THE BATTERY SERIES : Jeffrey Adkins / Dreams In Peril

1.What is your name and what band do you play for?

Answer: My name is Jeffrey Adkins and I play Drums for Dreams In Peril
   

2.Who made you want to play drums and why?

Answer: I feel like I've been a drummer since playing on pots and pans as a kid. Everything I saw with drumming in it caught my interest growing up weather it be in cartoons, live concerts, music the adults were listening too.. It all starts when you're a kid. I guess drummers in general made me want to play drums.

3.When did you get your first kit? Tell us about it…

Answer: I got my 1st and last kit in elementry school. My band teacher told my parents they need to buy me a drum set. We went to Explorers Percussion and I picked out a Tama Rockstar with all birch shells and a black woodgrain finish. 1 crash/ride and 1 ride on boom stands. Single kick pedal and a hi-hat. It's the only kit I've ever owned. I've beat the crap out of it and it still sounds just as good as the day I brought it gome from Explorers.

4.Where your parents supportive of you and your loud / expensive new habit?

    

Answer: Absolutely. They knew it kept me out of trouble so they never complained about the noise especially being in the country. They had no problem driving me to Warrensburg, MO for drum lessons as long I took it seriously. I very much appreciate they're support.

5.What drum performance on an album is perfection to you?

Answer: Dufficult to answer right off the top of my head. No way can I narrow it down to 1. It's between Oceano "Depths", Lamb of God "Ashes of The Wake", August Burns Red "Messengers", Devil Driver "The Fury of Our Makers Hand", Infant Annihilator "The Elysian Grandeval" and many more.

6.Tell us about your current kit and set up in DETAIL.

 

Answer: Tama Rockstar
10,12,14 inch toms evans G2 heads
20inch kick w/ roland trigger, DM5 module and a remo 2 ply head w/ patch
13×6 inch Porkpie snare evans genera HD coated head
Gibraltar tom rack system
17 and 16 in Crashes
17 and 16 inch China's
10 inch splash
5 inch aluminum bell
5 in brass bell
20 inch ride
13 inch paiste hats
All other symbols are Sabian
DW 7000 double bass pedal
Alesis Sample Pad for bass drops
Throne is a 16×4in doctor's stool with stationary casters and a "Stone Thrones" seat cover.
     

7.If you could have a dream kit tell us about it in DETAIL

Answer: My dream kit would be the exact same setup I currently have except with a pearl masterworks all Maple kit with a 22inch Kick 8,10,12 and 16in toms and a custom finish maybe black woodgrain fade to blood red or chrome. Pearl tom rack system. All Istanbul cymbals. Trick double bass pedal. Bigger sample pad with trigger plug-ins. My very own custom snare made with cast iron and maple if it's even possible.

8.Name your top 5 drummers excluding Neil Peart and Mike Portnoy

Answer:
Abe Cunningham
Danny Carey
Chad Kent
Eloy Casagrande
Aaron Stechauner

9. Do you prefer Live or Studio?
    

Answer: I think most drummers would agree on Live. I actually have a lot less nerves performing live than I do trying to lay down a perfect take in the studio. Though it is rewarding getting to hear your own recording. I definitely prefer live.

10.Do drummers really get all the chicks and if so how do we convince the guitarist?

Answer:I think I'm cool just having 1 at a time. Haha! I dont know. Ask 100 women.

Vile Cynic Sovereigns of Death EP review by Allyson Kingsley

Vile Cynic

Sovereigns of Death 

Available now 

EP review by Allyson Kingsley music journalist with Metal Coffee/ Metal Moose

Vile Cynic:

Angelo - vocals

Tim - drums

Jake B - lead guitar

Jake M - guitar

AJ - Bass

  I'll start off with a little personal tale. I've started learning guitar recently and as I learn (slowly) the different styles of the metal genres, I have a new respect for the nuances of shredding that each style brings to the table. I can assure you that being a drummer is far easier as that is the instrumental background I am more versed in. I have a profound respect for bands that can combine two different genre styles together and it sounds harmonious. Chicago-based Vile Cynic have blended death and thrash metal elements to create a vivid sound that by the end of their EP Sovereigns of Death, renders you pumped up to the max.

    Angelo's vocals throughout the songs sear into you. Aggressive but certainly not grating, he is solidly rooted in testosterone-charged thrashy death, with a side of brutality. The guitars are big, shaky and gristly, beating riffs within an inch of their life and possibly a few centimeters further. The drums sound good as well; the kicks are meaty, the snare taut,  and the cymbals are quite organic. Considering that the percussionist’s performance is excellent across the board, this is a huge boon to their music. From start to finish, the album is absolutely unforgiving as we like our death/thrash metal to be, and it has its share of clever variations and deft tempo changes without derailing the entire momentum.

https://www.facebook.com/VileCynicBand/

https://sites.google.com/view/vilecynic

https://youtu.be/VF6ucZ7KgqU

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3tLnJbAQ2eLeL7xKuurOJy?si=YYN7rkzWTc6PEFQiOnaR4Q

by Allyson Kingsley 

The Deep Series : Dalton Collins / Dreams in Peril

 1.Why Bass?

Answer: I Started Playing bass when I was 14, But when I came to the thought of playing bass, I originally thought about playing drums but Immediatly saw how expensive and loud it was. Not to mention the space it took up with all the pieces. So, I ruled it out. Then I thought about Guitar or bass and I saw that everyone gravitates to guitar and there are so many of them out there. I thought if I played bass, At least I would be in demand. So, I ended up saying that I wanted to be a bass player. My sister who is a guitar player, bought me my first bass on my 14th Birthday.

2.Do you think it is unfair or just lack of knowledge bass gets so little credit?

Answer: A little of both, To be honest though. People don't see bass players as the writers of the music but in all reality I have actually written pieces of each of our songs. I contribute to the music just as everyone else. But I do understand that it isn't always like that with every other band. Some bass players coast by by riding the root notes of their music. Sometimes as a bass player that is necessary, however it's good for bass players to stand apart and shine. As I try to do in our slow down parts as well as some of the more technical parts of our music to be right there with the guitar player to make the parts thicker and richer. But bass players have to sometims tone things down so that they don't risk making their music and tone too Muddy.

  

3.What kind of bass do you use? Model , color , year , And why

Answer: Right now my go to bass Is a ESP B 155 DX. 5 String. Not sure on a year.. lol It is a see through Blue. I have always liked the tone, Looks and mechanics of the ESP basses. If I were to use any other brand, it would most likely be either Ibanez or PRS.. I may even be into the Earnie ball Music man Bass, however I really am happy with ESP.

4.Tell us about your amplification

Answer: Right Now I am currently running a Ampeg SVT 7 Pro hybrid Amp. It's 1000 watts. Mostly Solid state but it still gives the warmth in the tone with the Pre amp tube.

I Also have a Behringer Sonic Maximizer/ Enhancer. It cleans up my tone and Enhances my sound.

Then I am also running a Line 6 G90 Relay Digital Wireless.

    

5. With all of that being said do you feel tone is an important thing for bass?

Answer: YES! Just like guitar and Drums. Tone is everything. Because it is the whole band that makes up the sound of the band. Rather a Bass player wants a thick sound or if we want a more clanky sound. With me, I like a solid thickness with a little "string clank". As well as enough tone to hear the note changes. I like to have some warmth in my sound.

6.Do you prefer 5 strings over 4 string?

Answer: Yes. It is what I need for the sound and Tone of the kind of music we play. We Tune to Drop A and To be honest I could Drop Tune a 4 string to be in Drop A but the Thickness of the Guage of that top string just wouldnt hold the Deepness I need to carry our tone. It just wouldn't make sense. Granted, There is nothing wrong with a Standard 4 string. I just dont feel like Drop A is right for it.

7.Who is your favorite bassist?

Answer: Growing up I really used to like Fieldy from Korn. I loved how the clank of his bass added to the rythem of their music.. However his style has no influence on my style and tone.
Other bass players I really like and still to this day is Ryan Martinie of Mudvayne. He has a solid tone as well as an insane playing abillity. I urge anyone to watch him play! The dude is amazing! But the two bass players that influence me today would have to be Gabe Crisp of Whitechapel and Evan Brewer of The Faceless. Both of their tones are Thick and brutal and Evan's playing ability is off the charts!

   

8. Who is your least favorite bassist?

Answer: You know, I never thought about it. I never just sat and thought, Man. That guy is my least favorite! haha I honestly dont think I have an Answer.

9.Why do you think women seem to be attracted to playing bass?

Answer: In all honesty. I have no Idea! haha Maybe it's not to be in the spotlight.. Who knows.. lol

10. What bassist dead or alive would you like a private lesson with?

Answer: Because of the simularities we have. Gabe Crisp of Whitechapel.

11. Bonus question

Bobby Doll , Nikki Sixx , Les Claypool , Billy Sheehan which is more ridiculous and why

   

Answer: Les Claypool. Primus Sucks!! haha Kidding.. I love Primus! Dude is one of the best slap bass players, and the dude LEADS Primus! His style is funky and weird. But man.. It just works!

DEATH WOLF (swe) IV: Come The Dark

 

DEATH WOLF (swe)
IV: Come The Dark

Tracklist:
1.With Hate
2.Edge Of The Forest
3.Empower The Flame
4.The Sword
5.Funeral Pyre
6.The Executioners Song
7.Speak Through Fire
8.Serpents Hall
9.Into The Woods
10.Iron & Flame
11.Conquerors Dance
  

Release info:
Although it's been five long years since Death Wolf's last album,III: Östergötland, the band should require little introduction. Begun at the dawn of the new millennium by Marduk's Morgan Håkansson under the moniker Devil's Whorehouse as a means of tribute to the deathpunk sound of Samhain and the Misfits, following the band'sThe Howling debut EP did the band soon evolve beyond their half-covers repertoire into a deadly force all their own. In 2011, after two albums and two EPs under theDevil's Whorehouse moniker, a change in name was long overdue, and the far-more-fittingDeath Wolf was chosen. Wasting no time, three albums followed in almost as many years:Death Wolf (2011), II: Black Armored Death (2013), and III: Östergötland(2014).
    

But, as is sometimes the case, the deadliest beasts need their slumber, and at long last doesDeath Wolf awaken with IV: Come the Dark. Right from the very first throttling notes,IV: Come the Dark explodes with a ferocity and finesse that suggest those years of slumber were indeed fruitful. Clear and cutting,Death Wolf are on fine form here, effortlessly crafting one dark anthem after another with their signature blend of urban-wasteland heaviness and moody-yet-incendiary hooks. At once metal, punk, rock, and goth simultaneously and yet none of 'em in any conventional sense of those words, IV: Come the Dark bewitches the imagination with a deceptively earworming sense of style; in a strange, upside-down world (or a world where simply everything is RIGHT) can one imagine most/all of these songs on the radio.

But alas, we live in a doomed world, and never will Death Wolf reign across the radio...but their reasserted dominance is nearly certain with the arrival ofIV: Come the Dark, as never before have the band sounded so commanding and confident, each of these 11 anthems brimming with a granite-thick gleam that underlines the power in Ostrogothian darkness.
           

REVEL IN FLESH - "The Hour Of The Avenger"

The Deathkult rages on and the hour of the avenger draws near! After a succesful line–up change in the drum department and following the release of their "Relics Of The Deathkult" compilation in early 2018, Southern Germany based REVEL IN FLESH finally strike back with their 5th full-length album on their new label home War Anthem Records! "The Hour Of The Avenger" basically steps in where the highly acclaimed successor "Emissary Of All Plagues" ended. REVEL IN FLESH evolved and refined their very own formula of Death Metal in a logical way: more EPIC, more MELODIC, more INTENSE but still sticking to their roots deep within the classical European styled 

Death Metal from the 90s era. For the first time the drums and vocals were recorded in other studio locations, while guitars and bass were still tracked at VAULT M. Studios owned by guitarist Maggesson. For the final mix and mastering process REVEL IN FLESH handled the final files to their longtime companion Dan Swanö (UNISOUND Studios). The production of "The Hour Of The Avenger" marks the most vital one in the band's history thus far!
   

TRACKLIST
 1. The Hour Of The Avenger 
 (3:26)
2. My Trial  (3:20) 
3. Blood Oath  (4:59)
4. The Nihilistic Nothingness  (3:31) 
5. Sky Burial  (5:32)
6. Deathblow  (3:34) 
7. Pervitin Speed Kill  (3:46) 
8. The Wayfarer  (4:41) 
9. Skull Sacrifice  (3:50)
10. The Nightbreed  (6:00)
11. Rock Out (Motörhead Cover)  (2:05)


LINE-UP
Haubersson - Vocals 
Maggesson - Guitar Herrmannsgard
Guitar Götzberg 
Bass Henriksson - Drums
   

LIVE 09/11/2019 - Siegen - Kulturhaus Lyz 30/11/2019 - Aschaffenburg - Jukuz 7/12/19 - Aalen - Rock It (Album Release Show)


https://www.facebook.com/Revel-in-Flesh-304228902958414 https://www.revelinflesh.com

http://www.war-anthem.de +++ https://www.facebook.com/WarAnthemRecords +++ https://www.cudgel.de

Metal Coffee picks up Cerca Trova

 

 hat is “Cerca Trova”? Translating to “Seek And Ye Shall Find” it is a mysterious inscription that is located at the top of Vasari’s fresco The Battle of Marciano, positioned in the Hall of the Five Hundred in Palazzo Vecchio - it is a clue to finding one of Leonardo De Vinchi’s hidden art pieces.  

Just like this inscription, Cerca Trova are an enigma - hidden in the music is a modern twist on ancient mythology, bringing what is old and giving it a new life in our modern day society. Pair this with an innovative mix of punk rock, metalcore and thrash metal; and you have a very interesting and unique artist.

Formed in mid-2018; the band played a number of highly successful shows; impressing local music fans and musicians alike with their stellar performances. Hitting their stride in early 2019, a first-time semi-final run in Bloodstock’s Metal 2 The Masses Tournament was followed by a well-deserved slot supporting Light The Torch (Howard Jones - Killswitch Engage) at the O2 Academy Islington. This equalled a former high point (as previous incarnation Distance To Fall) supporting Dragonforce at The Square, Harlow.

Debut EP ‘King Of Bones’ hit listener’s ears in March 2019; despite being a self-funded release it has reached listeners all over the world through word of mouth alone. The band plan to hit the studio in late 2019 to record a follow-up EP, to be released via One Eyed Toad Records.

    

Get Ready For The Self-Titled Debut Album From BLACKHEARTH

Get Ready For The Self-Titled Debut Album From BLACKHEARTH

With their self-titled debut album, Spanish heavy metal group Blackhearth have created something with a classic, old school feeling and great melodies. The tracks combine instrumental dynamics with soulful, searing vocals and a vast melodic structure. The album consists of classic heavy metal, with an emphasis on spooky atmospheres with 80’s metal riffs, cool vocals, and an overall sense of catchiness to it all.

Blackhearth is in a trend that earns influences from all European Metal schools from the 80’s (especially from NWOBHM and something from the earlier days of German metal scene), but with some modern insights and flourishes. Their music bears energy and weight, balanced by strong melodies. This is classic heavy music with a cross-over mass appeal!
   The album was recorded at Tio Pete Estudios and Auryn Studios between august 2018 and January 2019. It was mixed and mastered by Tristán Iñiguez at Auryn Studios.

Blackhearth | Released on October 29th, 2019 on Sliptrick Records

Track Listing:
01. Flying Away | 02. Tarker’s Mills | 03. Face The Enemy | 04. The Truth You’ve Missed | 05. Earls Of Darkness | 06. The Magician | 07. Blackhearth

Blackhearth are:
Alex Hernández – Guitar | Asier Larrea – Drums | Jorge Sánchez – Bass | Endika Ortega – Guitar | Julio Veiga – Keyboards | Alain Concepción – Vocals

Band links: Facebook | Youtube | Twitter | On Sliptrick
Blackhearth // Face The Enemy [Lyrics Video]

THE GRINDER NEW ALBUM INTERVIEW BORN ZERO

 

The Grinder / Metal Coffee:



1.Thanks for taking the time to talk to The Grinder! You have a new single on the way … tell us about it!

When we were writing raise the dead the original plan from the start was to divert from the usual song writing style we usually go for and experiment with some new ideas, while yet still having the core sound of the band present in the mix. We tried to go for a more melodic approach with this song instrumentally and vocally so we could show diversity in our song writing and appeal to a larger audience. We wanted the chorus and the main riff to be something memorable, that will stick in people's heads, and that would show off our range of skill sets as a band and individually.



2.Where was it recorded? Is all the material new?

Vigo Studios – All new material
  

3.What is the biggest difference between your last release and the new one?

It’s a more mature sound and melodic approach



4.Are you signed to a label? If so which one and how did they help or support the process?

Unsigned but would love to get signed, we are trying!

   

5.What has been going on with the band between releases? Did you tour?

No not yet as we are still finishing our first EP for release in March 2020 to be followed a tour so keep those eyes peeled



6.Do you have any new members?

No - we have had the same line up for the past 2 - 3 years now

  

7.Who produced the new record and how did they effect it?

Adam at Vigo Studios – His idea was to make it sound authentic with a nasty heavy tone an we think he has done an amazing job!



8.Some like to record naked or in the dark with candles…. Did you have any strange studio practices?

None as yet but that question has got us thinking we need to come up with one!

   

9.Of course tell us where to pick up your record and how to learn more about you.

You can pick up our single from 31st October 2019 on all the usual streaming devices such as Spotify/Itunes/Amazon etc.

To find out more about us and what we are up to you can catch us at…

Facebook – Bornzeroofficial - www.facebook.com/bornzeroofficial

Instagram – Bornzer0 - www.instagram.com/bornzer0/?hl=en

YouTube – born zero official - www.youtube.com/channel/UCmMzOQIE-hrZnjSE1y2I96w

Also our website – www.bornzero.co.uk

   

10.What are your plans for the release?

We are releasing this with everyone on the 31st October 2019 which will be followed fairly quickly by our EP and tour from March 2020 TBA.

THE AXEMEN SERIES : Jeremy Amack / The Band Repent

 

1.)  Tell us your name and what band you play for.

I'm Jeremy Amack and I play in The Band Repent.

2.)  Who made you want to pick up the guitar ?

When I was 8 I saw Guns n Roses on MTV.. that whole band and Slash STILL blows me away.. however.. when I first heard Dave Mustaine of Megadeth.. the guitar riffs on Rust in Peace have been monumental in my development..and are truly a masterpiece of musicianship.. can't say enough about Megadeth.
  

3.)  Are you self taught or did you take lessons ?

Well.. my only lesson came when I was 16 and had just gotten an acoustic guitar from my uncle..
At that time I was just a dumb high school kid.. working at a Dairy Queen in Kansas.. and didn't even play the thing.. one day a guy came in to the restaurant and was eating dinner with his parents.. you could just tell this dude was a rockstar.. and sure enough as I was talking to him he said he had just gotten back from touring Europe with his band and was taking a break..I asked him if I could pay for his family's meal in exchange for one lesson..
So I meet up with him later that day at his parents house and it takes me down stairs the basement.. which is full of guitars and amps..
He cranked up a Jackson Charvel so loud the walls were shaking..
He played for about 30 minutes and then stopped and said if you ever want to be that good.. pick up your guitar..
I sat there like a dumb kid holding my acoustic guitar.. but just got served the best lesson I could have ever got.

4.)  Can you read music ?
       Can you read tab ?

Just tab

5.)  Do you feel like you have your own sound/tone ?

Oh most definitely.. I can tell when it's "off", so yeah I know what sound I'm looking for.

6.)  Tell us about your guitar (brand, model, year, color)
    

I'm a huge Jackson fan, that's all I play.. it just does it for me..and always black.. never any other color.

7.)  What about pick-ups, passive or active..tell us about them.

Passive.. I use a lot of downpicking and palm mutes with speed picking.. so it's very muffled,Iike chugging.

8.)  Let's get into amplification, same drill, brand, model, speakers, etc.

I'm broke as hell so I have a Line 6 😆

9.)  Do you have a pedal board ? Tell us about that badboy.
  

No.. just switch from acoustic to electric with a ton of gain and the channel volume turned all the way up.

10.)  Now tell us your dream rig in detail.

I'm pretty old school.. I follow all the pioneers of metal (Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, etc.) and they always just used a bunch of Marshall JCM800 full stacks with the simple "on off" switch on the foot pedal..that does enough for me.

11.)  What guitarist can you not stand ?

The guy playing an acoustic guitar under a tree at some college who has a bunch of girls laying on the grass listening to his crap 😆

12.)  Is tone more important or technique ?

For me it's all about technique.. my pick hand plays my guitar no matter what my fret hand does.. without proper technique you can turn great tone into a "muddy" sound.

13.)  Name your top 5 guitarists.

Dave Mustaine
Jeff Hanneman
Slash
James Hetfield
Zakk Wylde

14.)  Who is the most over rated guitarist ?

See question 11 😆

15.)  Who would you like a one hour sit-down lesson with..dead or alive ?
   

I'd love to just hang out with Guns n Roses and party.. but a serious lesson from Dave Mustaine would be really kewl 🤘

Oracle Review by Allyson Kingsly

If you live in the USA, you find that it is quite diversified even according to regions. You have New England, cooler darker landscapes and everyone seems as cold as the territory and yet move at the speed of light. Then you have the vast region of the midwest, a slower pace, more polite folks, the Bible belt, and yet the weather proves hostile, tempestuous and oftentimes absolutely brutal. You have the west Coast, the trend setters, again moving fast and furious, and perhaps even still holding a hint of the wild that made the west so infamous.

And then there's the deep south- home to the blues, perhaps the best place to visit for the finest cuisines. Life seems to run slower and I'm quite sure I have never met  more polite and welcoming folks and aye, the birthplace of USA's death metal genre. Ah, yes only metalheads will remember the infamous and glorious Florida death metal scene. But, Alabama? Yes indeed and I am introducing you to an intriguing death metal band called Oracle.
     What makes Oracle  a wonderful metal band is their grooves added to the classic death metal sound that gives their music a smooth flow. Having formed in 2016 Oracle is a father/son team of  Trey Ozinga (drums) and Ray Ozinga ( bass) and are completed by Jason Long on vocals and guitar . Upon my first listen to their new single "Hindsight is 2020", I was wonderfully pleased by their cohesive musicianship. So, of course, I delved deeper into their discography and spent a day riding along to Forgotten Songs From Camp Yeti (2019),Seven Deadly Sins (2018),Into the Unknown (2017) and Beyond Omega (2016). There are so many elements to enjoy on these albums and if you have a very discerning ear, you can even pick out influences and flavors of other genres through the course of their work. You will hear some black metal riffing injected into many of their tracks.

My favorite song is "The Crow" and I found myself locking into that particular song as it set the mood for my rainy car ride through northern RI as the peak of autumn has dazzled us. (Some of my best review times are during lengthy "head" rides). Dwelling in darkness and intense atmospheres you could define their sound as old school death metal but there is no doubt they have stamped it with their own brand. With their diverse and complex songs (see "Greed" or "Seven Deadly Sins"), that rawness of the classic death metal sound is created with a good production and then mixed with a rather technical level of execution more in tune with these modern days.Oracle  has music that flows, entwined with rhythmic changes that can take you from a furious frenzy to a more ethereal approach via bone-crunching riffs and well- balanced solos that creep around you and suck you in their world.Check out the rest of their discography on Spotify and YouTube.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2GAHLhJxTt8K0lKqugHuKH?si=emhZrBJ1Q1-dOVjODEpWLA
https://youtu.be/lUMxDIcfSXg
https://youtu.be/kjFmKC-cQMs
https://youtu.be/zovlEaXTADw
https://youtu.be/dXmY81K-Y9E
https://www.facebook.com/oraclemetalband/
http://www.oracleextrememetal.com/

Oracle
"Hindsight is 20/20"
Forgotten Songs From Camp Yeti (2019)
Seven Deadly Sins (2018)
Into the Unknown (2017)
Beyond Omega (2016)
Metal review by Allyson Kingsley music journalist with Metal Coffee/Metal Moose