Portuguese metal bands aren’t exactly a dime a dozen, nor does the Mediterranean country’s fertile local scene receives much international attention compared to its Scandinavian counterparts. Painted Black are out to change this fact with their impressive debut, Cold Comfort. Partaking from the same inspirational well waters as Swallow the Sun and My Dying Bride, the Lisbon sextet elicit a genuine emotional response from their dire dirges of rock-influenced doom, while possessing enough of a softer melodic side to lend the songwriting a strong sense of dynamic. MAA got in touch with the band’s guitarist Luis to find out more about Painted Black. \m/G.
Hey guys! Thanks for talking to us. I LOVED Cold Comfort, and was actually quite surprised by how mature sounding this record is for a debut! How would you describe the creative process as far as length, pre-production and arrangements went?
Hi George! Well, after we recorded our second demo “Verbo” in 2007, we spent from 2 to 3 years writing and pre-producing what would become Cold Comfort. I did homemade demos for all the songs and Daniel wrote the lyrics before we hit the rehearsal room with the rest of the band. We spent some months playing the songs with the click track, just to get prepared for the studio and we did a few extra-arrangements for the songs during that time. As you can see, a lot of work was done even before we got to UltraSound Studios, where the producers, Daniel Cardoso and Pedro Mendes, also helped us shaping what would become the final product.
For those who don’t know Painted Black, would you actually mind giving us some background information as to how you formed, and what were the goals with your early demos as far as musical inspiration and direction?
I wouldn’t mind at all. I formed the band with Daniel (vocals) in 2001, but we only released our first demo “The Neverlight” in 2005, just after we found a stable line up and (finally!) got our own rehearsal space. All of us are from a very small Portuguese town, away from all the big cities, so the early years were quite rough for us. As every band, we recorded our demos to showcase our music to people and hopefully start some hype around us in the underground scene. As for our musical inspiration, we use our music to purge all our feelings, so in a way, it’s a very intimate and personal thing. Everything that affects our lives ends up fueling our music, even movies, books and of course human relationships. Usually we say that our songs are our “emotional storms” and that’s not that far from the truth at all.
My Dying Bride and Swallow the Sun serve as some reference points to your sound, but there’s also a quieter, more melancholic side to Painted Black which reminds me of Depeche Mode at times. What elements do you feel go into the Painted Black sound; do you all come from different backgrounds in terms of the diverse influences you bring to the table?
Well, all of us in the band listen to different stuff, but we also share some similar tastes in music as well. But I guess, since I’m the main songwriter I end up influencing the music we make more than the other guys. And yes, we have those references but we also like atmospheric and more acoustic music such as Sigur Ros, Antimatter , Ashram, even some movie scores and some classical music. All the music we hear ends up influencing us in some way!
How do those influences permeate and affect the songwriting, do you think? Is there a general way by which Painted Black songs come together, and how challenging was the songwriting process of Cold Comfort?
My main goal is to always be honest with the music I make. My music must always come from the heart and I must believe in what I’m doing. The songs and the lyrics come from emotions and we have no rules while writing songs. We don’t like to have constraints and we like to experiment with music. More than just metal fans, we are music lovers. Like I said before, I record some demo songs at home and then Daniel writes the lyrics and sometimes we also work together on the vocal melodies. After that process is done we show the songs to the other guys and if they like them we begin to rehearse all together as a full band, working on all the arrangements. For Cold Comfort we did about 17 to 18 demo songs in about 2 and half years, and we picked eight for the album. After all choices were done it was a long year rehearsing those songs and working on all the small details!
What steps do you feel the band made from the demos on through the full length, and what sort of direction do you see the band going in these days with new material?
I feel we took a huge step from the demos with Cold Comfort. Back in the day it was common to people associate us with the Doom Metal genre but I think that with the album we revealed that we were much more than just Doom. We have expanded our sound and we don’t like to make the same kind of song over and over again. We like to diversify and I think the album is a faithful representation of our creative state at that time. We are still a long way from doing a second album, but the new songs are a little different from what we have done so far. We don’t have many releases; only 3 if you count our demos, but we’ve been making music for 10 years now. I think it’s normal for us to try new things and experiment with our sound. The new songs are more atmospheric, we’re using more keyboards, but we still maintain our “metal heaviness” in there, but maybe not in the same way… ahah, it’s really too soon to tell!
When most fans think of Portuguese metal, Moonspell inevitably comes to mind, which isn’t really fair, given the wealth of bands Portugal has to offer, from We Are the Damned to Icon and the Black Roses. Then again, the groundwork laid by them for that early scene should also be remembered, at the time same….how do you feel about the Portuguese scene, and how it’s responded to Painted Black? Has it been positive, and do you get to play out live often?
Yes, Moonspell is the biggest Portuguese metal band and we like them a lot and respect them for everything they’ve accomplished. You’re also right about the Portuguese scene. There are a lot of great Portuguese bands like Before The Rain, Crushing Sun, Kandia, Oblique Rain, just to name a few. We have talented people in all metal and rock genres! Regarding to the response to our music I can say it has been very positive so far. The readers of LOUD! , the only Portuguese magazine focused in metal and rock, have elected Cold Comfort as the Best Portuguese Metal Album in 2010 (the album was released in May on that same year) so we couldn’t be more happy. We started doing more gigs thanks to the positive feedback we’ve been having and we did some shows in some Portuguese metal festivals which went really good but of course there’s still a lot of people who have never heard about us so we’re always thankful to people like you who help us spread the word!
“Sat down with Ian at Killswitch Productions for an in depth interview for a Documentary on that he is doing on myself. More news as things progress…”
This was the quote that hit twitter and sent CONVERGE fans into a frenzy. It was lifted from Jacob Bannon’s official Twitter page and hints that a documentary is not too far away. Well, it tells us that one is in the works at least and I find this to be incredibly fitting. As one of the most celebrated bands in the underground, CONVERGE has remained largely secretive and quiet. You never hear about their members arguing with another band, appearing in public (aside from touring) or anything remotely “insider” so it feels like this will be quite a fulfilling documentary because you will get a once-in-a-lifetime look inside at the band.
Everyone who reads our site knows of our long-standing romance with DARK TRANQUILLITY, one of the finest melodic death metal bands of all time. DT has always balanced the line between melodic and death metal stylings and it has never seem forced or un-metal, as is the case with certain other bands that came up alongside the band. Now, you can check out the band’s new video for their song “Zero Distance”, a rarity that will be included on DARK TRANQUILLITY’s tour-edition of ‘We Are The Void’.
Let’s hope that another American tour is in the cards for the band in the near future!
Edmonton, Alberta’s All Else Fails is one that band that truly takes the varied influences of its members, pours ‘em into a blender, and ends up with a musical protein shake that tastes at once unique and familiar. Metalcore is the style in most general terms, but by the time the band adds atmospheric flavors with keyboards and various effects (strings, choral vocals, etc.), and injects an impeccable sense of melody – bolstered by well patterned, versatile clean singing parts – into the mix, the result is one that can only be described as All Else Fails. New album The Oracle: What Was, Is, and Could have Been is the most definitive example of that deft mix to date. It is an offering that is as catchy and aggressive as it is fun and aurally stimulating. Barrett Klesko
(vocals, guitar, programming) gives us the guided tour.
When All Else Fails first arrived on the world stage, did you feel as though you
were offering something different to heavy music? The creativity involved and
the willingness to move beyond genre conventions was undeniable. Nowadays, that kind creativity is expected from the band.
Yes, we certainly felt that way, though not necessarily in the way you mean. It was never our intention to create a new genre or to be the most groundbreaking band of all time, but instead we have always just wanted to play music we love. It’s been important to us to never pigeonhole ourselves into a specific sound or end up moving in a predictable pattern.
One of the most impressive aspects of this band’s music is how seamlessly you integrate the softer sides, including the singing, with the more aggressive aspects. Unlike many bands in – for lack of a better term – the metal-core genre, it never sounds formulaic or forced.
Very much like the first point, we never feel like we should approach songs a certain way, we just let them flow and work with what we feel is the natural progression of the music. I think that feeling like we can take any approach is both more interesting to the listener and more artistically gratifying for us.
You’ve stated that The Oracle: What Was, Is, and Could have Been is “our darkest, heaviest, deepest and ultimately, most beautiful album thus far.” Tell us more about the heavy, the deep, and the beautiful – with which I fully concur.
Well the last disc had more of a punk flavor that we have not carried over, so in that regard I think this is a heavier, and certainly darker album. As for deep and beautiful, I use those terms in reference to creating atmosphere in the music, which I think this album has a lot of. It’s that intangible feeling you get when music carries you to a place internally that is more than just “this is cool.” It also speaks to someof the diversity that the disc contains, specifically the acoustic and instrumental tunes.
By the same token, the songs seem meticulously arranged and there is a progressive presence in the music, but when all is said and done it is still the central basis of the song that one remembers. That’s easier said than done since many a band has released albums on which a push for creativity detracted from the basics of a memorable song. What’s the key to making it work?
Ha! I wish I knew, but I don’t believe that there is a foolproof formula to songwriting. Sometimes a simple structured song can have the same impact that an incredible complicated one can, but that is certainly not always the case. We try to approach every song as a whole, and not just chain riffs together. The idea of flow is something that, especially in more progressive music, often gets overlooked.
Along those same lines, with all the nuances, coloration, and diversity of instrumentation involved (whether choral parts, strings, piano, or otherwise),
one might think that a great deal of time is spent making sure that every part has its place. If that’s not the case, then you certainly have a knack for making everything fit in a way that results in a seamless flow from beginning to end. Again, that’s a rare skill.
I usually have a basic idea going into any song whether it will end up with strings or piano or whatever, but often the best things are accidents in the studio, unexpected combinations that turn out to do something I would not have expected. The keyboards and programming are certainly the most complicated parts to write first because I have no formal training in composition, and second because as the singer and guitarist, I’m not usually using my keyboard while we are writing songs.
How does what one hears on the studio recording translate to a live setting?
Really well! We use a sequencer live since we do not have a keyboard player, so while we are certainly playing our main instruments and singing without backing tracks, the orchestra / electronic parts are sampled directly from the albums. It’s a simple setup that works well for now, though one day I would love to be able to have another member to perform those parts live, and way down the road symphony shows certainly won’t be out of the question!
Give us some insight into the lyrical themes, including that interesting title, The Oracle, What Was, Is, and Could have Been. You’ve made no secret of the
social consciousness involved.
I don’t really like to spell out the meaning of my lyrics; instead I like to leave the discovery to the listener, as perspective is certainly a personal thing. That said, we were certainly less obvious in the lyrics on this disc than we were on the last one.
Speaking of which, from where is that socio-politically-charged spoken sample in “The Oracle” taken?
It is an excerpt from Ronald Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” speech. I chose this one for the disc partly because it still very much reflects the attitude of our culture, but also because it can be seen as a counterpoint to many of the arguments that we make in our music against the “war as an answer” approach to conflict. It’s funny that few people who ask about it ever wonder why I chose something that would conflict with many of the ideas we throw around, but the answer is easy. We as a band are not looking to provide opinions with our lyrics, but instead are trying to provoke our listeners to learn more about the world around them, and come to their own conclusions.
For as many memorably written cuts as you’ve included on the album, a left fielder
like “Robots KOLTG” ends up standing out as not only just as memorable, but so
damn much fun.
That one has a bit of a funny story actually. We were approached last year by an online gaming company to provide a song for a game soundtrack, “The house at the end of the world” specifically, however even though the song was finished and ready for release, they kept asking us to make these really ridiculous changes to the lyrics to fit the game. Eventually we got fed up with it and transposed their last email word for word and put the first few riffs that came to mind under it and sent it back. Never heard from the again, though in the end, we all really love the song. It’s cool to just do something fun every now and then, and the strong reaction we have gotten from it, in fact it was just used in our latest Studio Space tour blog, we decided to move it from a secret track to a listed song on the disc.
And what is it that makes robots kind of like the government anyway?
Ha! If only I knew, we didn’t come up with that! I would love to say cold devotion to logic, but that is clearly never the case…
What led to the inclusion of Alice in Chains’ “Sludge Factory?” Interestingly enough, it just feels like it belongs on the album, somehow fitting right in.
A random whim! See, not everything we do is planned way in advance! Honestly, I just woke up one day and thought, “you know what would be cool, cover and Alice and Chains song,” it just turned out so well we included it on the disc.
Often an acoustic version of an existing song feels like little more than bonus material or an extra. What impresses in this regard is how the acoustic version of “This World in Flames” is just as captivating as the “proper” version, yet comes with a completely different vibe.
This goes back to the atmosphere thing I was talking about early, it’s something I have been toying with for a while, and to me it has a certain melancholy to it that the “proper” version doesn’t have. Another song that really was just an experiment in the studio that turned out so well we felt it needed to be a part of the disc.
Because of the diversity of your sound have reviews of The Oracle… been polarizing to any extent?
Absolutely, but not in the way we expected, in fact, what seems to be polarizing reviewers is that many seem to be uncertain of whether we are doing something brand new, or falling squarely into the over-saturated metal-core crowd. That said, I couldn’t be happier with the critical response that has been pouring in, the negatives amount to roughly three percent of the numbers, and the outlets that are generally really tough on metal bands have been overwhelmingly positive towards us!
What musical influences are present amongst the members that results in the music of All Else Fails and how does it all come together during the writing and
recording process?
We have a vast array of different and often conflicting musical tastes in our band. While I grew up on Metal, Grunge and Industrial, our guitarist loves Jazz and our drummer listens to very little outside of brutal death metal. It can really make the writing progress difficult as we disagree on almost everything, but in the end, the mix of influences is what makes our music unique.
Are you satisfied with what Suicidal Bride has done been able to do with the band?
Ha! That’s a funny question since I own the label, so yes in the way that SBR puts everything they possibly can into our project, but no in the way that we are ready for the next step up in the industry and are actively pursuing a larger label.
Where does All Else Fails go from here? One would assume the road and ultimately the studio, but perhaps there is a bit more to it than that.
More touring is certainly the next step. Our Western Canada tour was earlier this summer, and from here we are planning to first hit Asia, then Europe, and lastly the states. We have toured Canada four times now, so it’s time to branch out into new markets. Once that is all said and done I’m sure we will have enough material for the new disc, so we can start the whole process again!
Old Silver Key-Tales of Wanderings (Seasons of Mist-Underground Activists)
It took only the mere mentioning of Alcest and Drudkh in order to get yours truly practically salivating at the prospect of Old Silver Key, and indeed Tales of Wanderings sounds like exactly that: a melding marriage between the two underground metal (?) forces…only the end results aren’t exactly that spectacular.
At the heart of things, Old Silver Key is basically Neige-singer, guitarist and songwriter of Alcest-fronting Drudkh, with all four members of the controversial Slavic black/heathen metal act backing him up as Old Silver Key once again promotes his shoegazing, post-rocky fetish.
As such, Tales of Wanderings actually isn’t all that different from Alcest’s own recent releases, with the main stylistic differences lying within the contributions of the Drudkh members to the mix. Decidedly more raw and less ethereal sounding than Alcest, Tales of Wanderings inserts some of the black metal influence possessed by some of Neige’s older projects-which include Peste Noire, Amesoeurs and Celestia-with the more earthy musicianship of Drudkh.
The resulting album sounds a bit disjointed, and both parties don’t seem to work together entirely well, with much of the songwriting aiming a bit too high for the rough production values and underwhelming level of musicianship. In essence: Neige’s ideas are put to better use with Alcest, while Drudkh seem better off (and more interested) on their own, as well, with the lot of Old Silver Key chalking up to a whole bunch of “could’ve been.”
A full 30-years after ‘Welcome To Hell’ and CRONOS is still at it! VENOM has announced that they will unleash a brand new offering, titled ‘Fallen Angels’ on November 28th via a partnership with Spinefarm and Universal. The album is said to be a classic, blackened thrash attack that will surely send all posers running for the hills. Check out the quote from CRONOS below and weigh in with your thoughts on a new album from the mighty VENOM!
“When we make an album, it usually takes a few tracks to get into the vibe, although this album’s vibe was very much present during the ideas stage… everything came together so naturally.
“We all started throwing ideas together on the South American tour, and then again during the live shows of 2010, and so we knew from the start that we had some amazing new songs to make a great album.
“With any new album, you look for a few songs to put into the live set, although that is going to be very difficult with this record, as we can nail the entire album live if we want!
“‘Fallen Angels’ is the result of a band that has spent nearly two years touring and growing as a unit, and as the band grows tighter, so the songs get better and heavier, and we instinctively know what each other is thinking, and the ideas flow easier.
“This album is only the very start for this lineup; there will be many more albums and live shows to come for VENOM.
“It has taken a long time and a lot of changes to finally deliver a VENOM that can attack black metal the way it should be — fast, furious, tight and terrifying. All hell breaks loose… hell fucking yeah!!!!!”
Generation Kill-Red White and Blood (Seasons of Mist)
While much of the aesthetic trimmings-album title, artwork, and lyrics-smack of tiresome, generic aggro-metal rhetoric, the actual music behind Rob Dukes’ Exodus side project actually packs a violent, energetic punch; one which speaks volumes of Dukes’ hardcore influences and crossover soul.
Equal parts Blood For Blood and Stormtroopers of Death, Generation Kill also feature within their ranks ex-M.O.D. and Pro Pain bassist Rob Moschetti, so you know the band wears their metal influences on their sleeves in spades. As a result, Red White and Blood spills it all over every track, with Dukes in particular sounding virulently confrontational; practically chomping at the bit to attack.
Meanwhile, the riffs of Lou Lehman and Jason Trenczer are produced with burly pride, and fire off punk snarl and Exodus speed style with ease, while the drumming of Jim DeMaria fuels all friendly, violent fun with the greatest of ease. Conceptually, however, it all sounds a little one dimensional and dumb, with the lyrics of “Hate” and the album’s title track really scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to anything unique or original, relying most upon incessant flag-waving and lowest common denominator appeal. Darker, more brooding moments do make their presence known on “Self-Medicating” and “Feast For the Wolves,” however, offering up a glimpse of the band’s more thoughtful side, away from the get-up-and-go many would probably expect.
At its core, most aren’t going to be listening to Generation Kill for any great solutions to world problems. No, this is average, everyday Joe working man metal with little foresight other than to crush, kill and destroy anything in it’s path. In this sense, Red White and Blood succeeds in its aspirations, and comes recommended to fans of Dukes, Exodus or any of their respective peers.
Some of the writers here love ‘Heritage’ and some, myself included, are a bit bored by it. It’s undoubtedly the most hotly contested release of the year with fans lining up on both sides of whether it’s a prog masterpiece or a metal misstep. One thing’s for sure, OPETH’s new video for “The Devil’s Orchard” is absolutely incredible! Just take one look and you’ll be as hooked as I am.
Now the question remains, are you a fan of the record? Or, like me, do you see it as a misstep in the band’s illustrious career?
With Noregs Vaapen, it seems as if Norway’s Taake just might have created an album which lives up the acclaim and hype so often attached to the brand name over the years.
Despite the controversial nature of mainman Hoest, prior Taake efforts, though decent, never seemed to possess enough ‘get up and go’ to launch the band up ‘n over self-imposed songwriting restraints, into the upper echelon of their genre. Noregs Vaapen ups the ante in terms of riff quality and arrangements, however, delivering quality without sacrificing Taake’s ice-cold black metal reputation.
The album also features its fair share of Ivy League genre guests, as well, including Darkthrone’s Nocturno Culto, Immortal’s Demonaz and Attila Csihar of Mayhem, all of which lend their cred and respective abilities to Hoest’s grim/true/real cause. Additionally, the 70s prog mellotrons add TONS of cool atmosphere to the songs, right from the album’s super-impressive opening number, “Fra vadested til vaandesmed.” This extra instrumentation adds the required texture to make the ‘good’ Taake song into a ‘great’ Taake song…and Noregs Vaapen is chock full of ‘em.
Simultaneously traditional and exciting, Noregs Vaapen is a benchmark for Hoest and Taake; a real reminder of the man’s talent, long tempered beneath the surface, and now finally bubbling up to explode with volcanic destruction. Noregs Vaapen is definitely impressive, and shouldn’t be missed by black metal fans who think they’ve heard it all before…this one’s the real deal.
From the flurrying brilliance of the opening track, “Premonition,” it’s rightfully clear that London’s Haken are something a bit special and unique amongst today’s new prog acts.
Simultaneously soulful and musical, Visions hinges upon the delicate interplay between the up-front, clear vocals of Ross Jennings-which almost sound like Joey Belladonna at times, believe it or not-and the inventive guitar team of Charles Griffiths and Richard Henshall. Both axemen known exactly when to bring the heavy and when to criss-cross melodies and stringed atmospherics, while keyboardist Diego Tejeida offers up the perfect symphonic accompaniment, never overpowering the band’s metal aspects one bit.
Belladonna comparisons aside, Jennings’ vocals soar with class and emotional power, offsetting the complex Griffiths/Henshall riffage with capable efficiency, reminding at other times the crooning of Cedric Bixler-Zavala of neo-prog titans The Mars Volta. Meanwhile, the actual song structures are varied and never one dimensional, even delving into a surprisingly cinematic tone, such as on the epic “Nocturnal Conspiracy.”
Haken are full of surprises here on Visions, and have truly made an impressive statement of intent; one which should serve the band well as they make their North American live debut with an appearance at this year’s ProgPower Festival. After this, it’s only a matter of time before the band begin being whispered about and praised for their maniacal metal madness. Visions proves once again that ‘prog’ is NOT a dirty word.
Portuguese metal bands aren’t exactly a dime a dozen, nor does the Mediterranean country’s fertile local scene receives much international attention compared to its Scandinavian counterparts. Painted Black are out to change this fact with their impressive debut, Cold Comfort. Partaking from the same inspirational well waters as Swallow the Sun and My Dying Bride, the Lisbon sextet elicit a genuine emotional response from their dire dirges of rock-influenced doom, while possessing enough of a softer melodic side to lend the songwriting a strong sense of dynamic. MAA got in touch with the band’s guitarist Luis to find out more about Painted Black. \m/G.
