Give them the Maryland seal of quality while the ink’s still wet, fellas, because that state can do no wrong as far as quality extreme music. From the Deathgrind virtuosos MISERY INDEX, to the indomitable DYING FETUS, and the fast growing Hardcore act COKE BUST, it’s safe to say that STRONG INTENTION will naturally follow suit and be awesome. the only thing I’d change about this release is the cover art, but that’s a rant I’ll save for someone more judgmental than I. SI have been around since the mid-nineties, but mysteriously haven’t gotten as big as their aforementioned contemporaries. Something went highly amiss, as their mixture of CHARLES BRONSON/SPAZZ style Powerviolence with the new-school Thrash sound that’d find a home on the latest TOXIC HOLOCAUST joint, alongside a hearty dose of Southern fried Sludge should have hooked this godless country by the nose.
This EP immediately opens up with its title track, a Sludgy number with Mike Williams of EYEHATEGOD infamy performing the bulk of the vocals. It dips in and out of a Thrashcore inflected MAGRUDERGRIND vibe, which is honestly something I didn’t think that Mike Williams would ever sign up for, being accustomed to muggy, heroin induced grooves that can only be properly born south of Virginia. Mike’s on top form as far as sounding angry and acrawl with various diseases, so this change of speed actually suits him, and I’d like to see him (and any other willing Southern Metal vocalists) try it more often.
“Messiah Whore” begins immediately with the musical equivalent of artillery rounds entering your home while you sleep. Here they also showcase a bit of Death Metal influence as well as their dirty brand of what I’ll dub Grindviolence, with punishing blasts and sporting a riff that sounds not unlike some I’ve heard on EXHUMED’s Anatomy Is The Destiny. The breakdown is highly reminiscent of some I’ve heard by MISERY INDEX, which is not odd, as bands in that area seem to swap sounds as bored teenagers sexually transmitted infections. A solid track overall, and probably one of the standouts.
“Holes In The Wall” boasts a more straightforward Crossover style; think of the vocalist of BANE if he jammed with the band members of PUNCH and MUNICIPAL WASTE. The riffs that kick in at the very end are probably the most melodic thing to happen on the album, as they point towards SI’s ability to lock into killer grooves. I was a bit sad to see this track end so abruptly, as it promised a bit more variation from a mental nailbombing, but instead leads to the next track.
Mike Williams appears also on “3rd Space Gorilla Generator”, which is a title that shall give me nightmares for years to come. Pure DADA. This one’s a bit more by the numbers Hardcore, with the vocals being more like Jay Randall of AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED. Aside from a small Sludge section where Mike steps up to the mic to howl in pain, it’s pure circle-pit mayhem.
“Rat Factory” continues the vocal tradition of the last track, which gives me the impression that either the vocalist’s larynx morphed over the course of the EP, or someone else stepped in due to an unfortunate neck-related incident. Curious indeed. This track is the second shortest, but packes a helluva punch, with a breakdown at the end that could knock down buildings.
“Slaughter Intelligence” is quite similar to the last track, but ends much more abruptly at only 54 seconds as opposed to “Rat Factory”s even minute. It makes me almost go against my very instincts, which aren’t a fan of the slow, 3-4 minute down-tempo tracks that Hardcore influenced bands usually toss in, often at the end of their releases, but this band actually made me hunger for one. Yes, EPs are short, but this was almost demo length, and was the equivalent of being given a handy when you expected whole night in Paris. That was gross, and I sincerely apologize.
The Verdict: It becomes more of a teaser than an actual appetizer for an album, but overall it’s still a sweet treat from the balmy climes of Maryland.
There are bands happy to exist in metal eager to carve out a little niche for themselves and stay there. There are bands that spend their careers catering to the whims of their fans or changing to gain a wider appeal. GOJIRA is a band that does neither of these things, yet somehow manages to be in the elite of artistic ideals, yet maintain a growing, popular following. I prefer to think that all credit due for this goes to the band, rather than the changing tastes (for the better) of the sweaty masses of metal fans. No matter, GOJIRA has crafted another masterpiece album that again defies convention and changes the course of heavy music. Just as they have done with each release of their career.
L’Enfant Sauvage translates from French as “The Wild Child”, but the title is not meant in a strict literal sense. The feral nature of humanity and their constant affect on their surrounding world is closer to the real concept of the piece and it is in that savagery that the music and lyrics are represented to the fullest on this album. All of the colors and emotions that make up the struggle of life, become articulated from the intro seconds until the very last notes ring out. The opening track “Explosia” comes with the trademark sound of the band intact. Syncopated riffs, over the top drumming and vocals that have brutality and melody together seem like they are in the DNA of these guys. Then there is the little hook of the repetitive harmonic lick that flows in and out of the song. Double time blast beasts, swinging grooves and impressive guitar work really punctuate this great opening salvo. The title track follows next and is equally harsh. Intricate melodic riffing captures your ear and I doubt anyone can hear this song and not bang their head in agreement to the beat. The early star of the album is drummer Mario Duplantier. As expected, he has turned in one of the top drumming performances of 2012 on this album. Of course in tandem with the talents of his brother Joe, they are the driving force behind the band. “The Axe” is another face melting track with a stellar main riff, top-flight vocal lines and deep lyrics. I can just envision entire crowds screaming along with the chorus live. In the same sense of the best modern metal bands, GOJIRA doesn’t need to rely on guitar solos to express different themes, they just come up with textural guitar work to bring in other flavors and sounds. “Liquid Fire” brings more of the same power and majesty you are accustomed to. To offset the driving beat and impressive guitar work is the return of the vocorder heavy lines that dotted the bands’ other releases. This brings in the prog influence which always goes hand in hand with their sound. This shows that you don’t have to get softer to change sometimes, just weirder.
When the band is finally done kicking your head in from four tracks in a row of punishment, “The Wild Fire” changes things up. With a whimsical tapping riff and a light beat, this little interlude warms your ear up for what comes next. “Planned Obsolescence” might be the best over all track on a perfect album. GOJIRA makes potentially raw chaos sound coherent with clever writing, tempo changes and dynamic sweeps in the singing. The interplay of the guitar parts between Joe and Christian Andreu is also sublime. Intense and full of little surprises, this is the best kind of writing elite metal bands have to offer. “Mouth of Kala” grinds out riffs and pummels, but never plods tempo wise. In addition to the standard rough hewn verses and sing-along chorus parts, there is a cool mellow section that lulls you into a chill space before decimating you again. “A Gift of Guilt” switches things up once again with a slightly lighter chorus and more tapped out central riffs, which is another Duplantier perfected technique. The verses are a heavy as anything that has come out this year on a record. “Pain is a Master” is another killer tune too. “Born In Winter shows the true prog face of the band. This is a track that could pass for a TOOL or even a new RUSH song if you didn’t know what band it was. For any other band this could be a misstep, but again and again this band takes chances that ultimately pay off. More than half the track is gone before a massive chorus comes in, but when it does, it rules. Bassist Jean-Michel Labadie, often the unsung hero of the group gets to shine here and on a few other tracks with his tasteful playing and thick tone. “The Fall” closes out the album in epic style. Brutal vocal flourishes are blended with yet another powerful, modern dirge of a riff.
Singular in vision, particular of taste and supremely talented; GOJIRA is nearly unrivaled in modern metal excellence.
USA and Canada peeps (only), we’ve got your last chance to win free tickets to see the SHOCKWAVE 2012 TOUR from Metal Army. It will be this MondayTODAY on our Facebook page. We appreciate everyone who has participated so far so thank you for supporting us. We’ve listened to you folks after the last round and to make things easier on you, the last stage of the contest will be on our Facebook page. No private messaging, no hoops to jump through, other than a trivia question. Check our Facebook page at 12 Noon TODAY (6/25) PST to enter to win. Yes, it will still be a trivia question, because we can’t make it that easy, now can we? I think not! If you want to see FEAR FACTORY, VOIVOD, CATTLE DECAPITATION, MISERY INDEX, HAVOK, along with, LAST CHANCE TO REASON, & THE BROWNING. Check back here often, Like us on our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter too and share with all of your friends to increase your chances of winning.
USA and Canada peeps (only), we’ve got your next chance to win free tickets to see the SHOCKWAVE 2012 TOUR is right the fuck right now! Just answer this weeks’ metal trivia question to win a pair of tickets to see FEAR FACTORY, VOIVOD, CATTLE DECAPITATION, MISERY INDEX, REVOCATION, HAVOK, along with DIRGE WITHIN, LAST CHANCE TO REASON, VILDHJARTA, THE BROWNING & FORGED IN FLAME. Check back here often, Like us on our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter too and share with all of your friends to increase your chances of winning.
WEEK TWO QUESTION: How many songs does PARADISE LOST have with the word Goth in the title?
This is a question that will likely make Nick Holmes frown or Greg Mackintosh punch me in the goddamn face. Sorry guys! Think you know the answer? Here are the rules so you can win the tickets:
2. Share our page with all of your friends on Facebook! Extra points for sharing on Twitter too!
3. PRIVATE MESSAGE us your answer. Posting your answer on our timeline gets you disqualified and we will make fun of you for being illiterate.
4. Be creative! Post a pic with the answer! Corpse paint it up! Write us a short, epic poem! Shred a keytar solo! Growl the answer at us, being all kvlt! Thinking outside of the box gets you the tickets.
5. Again, the winners are being picked randomly, so try to catch our attention. The winning entry will get posted on our timeline too!
6. USA and CANADA entries only this time, eh. Sorry, but that is where the tour is going. Also, look at the tour dates on the poster above and make sure you can get to the show in your area before hand. Next time we’ll try to include the rest of the world. We swear on Adrian Erlandsson’s drumsticks!
One of the reasons metal is one of the most vital forms of music is that the permutations of sub-genres is never ending. The seed of a new style often begins as a kernel of an idea in one kid’s mind, sitting in his room wood-shedding. From there bands form around incorporating new approaches to existing ideas and influences to craft new music. Such is the case with WESTERN MASSACRE and their delivery which is described as “death groove”. The brutality of CANNIBAL CORPSE and JUNGLE ROT mixed with the mood and attitude of PANTERA, LAMB OF GOD or SEPULTURA is what we found on their full length Freedom Through Violence.
From the first notes of “Steel Casket” one thing is clear, these guys can bring the heaviness. Harsh guttural vocals fill your ears with dread while down-tuned riffs pummel your brain. Not only does this song have great sense of rhythm, but has a melo-death influence that many of the bands coming out of the Massachusetts scene tend to have. The band is as unrelenting musically as they are catchy, as proven by the hints PANTERA-esque southern licks that pop up here and there. Guitarists Kyle Leary and Chad Hoag shred all day long and will give the guitar geeks much to talk about. The second track “Brazilian Carnival” brings more of the same wrought iron chords and savage beats. Drummer Jeff Greene does a nice job behind the kit of blending his syncopated, off-time hits and fills with his impressive double bass work. For a band to make this match of styles work and be tight, the drummer has to hold it down and Greene does so at all times. Vocalist Matt Lentner seems like he’s gonna tear his own throat out on occasion, channeling Satan with is crazy high screams. The end of the song has a mosh part/outro solo/last riff motif is one that many bands would envy writing. “Facelift” starts off with more of the tough-guy mosh parts, but then adds this unique textural guitar theme that blew me away. From there you get a straight ahead face melter worthy of most modern metal bands. Once again you have two guys on guitar praying to the alter of DIMEBAG DARRELL at times with inventive playing, and slick ear candy. “Roadhouse” sounds like the bastard child of LoG and a beastly deathcore band, complete with sick blast-beats and scream along chorus. To change things up a bit “Blood and Stone” opens with a solid thrash riff, before transforming all HULK-like into a brutal deathcore song. Even bassist Nate Larsen gets to step out of his supporting role and throw down some tasty riffs. Next comes their eponymous song, full of galloping riffs and blind raging fury. Other top tracks on the album include “Defector” and the final song which is the epic title track. By cleverly writing original songs with this much brutality and flavor, this is a band we will be hearing from for a long time. You can buy their album from their website here.
What is Dance Metal? It’s not “Evil Disco” or a variation of Dubstep. It’s not some band that plays industrial music, but is too hipster to be comfortable with that tag. It sounds at times like a cross between FEAR FACTORY, MNEMIC and DARK TRANQUILITY. Impressive! Here is the press release from Ascendance Management with more details:
“Boston groove metal hooligans WIDOW SUNDAY will be dropping a new EP this month, titled Dance Metal, via Rat Pak Records on June 26th. The three song EP, once again recorded at The Brick HitHouse with Shane Frisby (BURY YOUR DEAD, HAND OF MERCY, DEEZ NUTS, THE GHOST INSIDE) and mixed by Pete Rutcho (VANNA, REVOCATION, HELL WITHIN, CORPUS CHRISTI), fusing their blend of groove metal and electronica, is sure to kick your head in an make your booty shake. Dance Metal is the follow up to their 2010 full length In Theses Rusted Veins. The track “The Wave“, is available for streaming, be devastated RIGHT HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40G4Ci1PZWI). You can also download the song for free via Rat Pak Records here: http://www.ratpakrecordsamerica.com/go/music-download?id=914863
WIDOW SUNDAY will be celebrating the release on June 30th at the legendary Palladium in Worcester, MA with FREYA (featuring EARTH CRISIS front man Karl Buechner), ANTIKYTHERA (featuring past and current members of JUNGLE ROT and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER), BEHOLD OBLIVION, GIVE ZOMBIES THE VOTE, and others.”
Dance Metal track listing:
1. The Wave
2. Open Eyes
3. Faces In Glass
Metal Army America caught up with Dave Davidson and Phil Dubois-Coyne of REVOCATION outside of The Worcester Palladium, right before playing on the main stage of The Worcester Deathfest. They are out on the road supporting SIX FEET UNDER on the “18 Nights of Blood Tour” and still supporting their excellent 2011 release Chaos of Forms (Relapse). Keeping their tongues planted firmly in cheek, they made a lot of jokes and attempted to trip each other up several times. We talked about the band, life on the road, The Worcester Palladium and also had a lot of laughs.
Now is your first chance to win a FREE ticket for you and one friend to get into to one of this summer’s biggest metal tours- SHOCKWAVE! Once a week for the next three weeks we are giving away one pair of tickets to see this tour featuring FEAR FACTORY, VOIVOD, CATTLE DECAPITATION, MISERY INDEX, REVOCATION, HAVOK, along with DIRGE WITHIN, LAST CHANCE TO REASON, VILDHJARTA, THE BROWNING & FORGED IN FLAME. All you have to do is answer a simple, (but far from easy) trivia question and follow the rules below to enter and win. Winners will be chosen at random, so please no whining and crying if you don’t win, because there is no crying in metal!
So without further ado….here is this weeks’ question….
WEEK ONE QUESTION: At any one time, what is the largest number of members DYING FETUS has ever had?
That’s not a super-stumper, but it’s no gimme either. No jokes about the wording of “largest” and ”members” and DYING FETUS together or John Gallagher will personally come to your house and stomp you out. Okay, no he won’t. Think you know the answer? Here are the rules so you can win the tickets:
2. Share our page with all of your friends on Facebook! Extra points for sharing on Twitter too!
3. PRIVATE MESSAGE us your answer. Posting your answer on our timeline gets you disqualified and we will make fun of you for being illiterate.
3. Be creative! Post a pic with the answer! Corpse paint it up! Write us a short, epic poem! Shred a keytar solo! Growl the answer at us, being all kvlt! Thinking outside of the box gets you the tickets.
4. Again, the winners are being picked randomly, so try to catch our attention. The winning entry will get posted on our timeline too!
5. USA and Canada entries only this time folks. Sorry, but that is where the tour is going. Next time we’ll try to include the rest of the world. We swear on the precious!
Good luck and make sure to pay a visit to SHOCKWAVE’s Facebook page and website too. Tell them how excited you are for the tour and that Metal Army America sent ya!
Now is your first chance to win a FREE ticket for you and one friend to get into to one of this summer’s biggest metal tours- SHOCKWAVE! Once a week for the next three weeks we are giving away one pair of tickets to see this tour featuring FEAR FACTORY, VOIVOD, CATTLE DECAPITATION, MISERY INDEX, REVOCATION, HAVOK, along with DIRGE WITHIN, LAST CHANCE TO REASON, VILDHJARTA, THE BROWNING & FORGED IN FLAME. All you have to do is answer a simple, (but far from easy) trivia question and follow the rules below to enter and win. Winners will be chosen at random, so please no whining and crying if you don’t win, because there is no crying in metal!
So without further ado….here is this weeks’ question….
WEEK ONE QUESTION: At any one time, what is the largest number of members DYING FETUS has ever had?
That’s not a super-stumper, but it’s no gimme either. No jokes about the wording of “largest” and ”members” and DYING FETUS together or John Gallagher will personally come to your house and stomp you out. Okay, no he won’t. Think you know the answer? Here are the rules so you can win the tickets:
2. Share our page with all of your friends on Facebook! Extra points for sharing on Twitter too!
3. PRIVATE MESSAGE us your answer. Posting your answer on our timeline gets you disqualified and we will make fun of you for being illiterate.
3. Be creative! Post a pic with the answer! Corpse paint it up! Write us a short, epic poem! Shred a keytar solo! Growl the answer at us, being all kvlt! Thinking outside of the box gets you the tickets.
4. Again, the winners are being picked randomly, so try to catch our attention. The winning entry will get posted on our timeline too!
5. USA and Canada entries only this time folks. Sorry, but that is where the tour is going. Next time we’ll try to include the rest of the world. We swear on the precious!
Good luck and make sure to pay a visit to SHOCKWAVE’s Facebook page and website too. Tell them how excited you are for the tour and that Metal Army America sent ya!
Metal Army America caught up with heavy metal legend KAI HANSEN to talk about his new project, UNISONIC. The group reunites Hansen with his former HELLOWEEN band mate/singer MICHAEL KISKE for the first time in twenty-five years as a writing partner. Their debut, self-titled album is out in America after being released this spring in Europe and Japan and is a must have for fans of old-school heavy metal, power metal and rock. KAI was very gracious with his time and covered a lot of ground with us, so it was a really fun interview.
(Special thanks to KAI HANSEN, Earsplit PR and Eagle Rock Entertainment)
