NIGHTMARE TOYS

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

UNHOLY BAPTISM INTERVIEW ( MY PRIEST FAV BAND)


  1. Please tell us about the about the band and its members.
Mantus:
Unholy Baptism consists of two members, Mantus (Rhythm Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals) and Moloch (Lead Guitar). Currently, the band is a studio-only project, but the band is actively seeking management and distribution in order to take our own brand of Satanic black metal on the road full-time.

Initially, the band started as a standard project. Mantus and the band’s former drummer Hate formed the band in the fall of 2008 with the intent of playing live shows and recording albums, with Moloch being added in the winter of the same year. Though the band has seen numerous lineup changes, Moloch and Mantus restarted the project in 2012 to continue driving the project forward. In 2017, Unholy Baptism released their debut album, …On the Precipice of the Ancient Abyss to exceptional critical review. The album was written to evoke the band’s influences of the early Norwegian scene (Burzum, Mayhem, Darkthrone, etc.) and is still available for download on the band’s Bandcamp page unholybaptism.bandcamp.com.

Unholy Baptism has returned, bringing with them new levels of songwriting and production with the beginning of a trilogy of albums, the first of which is entitled Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude, which will be releasing October 5, 2018. The album is the first installment in a trilogy the band is writing, exploring new themes and songwriting techniques. Staying true to their black metal roots, "Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude" has cemented the band's signature USBM sound while bringing a more polished production to the table.

  1. Who does the majority of the writing? Is it a group thing or does someone handle the writing duties?

Mantus:
Our writing has changed rather drastically over the last few years. In general, it is a collective effort, where the two of us will be in our practice space and bounce ideas off of each other until we hear something we like, and then explore those ideas that we resonate with. Moloch is exceptional at the guitar, so we do tend to explore his ideas a little more than mine.

We definitely start with exploring themes and concepts for the album that we’re working on. For instance, in our new album, Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude, I had a very clear concept of what I wanted the theme of the album to be. It was very important for us to have the music reflect the concept we wanted to explore. We believe that with this new album everything from the music to the lyrics to the artwork works together to tell a story, from beginning to end, and while the album can certainly stand on its own, it will also bleed into the second volume of the trilogy that we are working on.

  1. Where is the band based out of ? Where did you want to the band to end up? What was the dream city to have as your home base once you got out of your scene?

Mantus:
Currently, the band is based out of Flagstaff, AZ, which is in the mountains of northern Arizona. There is a lot of misconception around Arizona, that we only have deserts here, but where our band is based out of gets a surprising amount of snow, with pine trees everywhere. We feel like having that environment helps us to create the type of black metal we set out to create.

Ultimately, both Moloch and I are very flexible as far as where we live. I think we would have done a little bit better as far as recruiting and live shows in a bigger place. Because Flagstaff has a significant transient population due to it being a college town, the scene here is not really conducive to making a full time living in music, and we still very much have a pay-to-play culture.

  1. What is your genre? What bands do you use to explain to people what you sound like?

Mantus:
Genre can be a very slippery slope. There are a lot of bands out there that don’t like to pigeonhole themselves into a genre for fear of being typecast when they want to try new things, which I do think is understandable.

Unholy Baptism is not one of those bands. Unholy Baptism is a black metal band, and will always identify as such. We take a lot of influence from the early Norwegian scene, especially Darkthrone and Mayhem, but we also take influence from a variety of other styles of black metal, such as Marduk, Watain, Inquisition, etc. We strongly identify as a Satanic black metal band specifically and explore the themes and concepts that go along with that identification.

Both Moloch and I also have our own eclectic tastes in black metal as well, so we both bring those perspectives into the music as well. For instance, I am a huge fan of DSBM, so I bring a lot of my love for that style into our writing as well.
Can we buy anything from you Cd's shirts etc and where can we buy them?

Mantus:
Right now, we do not have a lot of merchandise available. Our first album, …On the Precipice of the Ancient Abyss, is still available for download. When we released that album, we knew that the production was lacking and we were just starting out, so we decided that we would give the album away for free in its entirety. As such, anyone can download the album on our Bandcamp page for a price of their choosing.

With the release of our new album, we have the intent of printing CDs and T-shirts, so make sure to keep an eye on our Bandcamp page for that. We are also looking into printing our first ever T-shirt as a limited edition. The best way to know when we do that will be to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or to check out our website.

  1. Do you have studio time lined up anything new coming soon?


Mantus:
Well, as mentioned, we do have a full studio album coming up, entitled Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude. We think that fans of our band, both old and new, will really appreciate the huge leap in both production and songwriting that we have brought to the table with this album. A huge amount of thought and effort went into writing and producing this album, and we feel as though everything that you hear and all the accompanying images tell a story that we have crafted meticulously.

Moloch:
We are doing everything through Mantus’ new studio, Black Goat Studios, which is where we recorded “…On the Precipice of the Ancient Abyss.” Mantus has been learning a lot and upgrading his gear over the last year, so what began as a pet-project studio is quickly approaching a professional level.

  1. Have you ever been on tour? If so where and with who?


Early on in our career (2008-2010) we did play a few live shows in Flagstaff, supporting a variety of touring bands including Cattle Decapitation and Warbringer, but we have not been on tour as a band ever. Being that we don’t have a live drummer at the moment, it would be extremely difficult to put on a live show of the quality we want to bring to the table, but we are actively seeking more opportunities to bring our project into the live scene.

  1. What is your favorite band? Who are the bands who influenced you?

Moloch:
It might be a copout to say Unholy Baptism, but I am so focused right now on what we are doing that it would be a lie to say otherwise. My other favorites, and primary influences, are bands like Hellhammer, Darkthrone, Leviathan, Inquisition, and Behexen.

Mantus:
Outside of the various projects that I have my hands in, I am a huge fan of Inquisition, Marduk, Watain, the early Norwegian scene (Darkthrone, Mayhem, Satyricon, Emperor, Burzum). There are a lot of bands that really speak to me, and I’m finding myself more and more enjoying the DSBM genre, so bands like Psychonaut 4, Happy Days, old Bethlehem, etc. Really anything I can find in a black metal styling that speaks to me influences me in some way.




  1. Do you have a website? And do I have to verify that I am 18 to enter it?

Moloch:
Yes! www.unholybaptism.com is our homepage, open to all who dare. From this nexus you can find all of our various social media and merch sites, check up on our news feed, or contact the band.

  1. What about your music do you want people to remember? What is the quality you want to hit people when they hit play?

Moloch:
We approach creating music holistically, so we want people to be able to completely immerse themselves in the atmosphere and the story and to feel like they are there, in our heads. If we are able to transport the listener into our perspective, and allow them to contend with dark and interesting new ideas, then we have succeeded. It’s a big task, but that is the ultimate goal.

Mantus:
Also, we have always been very intent on creating our music where it really emphasizes the themes and concepts we went into it with. Our first album, …On the Precipice of the Ancient Abyss, told a story from beginning to end, but the album doesn’t really feed into our new work. We try to capture these themes, concepts and atmosphere in everything that we put out, so it’s very meticulously crafted to tell a story.

  1. Name a person who is integral to your band that nobody knows about , what person drives your band like they are part of the band? Who is the extra member ?

Moloch:
Unholy Baptism is a two person band, and it is very personal. While our style and ideas are influenced by the outside world, everything that comes out is filtered directly through the two of us and is a personal statement. I have friends and family that support me, and I appreciate them tremendously, but in the end my music is my own.


  1. Tell nerds like me tell us about your live rig and equipment.

Mantus:
I have quite a few pieces of gear that I use, due to how many instruments I play. For guitar stuff, I have an ESP LTD 401C that I’ve had for years, and I had it modded out with Seymour Duncan Black Winter pickups, running through a Legion 100W head and matching cab. As far as bass goes, which is where a lot of my musical skill was developed, I have a Spector Legend 5-string bass running through an Ampeg B2RE head and an Ampeg 4x10 cab. I also run through an MXR Bass DI+ for distortion, which is integral for the tone that I use.
Moloch:
I play an Ibanez Iceman, because dark, heavy music should be played on a dark, heavy guitar. My current amp is a midrange Marshall, but for recording I use a modelled 5150.

13.What is your musical guilty pleasure that you are ashamed of?

Moloch:
You should never feel guilt or shame about any pleasure! But I suppose, people would probably be shocked to learn that I love the band Heart.

Mantus:
I grew up on 80s hair bands, so periodically I will listen to bands from that era, possibly owing to a sense of nostalgia for what I grew up listening to.

14.If you could custom build a band who would be the members?

Moloch:
I’d love to just fill out our roster for live shows with a fantastic drummer, like Frost or Hellhammer, haha!


15.Message to the fans? What is it?

Moloch:
If you liked our previous work, you are going to love what we have put together in Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude. Get ready to steep yourself in some harsh, unforgiving Black Metal that will scour your mind and inflame the dark center of your being! And the Deed is done, the Journey has begun.

Mantus:
Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude will be out on October 5, 2018. We put an immense amount of effort into this album and we feel like it truly represents us as a band. Make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and check out our website. We think you all will truly appreciate the music that we have created, and we appreciate each and every one of you!



Degrave interview


1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.

Degrave started back in 2014 with me and Clyde. We went to the same school, and we were the only two metalheads in the whole damn place so we pretty much had to be in a band. We've jammed on and off with different musicians until we got hooked up with Jordan and Jeff. We've been jamming with this lineup for about a year and a half now.

2. What’s the origin of the band’s name? 

Degrave came from my dad believe it or not. He came up with it one day while we were all hanging out there in the garage. We had it written on a piece of paper that was tacked on the wall with the intention on writing better names below it but we couldn't ever think of anything, so Degrave stuck.

3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?

We're based out of Jefferson City, MO. The crapital city!(laughs) I give the town shit but the music scene here in Missouri is fucking solid. There's all sorts of kickass bands around us man, Devourist, Skooma, Dead Medusa, Mercurial, Wrecklamation, Buried, and Vohnkar just to name a few. It's really a gnarly thing to be a part of.

 4. How would you describe your style?

Pure American thrash metal. I think that pretty much sums it up.


 5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works?

We just released our self-titled album this July, we couldn't be any more excited about that. What you can expect from us is fast, heavy, riff laden, solo oozing, blast covered, screamtastic thrash metal. 

6. Do you have any new music in the works? 

We do. We have two songs pretty well done and a whole melting pot of riffs swirling in our heads. Starting it all over again.(laughs)

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out? 

At the moment we don't have any touring plans but we are playing all sorts of shows around the midwest here. We always stay up to date on our Facebook and Bandsintown events, so they'll all be on there. And we always share it up on all of our social media pages.



8. What plans do you have for the future as a band? 

Keep writing, keep playing, keep moving forward, and repeat.(laughs) I would expect another record from us at some point in 2019 for sure.

9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff? 

Anything Degrave can be found on our website, www.degraveofficial.com. If you wanna stream our new album you can do that on Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud.

10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time?

The feeling that it gave them. Whether it was completely repulsive or blissful.(laughs) I hope they carry it for the rest of their life.










Dark Legacy Interview


1. Please tell us about the about the band and its members.

We're 6 guys playing together, some of us as long as 22 years! During so many years, you become very welded together, so we are like a family you can say, with different roles; the tough teenage daughter, the strict father and so on. (Laughing)

2. Who does the majority of the writing? Is it a group thing or does someone handle the writing duties?

Mostly it's the keyboardist Dagobert composing the bands material, or so I and Dagobert writes together. I usually do the lyrics. Other band members characterize the songs with their personal impressions.

3. Where is the band based out of ? Where did you want to the band to end up? What was the dream city to have as your home base once you got out of your scene?

Our main ambition is to play together and have fun, to create new songs, to be able to perform them. That people appreciate us is a bonus. We do not have a destination directly or know where the winds take us.
4. What is your genre? What bands do you use to explain to people what you sound like?

We use to say Symphonic Death Metal or Dark Symphonic Metal or just Symphonic Metal and we think that's fine, and all further description seems superfluous. Melodic, symphonic metal.


5. Can we buy anything from you Cd's shirts etc and where can we buy them?

Yeah, CDs and merch can be ordered directly from our label via www.downfallrecords.com or on any digital platform, Amazon etc.

*Downfall Records – Swedish metal record label

www.downfallrecords.com
Swedish underground record label created in Gothenburg, Sweden, 1999; Focusing on extreme music (death/black/gore/grind metal and more).

6. Do you have studio time lined up anything new coming soon?

We've been busy last 2 years or something with a sequal to our debut album. It's called "The Rejects", and the title track from this upcoming album is available now on all digital platforms. Maybe we'll have the album finished this year!

7. Have you ever been on tour? If so where and with who?

We are no hard touring band one can say! We did though make a minitour in UK 2015 with gothic Tor Marrock from Wales and finnish doom band Church of Void. It was very memorial.


8. What is your favorite band? Who are the bands who influenced you?
I find it difficult to point out what has been influenced by. For me... classical music and metal bands like Opeth, Amon Amarth, Edge of Sanity and band like that. For Dark Legacy as a band I´ll guess a lot of metalacts but also older bands like Electric Light Orchestra, Pink Floyd, Queen and Genesis. 


9. Do you have a website? And do I have to verify that I am 18 to enter it?

Yes: www.darklegacy.se. Welcome to visit us!

10. What about your music do you want people to remember? What is the quality you want to hit people when they hit play?

A melody, a feeling, a hardness. We create something, where creation is in focus and we are playing of joy. Driving power lies in it and we do not care much about people like us or not. But it is clear that if any of the former attaches to someone, it feels good.

11. Name a person who is integral to your band that nobody knows about , what person drives your band like they are part of the band? Who is the extra member ?

You mean like Pete Best was the fifth Beatles member? No, I cannot really think of one. My sister Camilla has been involved some on our next album, so maybe her.

12. Tell nerds like me tell us about your live rig and equipment.

We have a great P:A if it's needed, Marshall amps, Kemper amps, Laney amps, Shure mics, drum stuff and lot of keyboards etc.

13.What is your musical guilty pleasure that you are ashamed of?

Don't know really.

14.If you could custom build a band who would be the members?

I already have a band, or some bands, so there's no need to fantasize about it. love my bandmates that I have.

15.Message to the fans? What is it?

Keep your eyes open for our next album that may come as early as this year! And live for the day!


Radiant Knife INTERVIEW

1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members. 

Well I (Stephen) play guitar, synth (with my foot) and am on vocal duty while Greg handles the drums.  Each of us have been in several bands in the Lafayette La area for almost 20 years.  I started out with Icepick Revival many years ago, which i guess was progressive sludge, then moved on to collapsar which was super tech instrumental metal, then Raedon Kong and now Radiant Knife.  Greg started out with The Object at the End of History which was a great psych shoegazish instrumental band, Lay to Waste, Air War, Dolphin and now currently plays in Brother Dege, Plush Claw, Thranes, and Radiant Knife.  Greg did a stint for a few years in Portland Or, and moved back a few years ago as Raedon Kong was fizzling out. The timing was right for us to start jamming together. 

2. What’s the origin of the band’s name?

 With any band i've been in we've typically developed a running list of names and sat on them a while.  Radiant Knife has a nice ring to it, and also has a psychedelic yet impending doom vibe that goes well with the music.  It was pretty much just plucked out of the air.

3. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? 

Are there any local bands you could recommend?  We're out of Lafayette La which has a pretty diverse music scene.  It's cajun country with lots of Cajun, Country, and Zydeco music around, but there are also some good indy and metal acts from here.  Baton Rouge is just an hour drive away and New Orleans is 2 hours away.  Forming the Void is from Lafayette, i'm sure you heard of them.  Also our friends in Sideburner are pretty cool if you like rush influenced rock with a tinge of old school metal vibes.  Thou from Baton Rouge, and of course EyeHateGod and several others from Nola.  Our friends in Eat the Witch from Nola are a great band, and also i really dig a band called Ekumen from there.  We have a show in August with them which should be fun. Check em all out on bandcamp.

 4. How would you describe your style? 

To borrow some philosophy from Bruce Lee I'd have to say our music is in the "style of no style".  We love all kinds of music and don't adhere to a rigid classification of music. Although there is a common thread of heaviness from song to song, every song is still very different from the previous.  We dont want to limit ourselves to a specific style of music.  Hi i'm in a grind band and we ONLY play grind 30 sec long grind songs.  Hi i'm in a doom metal band and we ONLY play slow low tuned stuff.  Why do that to yourself and why limit your artistic potential?  Makes no sense to me.

5. What have you released so far and what can someone expect from your works? 

 We released a S/T album early 2017.  As far as what can be expected, i'd say if you like to be surprised and like music that makes you think a little bit, then you will probably like our stuff.  If you just want to put on some background noise then we may not be for you.

6. Do you have any new music in the works? Our new album Science Fiction comes out 8/8/18.  

7. How about playing shows and touring, have anything planned out?

 We have a show in NOLA coming up but after that Greg is on tour with another project for a few months.  Might be making a trip to Austin TX in November but no solid plans.

8. What plans do you have for the future as a band?

 Really to keep it loose and keep putting out albums.  We like playing shows but writing music and making albums is where it's at.

9. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff? 

www.radiantknife.bandcamp.com.  Also our old stuff is on spotify, apple music, etc.  New stuff will be up there soon.

10. What is it you’d like a listener to remember the most when hearing your music for the first time? 

 I'd like them to think whoa that was a weird unexpected trip after listening to our albums.  I think we cast a unique vibe that no one else is touching right now.  If they come to those realizations then that's good enough for us.

Monday, July 30, 2018

JENNY TATE THE QUEEN REVIEWS EVERCROSS


BLOOD OF ANGELS Chicago Music Guide

* ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE CHICAGO MUSIC GUIDE AND DENNIS KELLY

An Interview With Aaron Robinson of Blood of Angels

DK: How’s it going Aaron?

AR: Absolutely fantastic! Everything has been going in a positive direction. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I have some friends who are originally from Chicago, I told them I was doing this interview, and they geeked out. I was already excited, but their excitement took it to a whole new level.

DK: Well, it is an honor to be featuring the band too and thank you also for taking the time today to chat! So, I’m sorry to say that I have only recently observed that there has been a growing trend towards bands with heavy interests in Viking folklore that I never knew existed. Tell me about Blood of Angels’ interests in the folklore and what it means to each of you?

AR: My interest came from my grandfather. My dad’s father immigrated from Norway. I grew up with the food and the stories he told me. Which began my fascination with Norse mythology. What heightened my interest was traveling through the Scandinavian countries. I fell in love with the culture, and really enjoyed the food. The people were wonderful, and warm. When I came back to the states, I really got into expanding my knowledge on the history and culture of the region.

DK: Kind of an obvious question, so, sorry in advance of that, but what do you think of Marvel’s take on Thor and how they’ve portrayed the mythology in the movies?

AR: It is very different than the actual mythology of course. Some people get irritated by the inaccuracy of the portrayal. My thing is, is that it is a fantasy story based on a mythological character. Mythology is just old fantasy. Unlike the “Viking” tv show, they are not trying to portray actual history.

DK: Yeah, I pretty much figured, but thought it worth asking all the same. Has the band observed a lot of fans that have really been into the lore as well? Have you had some good discussions with fans over it?

AR: There have been a lot of fans really into the lore. The images, and stories are just a perfect fit for the atmosphere of the music. I haven’t had any discussions with fans over it. Fans mostly talk about the music, or how I play.

DK: It is a start at least, right? When I was growing up back in the 80’s, Iron Maiden’s albums really inspired me to learn more about the subjects of their songs, I hope the same will be true for fans of your music as well. Tell me about the Rise of the Fallen Gods EP, how long did it take to write, record and produce it?

AR: Those songs were some of the ones that I had for the third album of my former band. When my old band ended, I had these songs ready to go. It took about 4 months to record and produce the EP. Mostly because of studio scheduling.

DK: How has the band marketed the EP so far?

AR: We have worked with two PR agencies, Qabar PR and Metal Coffee PR. Both have been fantastic for us. Between both PR firms we have had the opportunity to do a lot of interviews. We have also done a few videos.

DK: Does the band have a good following in Europe as yet? It seems with your sound and subject matter, you’d all fit in well overseas.

AR: We have a strong European audience. Our record label that we are looking to go with is a European label. We have also developed a strong fan base in Southeast Asia. There is a strong love for death metal that has developed in that part of the world.

DK: Awesome… glad to hear it! From the first few seconds that I heard of ‘Miscreant Deeds of Loki’, I knew Blood of Angels was a band worthy of being featured… sharp-edged, tight and professional all the way, how much time does the band spend perfecting your sound and performances?

AR: Thank you, that is a very large compliment. Thankfully it doesn’t take a lot of time. I hire experienced musicians to work with. Most of the time they get the direction and feel of the song right away. Then it is just playing the song repeatedly until it feels like second nature.

DK: Where has the band performed so far and how have the shows been?

AR: We haven’t done any shows. When I released the EP, I wanted to see how it would be received before making a big investment to tour. We have been working on a full-length album to be titled “The Failure of Faith.” After the release of the album, we plan on hitting the road.

DK: Ah, OK… It is very wise of you to wait to build the interest. How interactive are you with your fans in person and online?

AR: I always answer. And if the message is in a different language besides English or Spanish, I use google translate. I always tell them I a using google translate just in case the translation isn’t perfect. I love getting messages from the fans. It makes my day and gives me the added boost to keep writing and working. Then I know the music means something to someone else.

DK: You’ve already got so much of ‘the right stuff’ for the bigger leagues, and you know full well how the demands can be, but it sounds like you were made to rise above any challenge and meet them head on. I am truly impressed by the way your work ethic is with the band, not many possess that drive and determination. The song, ‘Final War’ recently charted to #3 on radio, how does that make you feel to be recognized like that?

AR: Fantastic! I love the fact that people are listening, and program directors are loving the sound. Crafting the sound has taken many years. A lot of trial and error. I am almost close to what I wanted to achieve musically.

DK: You were also featured in a DVD compilation, The Imperative Music Company out of Brazil, how did that come about and what have the responses to that been like?

AR: Our PR firm Metal Coffee PR submitted our music to the Imperative Music Company. I got an email from them offering if we would like to be on the DVD compilation. They already had some major bands that agreed to be on the compilation. It is a great opportunity for us, it was a no brainer to be apart of this. It has been a wonderful for us.

DK: Does the band have management at this time?

AR: We are currently working with Steven Veninga at Hollywood Collective. He has hustled for us out in LA.

DK: Ah… good to know! What have been the most challenging aspects of the music industry in this band or others that you’ve faced? How have you overcome them?

AR: Getting paid is the biggest challenge. Everyone is excited for you to play their festival, club, or tour. Then you start to bring up money and then enthusiasm drops in the conversation. I think very few artists have overcome this obstacle. Those are the household names.

DK: Sadly, I’ve been there too decades ago in my old speed metal band, the Killer Kitchen Utensils. What would be a ‘word to the wise’ kind of tip that you would offer younger artists on any lessons learned in your music career that could help them?

AR: Never give up your vision, and don’t compromise what you want your sound to be. If you believe in what your doing other people will believe in it too. Practical advice would be to save your money. Publicists, websites, and marketing cost money. If you sign a deal when someone else covers your marketing costs, you will never see a dime.

DK: Very good tip, thank you for sharing. Would you say the metal market is as strong as ever?

AR: I don’t think it is. The biggest time for the metal market was back in the 90’s. That was when it didn’t matter the style of metal you played, all bands of different styles played together. I remember when Pantera toured with Skid Row. That was a great tour that brought all kinds of metal fans together. Everything in metal now is specialized into a niche market. I have had people tell me, “I like your sound, but I really only listen to progressive melodic post-hardcore.” I really didn’t know how to react to that. I always felt that if the songs are good, and it was heavy why does it matter if a band’s sound fit into a narrow category.

DK: (laughs) like Starbucks’ cafe’ latte half-calf grande whatever it is they call it… I think we’ve all sub-categorized music into too many specialities for our own good. We always have to analyze and define every aspect of our lives, music or otherwise to a point that it becomes absurd. But, I digress. With such a vast array of artists out there, from Doom Metal to Speed Metal… how do you separate yourselves from other artists out there?

AR: When I write, I don’t limit myself to a specific sub-genre. I love everything metal from doom, power, black, death, industrial, gothic, and thrash metal. Why should I limit myself to just one specific sound. I have been trying for many years to blend them into one cohesive sound where it all fits. We have been called death metal, black metal, or melodic death metal. It all works for me.

DK: Well, rest assured, as I said earlier, within the first few seconds of listening to ‘Miscreant Deeds of Loki’, after listening to ReverbNation submission after submission, your music stood out above the rest, so take comfort in knowing that great music will always get noticed. What are the musical backgrounds of the band, how long has each of you played your respective instruments and has anyone had any lessons?

AR: I have been playing the guitar for 31 years. I did a lot of music study in high school as elective courses. I have studied a lot of books and exercises. I know Michael has been playing guitar and bass for 10 years. Kevin has been a drummer 10 years as well. Chris has performed for few different bands in Jacksonville, and he knows how to get an audience attention on stage. All these have had awesome music careers prior to working with me. It has been a privilege to work with these guys on this EP.

DK: The band had won the Independent Music Awards, what other accomplishments has the band achieved thus far?

AR: That was the big achievement for us. We also won the Independent Music and Entertainment Award for “Metal Band of the Year.” We also won three Akademia awards in August 2017 for “Best metal Song”, “Best Metal EP”, and “Best Metal Video.” Also, we have been charted by a lot of radio stations. The DVD compilation you mentioned earlier. It has been a successful run.

DK: What is a ‘day in the life’ of Blood of Angels?

AR: It is mostly me jamming and writing new songs. Doing research for lyrical historical accuracy. We will be doing pre-production of our new songs in the next couple of months.

DK: Awesome! You just reminded me of a Canadian artist whom I like a lot named Loreena McKennitt who will take years to research the subjects of her albums/songs and travel to many of the places too. I was very impressed with that level of dedication and the level of instrumentation she uses also matches the subject matter too. It would be cool to see Blood of Angels take that approach further on down the line in a metal kind of way. What would the band like to accomplish for the rest of this year yet?

AR: To get in the studio and start tracking the new album.

DK: What are some long term goals each of you would like to accomplish?

AR: I’ve got a lot of plans. And I hope to accomplish them all before everything is said and done with my life. They’re a lot of album subjects and stories to tell, as well as festivals and tours that we would like to play.

DK: Thank you very much for your time and I wish you all the best with your careers!

AR: Thank you again for the opportunity. It was a pleasure.

DK: Same here Aaron!

Biography: Re-writing the rules and pushing boundaries, Blood of Angels are set to up the ante with their imminent album release ‘Rise of the Fallen Gods’. The Floridian four-piece combine the full on death metal attack with black metal sensibilities, all with flourishes of melody.

Aaron Robinson (guitar), Michael Stewart (bass), Chris Iibucha (vocals) and Kevin Phillips (drums) meld metal sensibilities honed over several years pounding out sounds that challenge – and delight – fans of extreme music.

Based in Jacksonville the members have rolled together their collective experience from previous acts into a potent powerhouse of metal.

Axeman Aaron has previously played and toured with acts such as Foreshadow, and believes that Blood of Angels is the next step.

“I still have something to say, and I have a vision for a different metal sound,” he says. “I also have many ideas for new musical projects that I want to bring to life.”

For the whole band, the build-up to the release of ‘Rise of the Fallen Gods’ is a chance to take their careers to the next level and expose head bangers to a mosh pit of pure intensity.

The translation of the live sound onto an album is a step that will see Blood of Angels rise to the next level.

They may be based in Jacksonville but the band will reach out from Florida across the states and much further afield as the heavy collaborative are ready to conquer – get ready to yield before their metal might.

With hints of Dark Tranquility, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Amon Amarth, Dying Fetus and Morbid Angel within their sound, they take that mix and add their own dark twists and turns.

Blood of Angels is a band whose members are “on the same page” said Aaron, who with his three band mates have similar ideas about their music and how it should be delivered.

And, they understand that having a wealth of good ideas and tunes is not enough. This is band whose members know that when you hit the stage or track in a studio it is just important to be professional and business-like. How else did Maiden, Metallica and Slayer get to the top, other than being savvy about the music industry?

That doesn’t mean there is anything cold and clinical about Blood of Angels. Instead there is passion in abundance, authority in every note and riffs that will wreck your neck.

Coming at you Blood of Angels are going to wrest you from your comfortable life, tear you from mediocre playlists and offer you redemption from the run of the mill mainstream.


This is metal how it should sound; this is metal in your face; this is metal that will melt your ears; this is metal that takes you on dark sonic journeys – this is BLOOD OF ANGELS.

MOTOR MILITIA JOINS METAL COFFEE



Formed in 2001 by school mates Motör Militia is regarded as one of the first metal bands in the Arabian Gulf and Middle East to record and release a full length album of original material on an independent label.  In 2003 Motör Militia built a following based on word of mouth promotion in their local and neighboring Middle Eastern music communities.  Members of the group also began interacting with many other bands in their local heavy metal scene, organizing DIY heavy metal and hard rock concerts at a pace faster than previously realized. This, in addition to the band's decision to play sets consisting almost entirely of original material (and subsequently recording and releasing it), influenced many local groups to do the same. 
'The Sound of Violence' 2004 The first FVF Music Festival was organized by Motör Militia on October 23rd 2003.  Only the bands’ second live performance the event attracted a crowd in excess of 1,000 people! In the spring of 2004 while riding the wave of momentum that had been created the band was signed by the Saudi based independent label “SandStorms Records” to record and release an album of original material. 'The Sound of Violence' was released in June that year and launched at the final FVF show. 

Cloaked In Darkness' 2011   
In 2007 the band regrouped with a new lineup and continued where they left off.  As a result of their resurgence they aided in the resurrection of the Bahrain live Metal scene, which had almost disappeared in their absence. In 2010 the band independently recorded the album “Cloaked in Darkness” which became the cultivation of the work of a band that refused to lie down.  After the album's release in 2011 the band hit the road notably headlining the Dorrak Festival in Bahrain, performing twice in Dubai and at the Deccan Rock Festival in Hyderabad, India.  Returning to Bahrain closing out 2011 with an appearance at the annual Bud Battle of the Bands; an event traditionally reserved for hotel based cover bands.  Being allowed to participate for the first time the band took the event by storm leaving a lasting impression.    

'Resurrection: The Bahrain Underground Vol. 1' 2012   The release party for 'Cloaked in Darkness' in 2011 was captured by the owner of Studio 77 (Rabble Rouser at the time).  This recording was subsequently released in 2012 as a split live DVD featuring performances by fellow Bahrain based bands Lunacyst and Smouldering In Forgotten alongside Motör Militia entitled 'Resurrection: The Bahrain Underground Vol. 1'.   The band continued performing live with a notable appearances: opening for Nervecell's second Bahrain performance in 2012 and at the 2013 Bahrain National Day Festival at the Bahrain International Circuit in front of a national audience. 

https://www.facebook.com/motormilitiaband/



Spanish gothic rock combo Rainover entered MathLab Recording Studio today to start tracking their sophomore album. Following the success of their debut platter “Transcending the Blue and Drifting Into Rebirth” this new record is a huge step ahead for the band, both in term of songwriting and identity. 

Carlo Bellotti Stated: “Today we started the production of Rainover‘s new album at MathLab Recording Studio. It has taken a long time to become reality but we have done a great pre-production job with the songs in Spain and we can’t wait to finally listen to them finished. The band’s identity is now stronger and the musicians have such a great experience and convinction after 4 years of touring, festivals, songwriting and promotion. This record is darker but also more epic and melodic. I am so proud to be the producer of Rainover’s music again. I would like to thank the band and Jonathan Mazzeo for their constant trust. Wait and see…” 
The band will record the album with their new guitar player Antonio Garcia.






Symphonic power metal stars TRAGUL presents GOODBYE (Netflix series DARK cover

Symphonic power metal project TRAGUL are serving up their third single of 2018 titled “Goodbye”. Always looking expansively to take a step forward on each release and in an attempt pay tribute to one of the most popular series of Netflix, the band had the audacity to release a cover of the song "Goodbye" from Apparat, the intro of Netflix’s massive series "DARK".

Originally founded by composer Adrian Benegas, TRAGUL features an insanely talented cast of collaborators that includes Spanish singer Zuberoa Aznarez (Diabulus In Musica), American guitarist Steve Conley (Flotsam and Jetsam), Paraguayan guitarist Diego Bogarín, German bassist Oliver Holzwarth (ex Blind Guardian, ex Rhapsody of Fire, ex Tarja) and Dutch drummer Sander Zoer (ex Delain).

About:

The history of metal bands covering other metal or mainstream songs is a long and common style, but TRAGUL, as usual with their "unusual" song-by-song format of releasing their music, strikes again with a "non common" release, in this case, a Series Song Cover. 

It’s a song with a deep sense of calmness; with a conceptual, minimal, and a darker mood than TRAGUL's listeners are used to. But it’s a song that can be enjoyed at the top, or as pleasant background listening mood, or at the same time as a deeply immersive experience. Haunting pianos and distant guitars sounds produce a stunningly dark yet uplifting sound that truly shines. Each instrument has its own identity, and at the same time all constituting a unique gloomy atmosphere.

One might never think that listening to a singer like Zuberoa Aznarez with an insane vocal range and powerful operatic voice, would seduce you with a whispery and very softer vocals like on this cover, proof of a voice that mesmerizes with its versatility and surprises with her high musical standard.

The song is mixed and mastered by the renowned film score engineer John Rodd. Who has been working on everything from major studio feature films (Elysium), television (Breaking Bad), video game projects (Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Assassin’s Creed), and for numerous CDs and soundtrack recordings with artists such as Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Madonna and members of The Rolling Stones, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more.

Available on CDBABY, iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Deezer, and on the major platforms digital on August 15th


Media:

Website: www.tragul.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tragulmusic

YouTube: www.youtube.com/tragulmusic

Instagram: www.instagram.com/tragulmusic

Twitter: www.twitter.com/tragulmusic

THIS VOID INSIDE INTERVIEW

1. Please tell us about the band and its members. 

Dave Shadow: The band was initially formed in 2003 as a “one man project” by me (former frontman of the Italian gothsters My Sixth Shadow)   to experiment new kind of sound. In 2008, after spending a couple of years recruiting musicians and practicing  new songs, the band signed for Decadance records (Latexxx Teens, Pulcher Femina, Siva Six)  and released its first album: Dust. 
The full length received good feedback  and gained the respect of a large number of fans. 
In 2009 TVI split up or better  until 2016 when Dave Shadow and Saji Connor (two of the original members) decided  to re-form the band along with Frank Marrelli (lead guitar). After a while Alberto Sempreboni and Simone Gerbasi successfully auditioned for the roles of rhythm guitarist and drummer. 
In 2018 we signed for Agoge Records and to release our second album: My second birth/My only death. 

2. Who does the majority of the writing? Is it a group thing or does someone handle the writing duties?

Dave Shadow: Basically all songs are written and produced by me with an help in arrangements by the other guys in the band . 

3. Where is the band based out of ? Where did you want to the band to end up? What was the dream city to have as your home base once you got out of your scene?

Dave Shadow: We all live in Rome (Italy) one of the worst place on the planet  to play music!  Probably I would like to live  in Helsinki, I am in love with that town. It's a place where you can have fun and where you can a quiet life like a retiree! 


4. What is your genre? What bands do you use to explain  to people what you sound like?

Dave Shadow: Actually I don't like how to define our music. Anyway I can't deny that it's important to bring the audience closer to our stuff.  I can say that our genre is such a strange mix of different influences that you can call: new romantic gothic metal. 
Frank: I like to define This Void Inside as a mix of London After Midnight, Placebo and The Cult processed by the unique genius of Dave Shadow.

5. Can we buy anything from you Cd's shirts etc and where can we buy them?
Frank: new album is available on line on every digital store, you can do a pre order at rome@agogerecords.com or wait 'till autumn for the worldwide distribution of the cd. For other kind of merchandising you can check the news on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thisvoidinsideofficial/ or at our official site www.thisvoidinside.com
6. Do you have studio time lined up anything new coming soon?
Frank: We have lots of new songs, now we have to promote our new album but Dave is a very prolific composer so I have to listen lots of ideas and songs every week.

7. Have you ever been on tour? If so where and with who?
Frank: This Void Inside in 2008/2009 made lots of gigs and played in some goth fests, but didn't play in real worldwide tours, it was ages ago and there were some problems 'cause the band disbanded after the release of the first album... 

8. What is your favorite band? Who are the bands who influenced you?
Dave Shadow: It's hard to list all my favorite bands! Besides being a musician I am a “voracious” listener as well! My first love were Europe. Joey Tempest influenced me either as singer and as song writer.
Other important bands in my life are (randomly listed) : Him, Depeche Mode, Bon Jovi, Dark Tranquillity. Apoptygma Berzerk, Annihilator, In Flames, Saviour Machine, The Rasmus, To/Die/For, Cradle Of Filth and many many more. 
I fundamentally like the whole Scandinavian rock scene!

9. Do you have a website? And do I have to verify that I am 18 to enter it? 
Frank: As I've said before you can follow us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/thisvoidinsideofficial/ or at our official site, you can read every news about us at http://www.agogerecords.com/

10. What about your music do you want people to remember? What is the quality you want to hit people when they hit play?
Dave Shadow: The lyrics and the melody . When I write a song I think about a melody that hit your brain while lyrics sweep  away your thoughts and bringing you to a parallel universe where my soul is discovered. 

11. Name a person who is integral to your band that nobody knows about , what person drives your band like they are part of the band? Who is the extra member ?
Frank: Dave is a great composer and singer but we had a great help from Emiliano Rubbi (an italian producer that mastered our album) and Gianmarco Bellumori that believed in us and released our album with his label Agoge Records

12. Tell nerds like me about your live rig and equipment.
Frank: With This Void Inside live I use a Mesa Boogie Translatic head set on the clean channel with a Tc Electronic Nova System in front of it and a cabinet Marshall 1922 2x12, I had lots of guitars, live I prefer to use Stratocaster... But I had some Les Paul too that I use sometimes... 
Saji Connor: As  bass player of the band I have a kind of minimalist equipment formed by my Rickenbaker 4001 custom bass from 1981 and a Yamaha TRBX, concerning the pedal effects at the moment I use an Ibanez Tubescreamer TS9 custom and a Boss Superoverdrive SD-1. Then I use Ampeg B2 Head Bass Amp and an equalizer sometimes.

13.What is your musical guilty pleasure that you are ashamed of?

Saji Connor: I have nothing to be ashemed of. I listen everything I like, and if I like it, I don't need to hide it!

14.If you could custom build a band who would be the members?

Saji Connor: It is a great question, but I cannot answer because I would build too many dream bands!!
Frank Marrelli: Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Steve Stevens and me guitars, Duff on bass and Frankie Banali on drums... Or the This Void Inside line up... I am Jockin' man!

15.Message to the fans? What is it?

Dave Shadow: Don't let the others kill your dreams.
Saji Connor: Live the music in freedom and feel free to support  music you like because the love that the fans share is the fuel that makes  music goes on!