Due to the sheer volume of bands and out of consideration for the eyes and souls of any readers, I won’t get into great detail with any band that kinda sounded like all of the other bands or that I don’t particularly like. Or in some cases, missed either because I chose to because I’m boss status or various circumstances. Also, hello again.
This show got started with SAVING GRACE, who are a Christian (obv.) band from Australia that play some form of hardcore that is heavy. You can get down to it with relative ease. Following them were yet another Christian crew, albeit a little heavier, both sound and weight-wise, under the moniker THOSE WHO FEAR. They provided a little anti-sermon, which is much appreciated so you know you’re not being judged. Totality was neatly sandwiched between the two, but their unremarkable sound and downright silly pit action that resembled enthused leprechauns circling a pot o’ gold bore their almost being left out of this review entirely. Sorry, guys.
A time skip and a jump later, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY came out and encouraged the pitters and sinners to act a fool. One of the few true Deathcore bands currently existing as a legitimate combination of blasting Death Metal fury and Hardcore pit ignorance, FFAA have a lot to be proud of. For starters, they got to play the pre-party with REVOCATION, THE ACACIA STRAIN, and ABIOTIC to name a select few goodies. They can also be proud of the fact that they’ve got fans in both the Metal and Hardcore crowd going hard in the pit for ‘em as though the differences are non-existent. The set was spot-on, with cuts like “The Jackyl” and “The Conqueror”, and even a few new songs, ringing true and clear despite Nate Johnson’s apparent throat problems following an incident where he nearly swallowed his own beard. Hence, babyface Nate. Following these beasts were EAST BEAST, an up and coming crew of aggressors from (wild wild) Western Mass. Heavy, pissed off, but maintaining a sense of fun, I hope East Beast goes places with their churning breakdowns and rousing two-step sections.
The next band I witnessed, GLASS CLOUD, is well on their way to success, despite their part in the controversial “djent” movement. Boasting the guitar talents of TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA‘s (RIP) own Josh Travis, they’ve already got one musician that’ll provide the heaviness and dexterity that’s needed for a band of their type. Luckily the rest of the band is able to pick up their own slack, with tight drumming, tastefully layered melodies, and delectable clean vocals to go with the standard shouts and growls. I dug it. What I didn’t dig was the sound mix during TÝR, and unfortunately these otherwise fierce Viking warriors were sounding rather dull and neutered. I couldn’t stand to hear it for more than a minute and ran outside to socialize.
TYR played great set suffered from a poor sound mixi
Freeing us from the hordes of noisy Norsemen were THE CONTORTIONIST, bereft of their usual singer, Jonathan Carpenter (not to be confused with the director of The Thing, of course), but it mattered not, since the equally talented singer of LAST CHANCE TO REASON, MICHAEL LESSARD, stepped up to fill in while the band searches for a new singer, presumably American Idol style. Replacing Jon Carpenter, even temporarily, is a job that would make anyone short of BTBAM‘s TOMMY ROGERS nervous. Despite the pressure to stay on key during the melodic sections of “Geocentric Confusion” and “Holomovement”, he cut through them with the same ease as he would during “Programmed For Battle” or “The Linear”. Spot on, you couldn’t tell the difference, aside from his apparent nervousness on such a large stage. The band as a whole remained professional and broke it down with the heaviness we know and love (that breakdown in “Oscillator” gets more massive every time I hear it live), and regaled us with tales of space and the inner workings of the mind. Marvelous, would repeat.
BATTLECROSS played upstairs, banged heads.
Sadly not all progressive/technical Metalcore acts cannot be as rousing of the spirit as THE CONTORTIONIST, as their peers WITHIN THE RUINS so gladly demonstrated with their show of brute chugs and going-nowhere-fast noodles. They weedled too much on “Creature”, they attempted to even it out on “Invade” by adding in some random chugs, and “Elite” is just much more of the same palaver. It’s not impressive by any means, but it isn’t terrible, so I’ll just stick them with a solid “meh”. AFTER THE BURIAL are a band that has drawn many comparisons to the WtR crew, but I feel that their style and panache entitles them to the chugging and weedling that other bands simply cannot master. I eagerly anticipate their new album to be released on Sumerian Records later this year. The band simply cannot fail as a cohesive unit, blending polyrhythms with a mind-bending ease, crafting dizzying melodies and mosh parts with equal verisimilitude, and of course, lyrical splendour that lends to great quotability. From the brutality of “Berzerker” to the more heartfelt hitters “Your Troubles Will Cease And Fortune Will Smile Upon You”, they get the crowd moving in a way that WtR can’t; with passion. BORN OF OSIRIS were the final flagbearers of prog-leaning Metalcore for the night, playing a set almost exclusively made of songs from their most recent outing, The Discovery, the only exceptions being oldies (but goodies) “Rosecrance” and “Empires Erased”. Some sound difficulties made the second one difficult to recognize until some way through, but hey, it’s a killer tune. The fact that The Discovery is just about a perfect album saved the set from being wearisome, as playing only material from one release is often a bad move for any band to make, but hey, like I said, it’s perfection in sound.
ENSIFERUM took the stage next, but not feeling in a very folky mood, I made my way upstairs to let the Vikings return to the battlefield once more, and check out ALPHA & OMEGA. One particularly awesome thing I saw was FitFo’s guitarist Pat Sheridan tearing it up in the pit like a monster programmed to kill mercilessly. Other than that, not much to say. Following them were everyone’s favourite tuff guy crew to love/hate, the infamous TERROR. Boasting equal parts old-school Thrash circle-pit riffs and breakdowns to get stangry to in a flat-brim sports cap, Terror have been damn near unstoppable since their inception in 2002. Sure, SCOTT VOGEL may have (unnecessary) beef with THE GHOST INSIDE, and may have dissed Refused on their reunion tour needlessly, but there’s no doubting their power to get a crowd going. The stage was as full of rabid fans that were at once tearing at one another and sharing the space, shouting every word without fail, and also knocking out fools that weren’t with the program. The staff’s completely helpless when a band with TERROR’S draw plays upstairs, and that’s the Lord’s truth.
TERROR’s “Live By The Code” is out now on Victory Records.
THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN wrecked the stage and themselves.
While I did not physically spectate THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and instead mucked about upstairs, what I heard was their normal grinding technical Calculatorcore fury, punctuated by mellow moments that provide eyes for an otherwise blind hurricane of extreme music outpouring OPETH played a really long set of cool songs with growls this time. Two and a half hours. I have no words for it, except damn that shit was dope.
JONAS RENSKE from KATATONIA
OPETH brought back the growls and the heavy songs!
In less than one month metalheads from all over will descend on The Palladium in Worcester, MA for The 15th Annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. The Palladium is widely regarded as the metal capital of the northeast. Starting with the kickoff party on April 18th the weekend long festival boats a who’s who of the best heavy bands in the world such as ANTHRAX, HATEBREED, EXODUS, OPETH, EVERY TIME I DIE, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, D.R.I., THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, MUNICIPAL WASTE, SHADOWS FALL, KATATONIA, SICK OF IT ALL, TYR, TERROR, REVOCATION, THE ACACIA STRAIN, JOB FOR A COWBOY, BLACK BREATH, TRAP THEM, TRAPPED UNDER ICE, GOATWHORE and dozens more. At the center of it all is SCOTT LEE, who helped devise the festival originally and helps book it yearly, along with Mass Concerts. We chatted at length with Scott about the history of the festival from its humble beginnings, what it takes to put on the show and where it is headed in the future. You can buy tickets here.
KATATONIA is a band that has a little something for everyone. With ten albums under their belt, the Swedes have evolved from bleak, depressing doom, to cathartic, melodic shades of grey made musical form. The respect given them is well deserved, but the band remains humble and undeterred by the expectations of the masses. In 2009, Katatonia released Night is the New Day, which was well-received by fans and critics alike. Metal Army caught up with Jonas Renkse, frontman and OG member of the group.
MA: KATATONIA has had a successful career spanning about 20 years. In that time, the band’s style has evolved quite a bit. Were the changes intended, or did they just happen with time?
JONAS: We never really talked about “changing our sound” so it’s been a pretty natural progression through the years. Of course we always wanted to expand and broaden what we have been doing but we always stayed true to our original vision: dark and atmospheric music.
MA: Where did you draw most of your inspiration from on the latest record, “Night is the New Day”?
JONAS: Mostly from ourselves, our personal struggle. I didn’t listen to a lot of other music during the writing and recording of NITND. I wanted the album to be a very personal vision.
MA: You are currently on tour as direct support for Opeth. In the past, Mikael Akerfeldt has lent his vocals to Katatonia records. Will there be more collaborations with Mikael in the future?
JONAS: You never know. We have the band Bloodbath, where we are doing death metal together. But right now Mikael is very busy as they have just released a new album, plus he’s doing a side project with Steven Wilson too. But I’d love to do something with him in the future.
MA: How has it been touring with your best friend(Mikael)?
JONAS: It’s always great to get to hang on a daily basis. We both have families and so many other concerns back home so we don’t get to hang out as much anymore… I think therefore it’s been great to do this tour and just drink wine and talk shit like in the old days.
MA: Many people wonder and dream about a “super tour”, featuring Katatonia, Opeth, Hypocrisy, and Bloodbath. Will this dream tour ever come to fruition in the US?
JONAS: Haha, no. I can’t see that happening. It’s a cool thing to think about though.
MA: Do you bring any sort of trinket or item on tour with you on the road so you don’t feel homesick? A teddy bear? Severed head?
JONAS: Actually I don’t but it’s a good idea. A severed head from a teddy bear. Next time!
MA: What’s next for Katatonia?
JONAS: Writing music for the next album, it’s already overdue. But it has to be good so we can’t rush it. Plus we have some shows left to do before the year is over, Scandinavia, Spain and Holland. Should be fun!
MA: Have you guys had any “Spinal Tap” moments?
JONAS: I think so, but I guess we’re so used to them that we don’t regard them as Spinal Tap-moments anymore, haha. There was one on this tour… we started playing a gig but after the show we learned that there was no music from the PA until after half the first song. And as we are using in-ear monitors, we had a full blown sound in our heads and had no idea there was only acoustic drums out in the audience. So we were headbanging, I was singing… Embarrassing at first but kinda fun when you think back on it.
Opeth show everyone that they’re capable of pulling off a “soft” set and still manage to leave everyone floored.
Opeth/Katatonia, The Fox Theatre, Pomona, 10/21/11.
Now this was a show that I’ve been anxious to see for a very long time, as the last time I saw Opeth was over 2 years ago right down the street at The Glasshouse, where they brought Enslaved along for support. I have such fond memories of that night that the drive down Garvey, with the ticket on my dashboard, instantly filled me with warm nostalgia. Needless to say, I was pretty pumped for what was to come in the next few hours.
I got to the venue around 4:30 to get a chance to grab a wristband once inside, since the venue has a restriction on how many people are allowed to enter the pit. While this can be a pain, I do always find it worth the hassle in the end. You can watch the show you came to see in peace without being boxed into a crowded, stuffy pit full of more sweat-soaked drunks sloshing their beers around than you can shake a stick at.
I was (pleasantly) surprised when the venue let open the lounge where some people in line got to chill out before the show with some great food, comfy couches, and the company of other antsy fans waiting for doors to open. Due to us being in the lounge, we got priority admittance inside, where ravenous fans immediately dispersed to the bars, balcony, merch table, and pit. I was in the crowd headed towards the latter, as I finally felt a sense of urgency leave my body as I entered the pit with a few friends, eagerly awaiting the tell-tale dimming of the lights that were soon to come.
After about a good half-hour of waiting, Katatonia started their set. Heavy, melodic, and ballsier than an arm-wrestling match between Popeye and Henry Rollins. A reminder to everyone watching of what separates the pros from the amateurs! I came into the venue that night as a casual fan of Katatonia, aware of only a few well-known songs from their back-catalog. I must say, they left an undeniable impression on me! A definite must-see, the next time they’re in town. It isn’t often that a supporting band gets practically the entire 400-some capacity pit head-banging along to their whole set with enough passion to convince you otherwise. Jonas’ voice was spot on from what I could tell, and they reminded me of a more doomy, melodic-sounding Tool, which is a plus in my book!
After Katatonia came the moment everyone was waiting for: a band misunderstood by some, and revered by many… known as Opeth. They took the stage with a ton of force and drive, crashing into the audience with “The Devil’s Orchard”, the new single from Heritage. As they breezed through the first two songs of the set(both from the new album), I found myself impressed by their stage set-up and lighting. It matched the vibe of the music perfectly, and I really don’t think I’ve ever seen more vibrant, vivid colors on stage before! It really brought the performance to a whole other level for me.
After the first couple of songs, they brought out an old favorite from Still Life, “Face of Melinda”. As a big Opeth fan, I sort of knew what to expect, as I’ve heard the song probably 100 times before. They do the song a lot more justice live- which could have something to do with Mikael and Frederik using electric guitars drenched in effects throughout the whole song, as opposed to the quiet acoustic guitars throughout most of the studio version.
Another highlight was “Porcelain Heart”, which is a favorite of mine. In the middle of the song, Axe whipped out a killer drum solo that surely awarded him a few fanboys in the crowd drooling all over their new tour shirts. Later in their set, they really surprised me by bringing out the song that they recorded for the God of War soundtrack, “Throat of Winter”, which the audience seemed to appreciate.
After another song from Heritage, and “Closure”, they got the entire crowd riled up for the song “Slither”. After the song was over, it was at this point that I noticed a big problem residing near the center of the floor…it was this half-assed, sorry excuse for a circle pit that was about as intimidating as the ring leader himself (some douche with an obnoxious yellow mohawk). I wasn’t convinced. Now I had no problem with there being a pit during “Slither”, as it’s sort of a faster-paced “mellower” song, but this guy was hell-bent on making sure this pit didn’t die…he even kept walking around in a circle between songs until the lights came on after the set…some things I’ll never understand.
My personal favorite of the night(as well as a favorite from Deliverance) was “A Fair Judgement”. I came to the show hoping they’d play it, so needless to say, I was pleased. They closed with “Hex Omega”, and came back out for an encore with “Folklore”.
As the lights came back on, the audience poured out of the venue, and everyone seemed to walked away with exceeded expectations – and rightly so. If you haven’t already, catch Opeth the next time they’re in town – you surely won’t be disappointed.
Keefy: I arrived at the venue early to take care of some interviews and get the lay of the land. Even at the early hour of 3 PM, four hours before doors mind you, a line was forming full of die hards. Some had import versions of the album and shirts with Heritage artwork on it they clearly per-ordered. This made me smile the biggest smile I can conjure. From a band whom I first got into when they were largely an unknown prospect at the time to now one of the biggest acts in all of metal, this was really cool. OPETH even as their sound is now constituted, is still not a band for every audience of rock and metal tastes. However, at the same time their tour and new album represent one of the biggest events in the metal community of this year. As I hung out with some other metal writers and as well the throng of fans that was growing long we chatted about the band. Most fans I talked with were pumped and OK with the direction of the new material. I go to a lot of shows at this venue and this had all the looks of a sell out. The line was one of the longest I’d ever seen for any band when I returned just a short time later, just as doors were opening.
MG: It was right as I drove behind Worcester Palladium when I noticed the curving line of black-clad metal minions sprawling around the corner.
“There must be a show upstairs tonight,” my cohort said to me as we searched for a parking space. Doors for tonight’s Opeth/Katatonia show had opened about forty minutes prior, yet it wasn’t until we ventured towards the venue’s front door that we noticed our assumption had been mistaken.
This was indeed the line Opeth and Katatonia; not too bad considering this night’s show fell on a weekday, and more than encouraging news for the visibility of dark, progressive metal amongst the mainstream. After waiting a bit for my press credentials, I stuffed myself inside the Palladium’s familiar walls, as I witnessed the aforementioned curving line expand into a undulating sea of humanity.
Katatonia were starting their set, ‘special guests’ to Opeth’s headlining jaunt, their first for the freshly release—and commercially divisive—album, Heritage. The gloomy Swedes in Katatonia wasted no time in kicking their set off in grand fashion, offering up their trademarked melancholia to the masses. Borrowing heavily from their Night Is the New Day and Great Cold Distance releases, Katatonia kept things relatively modern for the duration of their set, delving back into Last Fair Deal Gone Down for the killer “Chrome,” but never reaching into the band’s blackened Brave Murder Day era for any moldy oldies.
Keefy: I too was glad to get into the jammed club when I did as it was a near sellout by now. As I found my way to the photo pit I got really excited seeing KATATONIA’s really Spartan, but cool stage set up. In spite of their vaunted early material, I have really come to love their last few releases and was glad to hear those songs represented well in the set list. Jonas Renske sounded great and always has fine stage presence live. His dramatic and evocative style fits the doom and gloom of the music perfectly and I was really pleased how many heads were in the house singing a long to every word in the pit. The entire band is made up of terrific performers who also help convey the bands dusky anthems of woe and grief. They really were the perfect warm up for the headline band, but also put on a show worthy of their own reputation as a marquee act. Most impressive!
MG: In fact, it’s probably fair to assume that we’ll probably never get to hear much of Katatonia’s more extreme origins tucked within the band’s set anytime soon, and that’s fine, because Katatonia are arguably as extreme emotionally as they ever were, thanks to the ever-inventive guitar work of Anders ‘Blakkheim’ Nystrom. Front-wailer Jonas Renske was as passionate and fragile as ever behind the mic, as well, even offering up the occasional, pained scream, although it felt that the effort was more for our sake as Katatonia fans than any real desire on Renske’s part, since it was quite obvious how much the action physically hurt the singer.
Not that any of this really mattered, because Katatonia fans ate up everything the band had to offer—whether it was “Deliberation,” “Soil’s Song,” or “My Twin”—with rapturous applause and attention. Oh, and guys: NEVER stop ending your set with the opening riff to Entombed’s “Demon,” by the way—it’s just TOO killer!
Set List:
Forsaker
Liberation
Soil’s Song
Nephilim
My Twin
The Longest Year
Evidence
Chrome
For My Demons
July
Leaders
Keefy: When the techs finally cleared the openers’ gear and one glanced at the Heritage artwork in it’s fullest form, I have to say I understood it a lot better. On a grand scale as a backdrop I think it makes a lot more sense than on a cd or on your small computer screen. It is a work of art in the truest sense , depicting the changes gone by in these men. I’m glad the band cares equally about such things that other bands ignore all too often. People have already used the words “controversial” to describe and pick apart every aspect of this album and I’m not certain all of it is rightly deserved. This is 2011 and the bands output certainly in the the last three releases has been far from its morbid and brutal beginnings. Luckily the band, and specifically front man Mikael Akerfeldt follow their own muse and isn’t concerned about the egos of elitist fans. And hell, you still have BLOODBATH to fall back on if you just can’t cope without that signature brutality in your life!
MG: Compared to the unequivocal fan response to Katatonia’s safe ‘n secure set of crowd pleasers, Opeth’s psychedelic journey left many in the crowd sharply divided at night’s end as to what they just witnessed. Deciding in advance to omit and all death vocals from the set, Opeth instead focused on the softer and more progressive side of the creative personality, laying down a number of Heritage newbies and catalog obscurities—‘Patterns In the Ivy” serving as a true highlight—alongside a trippy and atmospheric light/stage show, all of which assisted the expansive sounds and melodic meanderings of a band firmly in control of their destiny.
As a result of this decision, however, Opeth had to deal with the wrath of the ignorant: an occasional volley of booing and cat calls to ‘play some death metal.’ When the time came for guitarist/vocalist Mikael Akerfeldt and Co. to grab chairs and acoustic guitars, the voices of protest began to grow louder, although the lion’s share of Opeth fans stuck by their heroes, cheering along every mournful melody and plaintive guitar line from Akerfeldt and fellow six-stringer Fredrik Akesson.
…and why shouldn’t they? Any self-respecting Opeth fan should, by this point, expect the unexpected from their heroes. Given the fact that so much of the Opeth-ian oeuvre revolves ‘round Akerfeldt’s 70s prog obsessions, it makes total sense for the band to embrace this side of their personality more deeply as time moves on, with Heritage serving as the first, fateful leap into the great unknown: a place where Opeth, to quote one Akerfeldt’s final thoughts to tonight’s crowd, “does what they want,” regardless of fan approval.
Keefy: I could not agree more with my esteemed brother in (metal) arms on these points above! If you have been a fan from the beginning you should understand the creative evolution they have undertaken. I can see you not liking their direction, but it has been a direction they have been heading in for almost ten years. Even a friend of mine, a true OPETH newbie said she felt like the crowd was waiting for a heavier shoe to drop all night long. Still, you can’t fault the band for their dedication to where inspiration is taking them. Tonight they also took the fans with them on a journey as well. Meanwhile, the two hour performance reminded me of the many times I have seen bands like YES or EMERSON LAKE AND PALMER, classy and musically patient. The band mined sacred emotional territory as they created a true artistic experience with every note, trippy lava lamp lighting effects and in some cases just the nuances of their body language toward each other. As always Mikael was his mellow, self-depreciating self between songs and the band played flawlessly. I was especially impressed with new keyboardist Joakim Svalberg for whom, this tour is his first extensive run in the states. His playing was the perfect mix of restrained brilliance and his backing vocals were spot on too. As far as I was concerned the set list, especially the three-song acoustic break was some of the finest moments this band has ever had live.
MG: If Opeth lost any of these ‘fans’ on this night: good riddance, you never truly understood the band anyway. With Heritage firmly in the rearview at this point, the time has now come for Mikael Akerfeldt and Opeth to embrace their destinies as musicians, songwriters and leaders of the new, progressive revolution.
Set List:
The Devil’s Orchard
I Feel The Dark
Face Of Melinda
Porcelain Heart
Nepenthe
Throat Of Winter (Acoustic)
Credence (Acoustic)
Patterns In The Ivy 2 (Acoustic)
Closure
Slither
A Fair Judgement
Megaton Leviathan-Megaton Leviathan EP (Volatile Rock)
While I’m a little unsure as to whether or not this self-titled EP is a re-recording of this Portland band’s demo material or simply a re-release, the quality here is painfully obvious and speaks for itself: Megaton Leviathan have some interesting going on behind the scenes, and make one hell of a racket.
Currently gearing up for a road trek with fellow Northwesterners Wolves In The Throne Room, this Leviathan does indeed pack a Megaton wallop within their interesting, intelligent brand of drone/doom metal, with a particular emphasis placed upon the latter in terms of integrity.
Yes, Megaton Leviathan is certainly more than your average hype act, tossing tons of legit metal soul into their dirge-doom hymns, coming across almost like a down ‘n dirty Katatonia/Reverend Bizarre hybrid meets Saint Vitus sort of act; in other words, this a’int your average, everyday drone. The fact that Megaton Leviathan make a point to drive home hypnotic and meaningful melodies behind the scenes lifts up these five epic tracks as some of the more interesting, unique doom released this year. Although songs like “Guns and LSD” and “Time Fades” are lengthy, they never drag for a moment, sweeping the listener up in their grim grandeur and underlining Megaton Leviathan’s name as one U.S. act upon which to keep a sharp eye in the future.
Ghost Brigade-Until Fear No Longer Defines Us (Seasons of Mist)
Over the course of three full lengths, Finland’s Ghost Brigade have successfully managed to remain refreshingly independent and stylistically nebulous when it comes to niche categorization, which makes the title of this latest LP, Until Fear No Longer Defines Us, even more self-prophetic.
Indeed, Ghost Brigade have smartly distanced themselves from the bulk of their musical countrymen, foregoing extravagantly effeminate goth/sleaze rock and romantic love metal in favor of dour, yet bittersweet melodic metal of the darkest persuasion. Echoes of the great Amorphis permeate the heavy ‘n doomy guitar motifs of Tommi Kiviniemi and Wille Naukkarinen, yet the stylistic core of Ghost Brigade is something thoroughly of their own creation, particularly here on Fear.
It’s on this third effort where the band’s songwriting expands a bit beyond the post-Katatonia realm, and searches mellower, cleaner-toned territory, coming up roses all the while. Lead singer Manne Ikonen has come a long way in particular, making the Anathema-esque balladry of “Chamber” and “In the Woods” his own, while servicing just fine his bandmates’ heavier flirtations on “Clawmaster” with equal aplomb and skill.
There is a wealth of gold to be dug from the diamond-plated arrangements and gold-level songwriting present here on Until Fear No Longer Defines Us; a certain career highlight for Ghost Brigade which is bound to turn some heads. Really, really strong stuff.
Long-running Chicago act NOVEMBERS DOOM are back from beyond with another expansive dirge-fest for your ears. They have always remained consistent, putting out new albums every few years to the delight their fans. Not content to tread on the same ground over and over, every release has found new sonic elements added and previous ideas examined deeper. Mastermind/artist/singer Paul Kuhr (SUBTERANIAN MASQUERADE/THESE ARE THEY/EM SINFONA) continues to forge ahead exploring new musical avenues in spite of his well documented health issues that would fell a lesser man (Ankylosing Spondylitis). Perhaps this is the source of his alternately anguished and sorrowful lyrical themes. Either way the band has turned in another impressive effort.
Paul Kuhr, recently on tour with NOVEMBERS DOOM. Photo by Return to the Pit.
The album opens up with a single sad violin intro performed by world renowned violinist/singer Rachel Barton Pine (EARTHEN GRAVE). When the thrashy main verse kicks in to “The Dark Host” the track is a grinding headbanger with several clever musical twists and turns that creates a mini-goth epic. Kuhr ‘s death growl to a doom laden croon comes off and on like a light switch and he can switch between the two with great aplomb. Second track “Harvest Scythe” has more thrash riffs, growled vocals and excellent hidden melodic moments found in the guitars. Larry Roberts (DEAD SERENADE/SHADES OF GREY) and Vito Marchese do a fine job of intertwining their parts and adding many colors to the music. The songs have all of the necessary BLACK SABBATH heft, but still maintaining a modern swing and sensibility. Sasha Horn (PALACE TERRACE/THESE ARE THEY) turns in a great performance on the drums with this tasteful power and dynamics. Third cut “What Could Have Been” somewhat like an gentle old madrigal. Kuhr shares the vocal spotlight with the amazing Anneke Van Giersbergen (AGUA DE ANNEKE/THE GATHERNING). Their harmonized duet is a beautiful, soulful and sad detour for the early part of the album. Pine also contributes more outstanding violin work here and makes for a unique and folksy gem. Following cut “Buried” also begins with mellow guitars until Kuhr’s impassioned, gravely howl infests the the track. This leads into a sorrowful death march style song that is slow and satisfying. Kuhr makes great use of his middle total vocal range throughout, sounding his best ever. The two part “Of Age and Origin” cycle follows and is a brilliant display of the bands’ interplay of light and dark musical themes. “Part One: A Violent Day” has the heaviness of an older MASTODON (Kuhr even sounds like Troy Sanders a bit here, or it is the other way around?) all while displaying depth of an AGALLOCH or MY DYING BRIDE. Dan Swano (BLOODBATH/KATATONIA/ NIGHTINGALE) who mixed the album also laid down his legendary voice for this part of the song too. Equal parts phenomenal drumming and wailing twin lead guitars are featured as well. “Part Two: Day of Joy” serves as a somewhat mellower downshift to the earlier brutality. The song calls to mind PINK FLOYD both musically and vocally to great effect and the contemplative lyrics are the best on the entire album. Back to the straight up doom of “Six Sides” we hear even more textured harsh guitar parts, advanced song styles and snarling vocal prowess. Mike Feldman (DEGREDATION) has some standout bass guitar work here as he is able to freelance lead lines and fills while not losing the heart of the song. “Shadow Play” closes out the proceedings with a stunning brooder of a tune that is one half introspective and delicate; the other an apocalyptic gothic beast.
(Special thanks to Aaron Pepelis of Return to the Pit for the photo usage.)
Despite this Aussie act’s strange moniker, their Below the Crevices debut harbors a lot of potential, particularly for a one-man act.
Indeed, The Crevices Below sounds a lot more like a cohesive unit than a multi-instrumentalist, yet singular it is, delivering some thick, mystical black metal sounds, placed within a gloomy ‘n doomy atmosphere.
Below the Crevices possesses an old school aesthetic which is pleasing to the ear, while also harboring an spacey, otherworldly feel to the recording which raises some eyebrows in terms of quality. The effect overall isn’t too dissimilar from that of fellow Aussies Alchemist or even the long forgotten Mindrot, primarily within the band’s penchant for writing grimly depression shit, draped beneath an ocean of mournful riffage and somber melodies.
Below the Crevices is cold and sad-sounding, yet also warms to the listener with each spin, harboring a similar headspace as old school, Brave Murder Day era Katatonia, albeit with a far rougher, novice naivete around the whole thing. Nevertheless, The Crevices Below are clearly on to something here, showcasing that, even with one member, the project still has its roots strong and proud within the underground metal oak.
The best advice here, however, is the group a real, cohesive unit and take these songs out on the road. It would be a shame for the potential of Below the Crevices to lay solely on studio output alone. We shall see.
Italy’s Forgotten Tomb have been remarkably consistent over the course of their career, emerging from humble, suicidal black metal beginnings to become one of Katatonia’s closest heel-nipping competitors.
Indeed, the band-lead by the self-professed “depressed, paranoid and suicide-fixated” Herr Morbid-have truly rocketed from the crypt in recent years, introducing a multi-layered, engaging black metal sound unlike anything out there today. For Herr Morbid and Co. are much more than your ‘average’ black metal troupe, obsessed by suicide and self-destruction. Under Saturn Retrograde takes all of the disparate elements included within the band’s recent Negative Megalomania, Love’s Burial Ground and Springtime Depression full lengths-from Joy Division, Morrissey and The Cure-and brings them full circle with a gloriously old school doom sound, reminiscent of Paradise Lost and Type O Negative’s most impressive moments.
Hell, even the ace, amazing cover of The Stooges’ “I Wanna be Your Dog” possesses the band’s inimitably tragic style painted all over it.
Layers of mournful guitar meld perfectly with Herr Morbid’s passionately displaced vocals to create a listening experience which needs to be discovered by all fans of the dark and macabre. Song structures are top notch, while retaining all of the band’s blackened metal heritage: Under Saturn Retrograde is yet another triumph for a band whose quality creative output seems to be matched only by their remarkable ability to consistently deliver the markedly improving goods all the while.
