy, turns out to be another disappointment. So I choose “End Of The World” as the best track here, as it shows a more elaborate and melodic guitar work, with an edgy vibe to it, where Clarke spoils it a little but doesn’t ruin it completely…
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’:
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
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.
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.
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.
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’:
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.
Kreator Violent Revolution (Re-Issue) Thrash Metal Released 21 January 2022 via Nuclear Blast Records
When German thrash super-titans, Kreator want to treat their fans. They sure know how to do it. In these Covid times, you can’t just embark on a massive anniversary tour. So what can you do? Well, remind them of how good you are by re-releasing one of your most iconic albums and adding on a second part with live cuts to prove that you still rule the stage. Yeah, that would about do it. So we have Violent Revolution, an album that is widely considered to be the spark that kicked off the 2000’s thrash metal revival. Also, guess what, I’ve never actually listened to it until now, well not in full. I’ve seen Kreator live so I know they’re a top-tier band. However, I’ve never taken the chance to listen to this record in full. So now’s a better time than any.
The album is definitely something else. I can hear how this was so influential to the thrash metal community. The riffs are tight and the energy the album produces is relentless. The songs are really well constructed with excellent structure and creative guitar work. The bass and drums lay an excellent foundation and are perfectly in sync. Something that definitely translates to their live show. The pulse-pounding songs hit that sweet spot of heavy and melodic where you can feel every beat of the drums but it still has somewhat of an anthemic quality. Then when the lead guitar kicks in it just put the power levels over the top. Simply put, there are excellent examples of musicianship laced through every part of the record.
Then when you get to the second part of this reissue, aptly named Bootleg Revolution. You hear the band put all of that into practice. Living proof that it wasn’t “studio magic” that made them this good. You feel that genuine passion in each recorded live performance on the album. That musicality lives in them and you feel the energy of the crowd headbanging away. I must say that these are some of the best live recordings I’ve heard on any “live” album. You get just the right amount of live band, talking between the set and crowd noise. All are so well balanced. Looking at the list of places the recordings are pulled from, you really get a grasp of their impact on the metal community at large. Brazil, Korea, Istanbul & Wâldrock Festival. Hearing the reception and how loved they are, really speaks to the metalhead in me.
Obviously, the album is a 10. There’s a reason it still holds up and it is still so loved all these years later and something I would feel comfortable recommending to any newcomer to the thrash metal world. Keep rocking Kreator and I look forward to the next time I can get in a mosh-pit at your show.
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’.
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.
2021 was way less tough than 2020 but it was still tough enough. In November I’ve finally attended some gigs with no restrictions, but in December this new COVID-19 strain brought some new rules and I’m getting a little apprehensive regarding some plans I’ve made.. But I’ll talk about it in the “expectations for 2022”. I’m still including one live stream in my top-5 gigs because the “real” ones didn’t happen before June and that one in April (which included an unplugged section and stories about the songs they’ve performed) still meant a lot to me:
Infraktor at Metalpoint (Porto)
Equaleft at Hard Rock Cafe (Porto)
Hollywood Undead at MixOne Sound (“Undead Unhinged” live stream)
GoDark at Metalpoint (Porto)
Sugiru at Metalpoint (Porto)
My favorite records:
“Aeromantic II” by The Night Flight Orchestra
“Worship” by Hypocrisy
“Hermitage” by Moonspell
“SepulQuarta” by Sepultura
“Aggression Continuum” by Fear Factory
From big movie-like productions to the simplicity of the ocean, going through animation, here are the videos whose producers I tip my hat to the most:
“Burn For Me” by The Night Flight Orchestra
“Funeral Derangements” by Ice Nine Kills
“Treading Water” by Danny Rose
“Ich hasse Kinder” by Till Lindemann
“Children Of The Gray” by Hypocrisy
My expectations for 2022 are, in general, all the postponed concerts and festivals that should have taken place in the last couple of years. But then there are these specific items:
This is the 4th time I put here the 4th Hills Have Eyes album, so let’s hope that the matching number 4 is the lucky strike…
The Hollywood Undead headlining gig in Hanover (June).
The W.A.S.P. 40th anniversary gig in Madrid (March).
Really curious about The Halo Effect album (and gig in Lisbon).
A chance to see Pitch Black live, after missing their long-awaited return due to health issues.
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
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).
Dargor Descent into Chaos Released 6th May 2021 AtmosphericBlack 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.
Sorg Haf Sem Ber Tímans Og Harmanna Farg Dark Metal, Black Metal Released 9th June 2021 Self Released
It’s always interesting looking under the hood of the metal world. Sometimes you dig up gold and sometimes you find something that’s very pure in potential. So let me introduce you to Sorg a one-man metal project from Iceland. Víðir “Mýrmann” Thrastarsonand is an Icelandic painter, musician, and philosopher who put this interesting album together. Haf sem ber tímans og harmanna farg (roughly translated: A sea that carries time and hare disposal) takes on themes of alchemy, romanticism, folklore, philosophy, and history. I have to say I was engaged and impressed all at the same time. The fact that this was all produced by one person astounds me and it clearly took a powerful vision and great persistence to make.
Sonically the album is dark and brooding with Víðir’s vocals brewing in the background. The album chugs along at the same pace throughout. The guitar roars to life on all of the tracks and there is just such a heavy presence of bass. The drums are a bit faded in the background and I would have liked them to be a little more present in the mix to give the album a bit more impact. The whole album feels a little one-note. However, Sorg just hits that note as hard as possible. The album is really heavy, so yeah this is not for the average consumer of music. There are no hooks or earworms to be found here. But the dark poetry in this album really hit hard once the iffy production aside.
This is something that you have to be in the mood for. It’s a small project that’s been made outside of the mainstream publishing system. So it doesn’t have that clean sheen of a major label release. It’s definitely difficult to listen to because of that lack of quality production. Also, the songs seem to be missing that big punch of a good hook. However, I still feel the writing that is there is interesting enough. Like I said there’s pure potential here and I hope Sorg continues to improve.
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.
Hypocrisy “Worship” Death metal Release: 26th November 2021 Via Nuclear Blast Records
I was sure “End Of Disclosure” had been released in 2013 but when doing the math… I had to double-check on Google, as it seemed surreal that it took eight years for Hypocrisy to come up with something new. So the inevitable question is: was it worth the wait?
Peter Tägtgren’s growls have always had a screeching pitch underlining them, but this time he generally goes for a graver, thicker tone, and that alone gives the whole thing a more somber vibe. I understand you may think it compromises his trademark vocals, but in the end you’ll agree it simply suits with those songs. And mind that I’ve said “generally” – if you’ve checked the three videos that were released in the past couple of months, you’ll understand what I’m talking about when I say “graver and thicker” by listening to “Chemical Whore” or “Dead World”; but then in the brilliant “Children Of The Gray” (oh, how intense this one is! Made me feel exactly how I’ve felt as a teenager, when listening to “Roswell 47” for the first time!), this tone comes on only in the chorus, while Tägtgren hits the rest of the song with his dear ol’ voice. The title-track, which opens the record with a beautiful acoustic intro before merging into an electric version of it and then exploding into the fastest and most shredding song here, has also glimpses of that higher pitch – not to mention straightforward terrorizing screams in the beginning. And still regarding the singing parts, being a sucker for choirs and gang vocals, backing up a handful of choruses with these gave the album a richer and more mature sound.
Musically, well, it’s Hypocrisy. They don’t write exactly the most top-notch riffs or the most elaborate solos and beat patterns, but the way they combine them has always been the key to their creativity and popularity – and it still is. Along with “Worship” and “Dead World”, “Another Day” brings you the most aggressive side of death metal, just as “Brotherhood Of The Serpent”, “Greedy Bastards” or “Gods Of The Underground” remind you that toning down the tempo can be just as fierce. And while “They Will Arrive” bears a triumphant stride, “We’re The Walking Dead” will make you feel like you’re walking on a death row…
So I guess by now you already know my answer: oh yes, it was worth it!
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.
Cradle of Filth Existence is Futile Released 22nd October 2021 Symphonic Black Metal/ Extreme Gothic Metal Released via Nuclear Blast
The leaves have fallen, the nights are getting colder and autumn is now truly upon us. As we approach the Halloween season it seems like the perfect time to check out the latest album from the world renowned British extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. This delightfully eerie-looking opus is entitled ‘Existence is Futile’ and it’s the first album to feature the band’s new keyboard player Anabelle Iranti (also of Devilment). I’ve been a fan of their music since my early teens, so I’ve been really looking forward to this.
Now let’s just take a moment to adore the marvelously nihilistic cover art and Dani Filth’s song titles of lyrical poetry. You can’t really get more Gothic horror than a title like ‘How Many Tears To Nurture A Rose’. Music-wise this album feels like a continuation of ‘Midian’ with dose of ‘Nymphetamine’ mixed in. Crawling King Chaos first caught my attention due to infectiously catchy chorus, impressive riffs and symphonic keyboards. That chorus has been stuck in my head ever since I saw the music video. The aforementioned How Many Tears To Nurture A Rose is packed with thrash metal -style guitar riffs, well placed ethereal backing vocals and Dani Filth’s screams sound as creepy as ever.
The global warming -themed Suffer Our Dominion really reminded me of ‘Midian’, partially due to Doug Bradley’s spoken word intro. In a way it feels like a continuation of where they left off with ‘Her Ghost In The Fog’. It has the same atmosphere with the eerie keyboards creeping in the background paired with Anabelle Iranti’s angelic vocals which provide the ideal contrast to Dani Filth’s abrasive shrieks. The Hellraiser actor then returns to lend his voice for one of the bonus tracks Sisters of the Mist which concludes the trilogy that began with ‘Her Ghost In The Fog’. The spooky keyboards are an absolute treat. I adored Dani Filth’s haunting whispers midway through the track. A true masterpiece of Gothic horror.
In summary, despite of the bleak concept behind it, ‘Existence Is Futile’ is a surprisingly entertaining album to tune into. As far as symphonic black metal goes it ticks all the right boxes. The songs get better with each listen. It’s impressive that even after this many years and several line-up changes Cradle of Filth are still able to create a strong record that’s worth going back to.
Valkyrian Music 