Album review by Allyson Kingsley music journalist with Metal Coffee/Metal Moose
"How terrible this darkness was, how bewildering, and yet mysteriously beautiful!"
Stefan Zweig
The above quote comes to mind whenever I am asked why I enjoy and indeed immerse myself in the black metal genre. What you see on the outside is only a tiny inkling of what exactly lies underneath. If you search the realms of the darkness of black metal long enough, you begin to see the light and become aware. To add to my forever growing collection is the Norwegian band Livløst and their album Cold Skin. What does cold skin bring to mind? Death, of course but it is not necessarily the bleak blackness everyone envisions. Some bands can actually capture the release it brings. Light embedded within the dark.
"I" sets the tone with a fuzzed out bass that feels like you are slipping through the veil between the worlds. With unbelievably amazing tastes of doom, "Cold Skin" envelopes you in death's embrace. "Sounds of Woods" builds off a template of ominous, dissonant plucking that grimly cuts through the gloom of warped tar-thick riffs and demented shrieks and roars galore. The songs are dynamic and the album never loses its way, even for a moment, ending with the fantastic duo of “Priest" and “From the Fallen One". This is the music of confident musicians, and the different styles mean that the runtime absolutely flies by.
Livløst feels frosty and cavernous and frightening. In a country with such a small population, it’s extraordinary how many amazing bands they have that just consistently knock it out of the park.
Weight Of Emptiness is a progressive Death Metal band, from Chile. We released our second album "Conquering The Deep Cycle" under the Australis Records label. The second single from the album is the song "Invisible Mind Workers", which has a lyric video: We are a band that has already toured Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria and Chile, our show being very well received in each of the countries. At present the band is formed by Alejandro Ruiz in vocals, Juan Acevedo and Alejandro Bravo in guitars, Mauricio Basso in drums and Mario Urra in bass.
I first started playing acoustic guitar and switched to electric guitar. But there were times where it was hard to find a bass player at the time. So I decided to pick up a bass guitar and absolutely fell in love with it. Playing the bass is not just “playing the same thing that the guitarist is playing”, it is also moving around and playing different bass licks that can match the rhythm and give the song an extra beat with the drums
2.Do you think it is unfair or just lack of knowledge bass gets so little credit?
Before, Absolutely. But in today’s music world, people are starting to understand why the bass is starting to make a big leap. Bassist are now using different techniques to emulate an electric guitar, or even use effects from pedals to make the bass sound more “punchy” in a song.
3.What kind of bass do you use? Model , color , year , And why
I started playing Sterling by Music Man and Ibanez recently. I like how comfortable it feels. From the really thin neck, to the passive pickups for some of our rock and progressive songs that we have.
I am using three Bass guitars at the moment:
Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. Satin Blue StingRay (on Drop D)
Sterling by Music Man S.U.B. Black StingRay5 (Drop G)
And A Ibanez orange GSR205 5 String (Drop F#)
4.Tell us about your amplification
I use a Fender Rumble 100 1x12 100w Bass Combo Amp. It has a single channel with a 4-band EQ, Drive, overdrive level, master volume and 3 switches that I sometimes use (Bright switch, mid-scoop contour switch, and a vintage switch)
5. With all of that being said do you feel tone is an important thing for bass?
Of course! Especially the direction Ignescent is going to. We are going into a new sound which is djent and progressive. So that is why I will be using a Dark Glass Alpha Omega Ultra Bass Preamp Pedal. It would give me the tone I would personally need, which is a clean overdrive.
6.Do you prefer 5 strings over 4 string?
I would have to say 5 strings. Like I said. We are going through a new era of djent and progressive rock and metal. Who knows, maybe a 6 string bass in the future hahaha
7.Who is your favorite bassist?
I would have to say Nikki Sixx. I grew up watching Motley Crue and actually dressed up as Nikki for Halloween one time. I love his energy and his passion.
8. Who is your least favorite bassist?
Hmmmm. That is really a tough one. To be honest, I cannot think of anyone at the moment.
9.Why do you think women seem to be attracted to playing bass?
I will be honest with you. It is not just women playing bass. I am seeing a lot more women playing drums, guitar, and even singing. It is really awesome to see women not being afraid of picking up an instrument and just going out there to rock. And that is why music brings us all together, men and women have the same emotions
10. What bassist dead or alive would you like a private lesson with?
Cliff Burton. It was such a shame he died at a young age. But he inspired so many with his fast finger-picking solo skills. From when he was in the band Trauma to Metallica….Wow. I would definitely take lessons with him.
11. Bonus question
Bobby Doll , Nikki Sixx , Les Claypool , Billy Sheehan which is more ridiculous and why
You know I have to say Nikki Sixx. Not just his energy on stage, but off stage. You have heard the stories: The amount of drugs, Overdosing on Heroin, and being brought back to life by a paramedic who happened to be a big Motley Crue fan. But he used all of these mistakes to inspire others to not make the same mistakes that he has done.
1.Thanks for taking the time to talk to The Grinder! You have a new album out, Tell us about it! Thanks! The new CD is called Manifest Destiny. It has been out for a little over a year now. We recorded 8 songs for the CD. We are a hard rock band with roots in the 80's. I think we're now part of what is being called the "New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal". Our sound is like Kiss, W.A.S.P., Ratt, Dokken, etc.
2.Where was it recorded? Is all the material new? I recorded everything but the vocals in my home studio. The vocals were recorded at Pus Cavern studio in Sacramento, CA. Most of the material is new, but I did have a few songs that I had demoed up previously and then re-recorded for the CD.
3.What is the biggest difference between your last release and the new one? There are 2 big differences with this CD. First, this is the first CD that I have gone outside of my home studio. All of the other CD's were done in my home studio with me doing all of the engineering, recording, and mixing. Second, this is the first CD to feature members of the live band. In all of the previous releases, I played all of the instruments except drums and lead guitar. They were released before I had a live band. When it came time to record Manifest Destiny, I wanted the band to be able to put their own spin on the songs.
4.Are you signed to a label? , If so which one and how did they help or support the process? We're not on a label. In this day and age, I don't think a label is mandatory. I can see how it would help for distribution but, for now, we are still independent.
5.What has been going on with the band between albums? Did you tour? We haven't been able to tour, yet. That is definitely something we are looking forward to. We have been playing local shows to promote the CD.
6.Do you have any new members? Actually, yes. We went through a guitar line up change recently and we switched from a 4 piece to a 3 piece.
7.Who produced the new album and how did they effect the album? I produced the album myself along with my partner in crime Mike Gardiner (Fallen Man). I like doing things myself because I am not dependent on someone else to be available when I want to record. But, it can also be a limitation in that you only have one perspective. It is also more demanding to try to do everything (producing, recording, mixing, etc.) and I think it can take away from the creative aspect if you are trying to do to much. But, overall, I feel like I have gotten pretty good results on my CD's. Although, I am definitely open to working with an outside producer in the future. I think it would be great to get an objective opinion that would hopefully add something to the songs.
8.Some like to record naked or in the dark with candles , Did you have any strange studio practices? LOL! No, nothing like that. We like to have a few drinks and get a little loose but nothing too crazy. Mostly, I just try to make the studio comfortable and relaxing.
9.Of course tell us where to pick up your album and how to learn more about you. We have physical CD's available in the digipak format through CD Baby and some of their affiliate retail locations. We are also available for download and streaming on Google, Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, etc. And, of course, we have a Facebook page. Reverbnation link https://www.reverbnation.com/recker
Also, I forgot the link to CD Baby. It would be great if you could add it, but no biggie if it's too much hassle: https://store.cdbaby.com/artist/recker
10.What is your plans now that the new album is out? We have a few shows coming up in 2020 and we are working on ideas for the next CD. Hopefully, we'll make some new fans and friends around the world!
Ten Pounder: Hello and welcome to The Ten Pounder! Thanks for taking some time to chat with us! JAMES ARMSTRONG: Anytime love these talks
TP: Describe your definition of Alternative Metal and how does that definition uniquely describe Tempest Rising? JA: I guess we use it as a “Non-Mainstream” Term, we have a few genres we kind of delve in when writing new material. We hate giving us our Sub genre, We tend to tell people we are metal, and let the listener make that choice, When I think of alternative I think like weird and out there almost like the “alternative scene” example piercings jewelry strange colors and haircuts that kind of thing, So I guess in genre form you could say because we dip our feet in a few genres that makes us alternative
TP: Today, everyone talks about artist and audience connection. Is such a level of connection actually achievable for an artist and if so, how? JA: For sure! Just in different levels, sometimes you are just their right place right time and bam you're playing shows to hundreds/thousands and touring the globe other times your grinding it out playing to no one in a dive bar. Come naturally, well for us it does haha On a studio sense you just go to know your market and make sure hone your craft for said market, once the fanbase is there changing sounds and experimenting becomes easier
TP: Is fan interaction an important part of Tempest Rising's inner culture? JA: 100% For a band relatively known around Australia, fan interaction is a big part in getting people to shows and listening to your music, it's harder and harder these days for people to go out with high price of drinks and transport mixed with threats of violence, people rather stay home and netflix and chill , giving the fans a reason to come out and see you if a big point
TP: Can a band truly interact with its fans and still maintain a level of personal privacy without crossing the line in your opinion? JA: I Suppose it depends on the individual haha! Sometimes you need to lay down the law, when the time comes, I'm generally a nice person so doesn’t have to much drama and willing to talk to anyone.
TP: Tempest Rising was fortunate enough to tour Japan. How would you compare the Metal audiences in Japan to those in Australia? JA: A bit different for sure, I guess it’s a different vibe. Being and Aussie band playing in Australia you are treated like a local, you get the odd fan boy/girl here and there and you get the pat on the back at the bar after the saying great set, with japan we were on a proper international tour so the vibe there is different, the fans see you as a touring musician they don’t about the 9-5 job you work 6 days a week to fund this band they think you are rockstar haha, Japanese have be always respectful and polite, I think they feel intimidated by “westerners”
TP: Is Metal viewed differently around the world in your opinion? If so, what do you see as the biggest difference in such multiple views among various cultures? JA: Its only viewed different around the world to non-metal fans, I think it's something that brings metal fans across the globe together, music does in genre it’s a universal language just like the sky above us. Sure, you get those metal elitists n all that but the general population doesn’t divide
TP: Does Tempest Rising have any plans to come to the United States sometime in the near future? JA: Yes for sure it's on top of the list, the initial cost outlay is the hurdle we need to get over plus making it worthwhile, we did 6 weeks in Europe “backpacker style” almost a holiday while playing kind of thing, which was great you could cover some many countries and different audiences because it's all compact. The main goal would to jump on a already established tour as a opener/support and start building the fan base from there, that’s the plan, just need to keep our eyes and ears open, Anyone reading this that may be able to help let us know 😊
TP: Do you feel that with Tempest Rising having an international status as a band (Australian), American audiences would be more enticed or intrigued to see the band more so over indigenous acts because of the foreign appeal? JA: To an extent yes, us doing our on-headline shows playing small club circuit I don’t think it would have to much affect, but as a supporting act I think so, Plenty of Australian bands to well around the world so there is always that “international status” But same goes for bands come to OZ,
TP: Has Heavy Metal been over-splintered into too many sub-genres in an effort to appease fan tastes in your opinion? And has such fan appeasements, in actuality, weakened the genre by dividing audiences? JA: Yes has done some unrepairable damage for sure, not a major thing but I think with the expansion of music and it being ready at your fingertips and the modern day age of keyboard warriors and my opinion is worth more than yours it was always going to happen. We probably bitch about it the least comparted to other music genres though haha
TP: What can fans except to see from Tempest Rising in 2020? JA: More writing and more shows, Get out of Australia again and go tour Europe again work some magic and get to the states would be a bucket list thing for me,
TP: Thanks again for taking some time and talking. It is greatly appreciated. JA: Pleasure anytime :)
One of the interesting things about music to me is not just the audible, Its the moments and surroundings around each of us and how we have the gumption or the blind emotion not to bring it up. And then those who do bring it up we tend to brush away the emotion due to human nature we do not want your experience to influence our experience. If you have been into metal especially if your parents are into metal you like all of us have probably seen the infamous debate between these 2 albums
or
It never seems to end Gen X metalheads tying to convince each other " For whom the Bell Tolls" is enough to conquer anything on "Puppets" And then you have the Dave Mustaine influence on " Lightning" This dead horse is still getting kicked 30 years later just like what is the best Slayer record. Its audible banter we love it. BUT let me get Pavlonian on you and this is FACT. The reason we cannot win these arguments is not because we cannot deny the riff in "Creeping Death" is better than the sludge of " The thing that should not be" is because its not the music that makes it your favorite it is the moment ! The reason we love a record is because the time of our life when we hear it good or bad the timing of when we hear music and the emotion going on during that time is what is our connection. It may have been the worse day of your life but the riff in "Master" caught you and what it made you feel on that day makes it your favorite. It may be the day you got that hot red head at 7-11's number and "Fade to Black" was playing in someones car at that moment. Your moment is not going to be better than someone else's moment. Its not the audible. In closing you did not even get the choice to pick your favorite because life did it for you .
My
influence ranges from danny carey, Jimmy "the rev" sullivan, Joey
jordison, Terry bozzio. And alot others that i cant name lol
Earlier
this year i purchased my first real mapex kit. In my last band our
guitarist had a mapex kit which he let me borrow so we could play shows
and i knew then i had to buy a mapex kit lol
Yeah
my mom likes hard rock and all so she put up with it lol my dad said he
doesnt want to hear me....cool then lol my life anywayyy
A
drum performance that is epic to me tbh is tools lateralus
album....danny carey is so mathmatically smart with his drumming
technique and flow. Thats perfection.
My
current kit is a mapex venus kit. Dw 3000 dual chain pedals. Soon to
have mapex cymbal stands. Just pdp stands for now. Sabian b8 16" crash.
Sabian b8 pro ride 22". Agazarian 8" splash. Agazarian 12" bright china.
Sabian hhx 15" studio crash. Paiste pst3 14" hihats. Pearl hihat stand.
Mapex throne. 12" tom. 13" tom. 15" ddrum floor tom. ( rebuilt by yours
truly. ) 2 -16" floor toms.
( I LiKe DrUMs )
My dream kit is a mapex saturn. Sparkle galaxy purple. Played on one years ago and holy crap it was intense sounding.
All mapex hardware ( of course ) sabian hhx evolution cymbals. Or sabian aax xplosion.
My top 5 drummers are,
1 jimmy " the rev" sullivan.
2 joey jordison
3 danny carey
4 mike wengren
5 chad smith
I prefer live any day lol
Studio can be FUNKY!!!
Drummers
might get the girls ( sometimes ) we can try to convince ( dakota
amacker ) that i do but even he knows, AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!!!
Black Vulture Records (Sub division of Downfall Records)
RELEASE DATE: March 29th 2019
Album review by Allyson Kingsley Music journalist with Metal Coffee/Metal Moose
In my lifetime of listening to heavy metal, I have never been disappointed by anything that I hear from Sweden and Dark Legacy again satisfy my obsession with Scandinavian metal. Perhaps it's the beauty of the land itself that sparks such immense creativity. I am highly jealous of the metal festivals held overseas and hoping someday I can experience one. But I digress.
Formed in 1996, the band was originally known as Rest In Peace and performed many gigs doing covers. Around 2005, having decided to go in the original music direction, Dark Legacy embraced the sounds of symphonic death and black metal and their influences vary from My Dying Bride to Opeth to Dimmu Borgir.
After signing with Black Vulture Records their debut album Ad Extremum Epilogue (2014)met with success and a close following. In March of 2019 the follow up album The Rejects was unleashed upon us.
We are greeted with the grand instrumental opener of "Martii Grandiosa" which leads into the potency of "Land of Sorrow" and it reminds me of the majesty of Amon Amarth except with keyboard interludes. Beautiful poetic harmonies and the addition of female vocals gives it extra juice. I'm digging the sweet heaviness of "The Challenge" and the different time signatures of its riffs add an element of surprise.
"The Witch" seems to embrace a progressive element that sweeps the listener far away from the mundane and midway through, the drum beats sounds like a war ready rhythm that is especially nice for this drummer at heart. "Metal Warrior" encompasses a bit of a gothic/vampiric sound and just sounds so tantalizing combined with fueled up riffs. The title track "The Rejects" combine the myriad of dramatic and necessary effects and theatrics with slower pulverizing segues that produce a cataclysmic aura on all levels.
Crunching riffs, periodic shredding and speedy rhythmic drumming all fit the bill for their genre. Dark Legacy have the ability to transport you to their land, to open expansive vistas in your mind and chill your skin with exhilarating blasts and frost-rimmed melodies.
10.REVOCATION
The Outer Ones
Revocation - The Outer Ones cover art.jpg
Studio album by Revocation
Released September 28, 2018
Recorded February – April 2018
Studio
Planet Z (Hadley, Massachusetts, United States)
The Brick HitHouse (Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States)
Genre
Technical death metalthrash metal
Length 48:20
Label Metal Blade
Producer
ZeussRevocation
Revocation chronology
Great Is Our Sin
(2016) The Outer Ones
(2018)
Singles from The Outer Ones
"Of Unworldly Origin"
Released: July 10, 2018[1]
"The Outer Ones"
Released: August 21, 2018[2]
"Blood Atonement"
Released: September 24, 2018[3]
The Outer Ones is the seventh studio album by American technical death metal band Revocation, released on September 28, 2018 via Metal Blade.[4][5][1][6]Some of the songs are inspired from H.P. Lovecraft novels.[7]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by David Davidson; all music is composed by Davidson, except where noted.
No. Title Music Length
1. "Of Unworldly Origin" 4:29
2. "That Which Consumes All Things" 5:29
3. "Blood Atonement" Dan Gargiulo 4:44
4. "Fathomless Catacombs" 5:34
5. "The Outer Ones" 5:42
6. "Vanitas" 5:54
7. "Ex Nihilo" (instrumental) 4:24
8. "Luciferous" Gargiulo 4:49
9. "A Starless Darkness" 7:15
Total length: 48:20
Personnel
Revocation
David Davidson – guitars, lead vocals
Dan Gargiulo – guitars, backing vocals
Brett Bamberger – bass
Ash Pearson – drums
Production and design
Zeuss – production, recording, mixing, mastering
Revocation – production
Shane Frisby – recording (drums)
Sean Fitzpatrick – editing (drums)
Richard Houghten – mastering (vinyl)
Tom Strom – artwork
Brian Ames – layout
9.Inter Arma – Sulphur English (Relapse)
INTER ARMA‘s music resists generalization and categorization, but if there’s one thing that’s consistently true, it’s that the VA quintet possesses an unparalleled sense of scope. Few artists today accurately convey the complexity that INTER ARMA (Latin for “in times of war”) does – the band creates terrible and often hauntingly beautiful portraits of humanity through music that is deeply organic yet still mystical and modern. INTER ARMA are just as committed to the live circuit as they are to their records: the band has performed extensively throughout Europe and the US, sharing the stage with the likes of Kylesa, Baroness, Cough, Royal Thunder, Black Tusk, Ulcerate, Russian Circles, Windhand, and dozens of others. INTER ARMA‘s raw, uninhibited approach merges doom metal, psychedelic sludge, black metal, prog and more, and over the course of the last ten years, has established the band as a uniquely innovative force in contemporary extreme metal.
Founded in Richmond in 2006, the versatile and genre-defying five-piece released their debut full-length Sundown via Forcefield Records in 2010, and like all great artists, had a well-defined sound right from the start. Sundown found INTER ARMA widespread critical acclaim, and, combined with the band’s relentless touring schedule and DIY grit, quickly helped INTER ARMA make a name for themselves in the underground. Following Sundown, the band released the 12″ EP Destroyer via Toxic Assets Records. That record was strong enough to catch the attention of Relapse Records, who signed INTER ARMA later in 2012, and in 2013, the band unleashed the monolithic Sky Burial, a doomy, hour-long excursion through unpredictable textures and timbres. Just two years later, the band followed Sky Burial with The Cavern, a 45+ minute, single-song EP. Originally written during the summer of 2009, then slowly reworked and perfected, The Cavern was recorded in 2013 during breaks from the band’s non-stop tours. Both The Cavern and Sky Burial were widely hailed as some of the best records of their respective years and garnered INTER ARMA accolades from the likes of Pitchfork, NPR, Rolling Stone, and many other publications worldwide.
Two years after The Cavern, INTER ARMA are poised to return with their heaviest and most multifaceted work to date. Paradise Gallows is more than an hour of lush, colorful melodies and textures blended with the heaviness of the earth’s impending death. Like the band’s previous works, the new album Paradise Gallows is direct and foreboding while maintaining a nuanced, artful perspective. INTER ARMA‘s signature palette of dissonant high-end and abyssal low-end has been augmented with swathes of thick, impressionistic melody that lend Paradise Gallows a truly biblical sense of scale, both lyrically and in terms of the album’s sonic content. Harsh and acoustic passages (including the band’s first-ever foray into clean vocals) spar with complex rhythmic structures across nine sweeping tracks of expansive, progressive heaviness. The album was again recorded with Mikey Allred (Yautja, Hivelords) at Dark Art Audio in Nashville, and features gorgeous cover art by Orion Landau. Dense, funereal, and richly evocative, Paradise Gallows is a rich blend of doom, post-metal, sludge, and black and death metal, and is a singular and powerful new addition to the band’s already monumental discography.
8. Allegaeon, 'Apoptosis'
Apoptosis is the fifth studio album by American death metal band Allegaeon. Produced by the band's longtime producer Dave Otero, the album was released on April 23, 2019 through Metal Blade Records. This is the first Allegaeon record to feature bassist Brandon Michael.
Contents
Musical style
Describing the album, vocalist Riley McShane stated "'Thematically, this record is all about contrast, and the music reflects that perfectly. The vocals are heavier than ever, but there are also more clean sections. The drums are faster than ever but also more dynamic, and the guitar playing is lower and slower than on most previous albums, but also provides long, melodic and beautiful sections throughout.'"[3]
The song "Colors of the Currents" is an instrumental track featuring guitarist Greg Burgess playing classical guitar alongside Christina Sandsengen.[4]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Allegaeon, except where noted.
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Parthenogenesis" (instrumental) 2:15
2. "Interphase // Meiosis" 5:09
3. "Extremophiles (B)" 5:54
4. "The Secular Age" 4:37
5. "Exothermic Chemical Combustion" 4:43
6. "Extremophiles (A)" 4:03
7. "Metaphobia" 4:14
8. "Tsunami and Submergence" 6:26
9. "Colors of the Currents" (instrumental; feat. Christina Sandsengen) Greg Burgess, Christina Sandsengen 2:39
10. "Stellar Tidal Disruption" 6:07
11. "Apoptosis" 10:19
Total length: 56:25
7. Cloak - The Burning Dawn
Unyielding darkness and brutality emerge from the deep south of the United States. Atlanta, GA based quartet CLOAK blend the sounds of black metal and rock ‘n’ roll to create their own unique and menacing sound.
Their debut full-length, 'To Venomous Depths,' (2017) was met with critical acclaim upon its release. Decibel Magazine placed it at #20 among their “Top 40 Albums of 2017,” solidifying the band’s place among the heavy metal elite. Now, CLOAK is back with 'The Burning Dawn,' a riff-heavy and groove-laden follow-up that proves the band are still rife with fresh ideas.
Conceptually, the record comes from a place below the surface where the sleepless and sinister dwell, and is absorbed by the darkest of dreams and the most primal desires. Musically, this exploration takes the gothic nuances of its predecessor while abandoning any hesitation in exchange for a more aggressive and vehement spirit.
While rippers like “On Poisoned Ground” and “Into the Storm” deliver a fury of soulful aggression, songs like “Lifeless Silence” and “The Fire, The Faith, The Void” offer a darker, gothic essence, ultimately displaying CLOAK’s multi-faceted and dynamic musical diversity. So, raise your fists and set fire to the world; this is 'The Burning Dawn'.
6.
NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THE DEAD THINK:
Rob Marton - Guitars, Bass (ex Discordance Axis)
Kyosuke Nakano - Drums (ex Cohol)
Jon Chang - Vocals (ex Discordance Axis)
The definitive ending to the piloted bullet hell grind album series
started in 1992, No One Knows What the Dead Think documents eight
original stages plus a hard reboot of the Discordance Axis stage
Dominion
credits
released September 20, 2019
5.
Arch/Matheos – Winter Ethereal (Metal Blade)
Biography
In 2010, Jim Matheos (current member of the progressive rock powerhouse Fates Warning and OSI) and John Arch (former vocalist of Fates Warning) teamed up to form the new progressive metal band, ARCH/ MATHEOS. The band -accompanied by the talented lineup of Joey Vera on bass, Bobby Jarzombek on drums, and Frank Aresti on additional lead guitar- began tracking the drums for their debut album Sympathetic Resonance on January 12 and continued to record through mid February with Jim Matheos producing. The technical proficiency of the band’s instrumentalists is apparent throughout the disc's 6 tracks, three of which clock in at over ten minutes each; each musician bringing great depth, complex layers, and powerful harmonies to the table with the end result being as dynamic as it is exciting.
The group's talent and versatility is apparent on their debut long-player, Sympathetic Resonance, which clocks in at just shy of 55 minutes. Jim Matheos notes; "a lot these songs, Neurotically Wired, Midnight Serenade, Stained Glass Sky, and parts of others, started off as material for the next Fates Warning record. Ray (Alder) was unable to commit to a record at that time so I approached John about doing a couple songs together, maybe another EP. We just took it one song at a time and didn't even really consider doing a full length CD until probably over half the record was written."
Jim Matheos offered his insight on the writing and recording process of Sympathetic Resonance; "I think John and I work really well together. There's a lot of mutual respect and trust in what we do. But, we're also both very critical of ourselves, and each other. This can make for a long and, sometimes, tedious process. But ultimately it's one I enjoy because I think it brings out the best in both of us." John Arch added; “When I first heard some of the arrangements Jim had written and recorded, it took quite some time before I could wrap my mind around the odd time signatures and guitar work going on here. There are some long compositions, so putting anxiety and apprehension on the back burner it was time to dissect these numbers into digestible bits. After the lengthy process of lyrics and melodies, listening to the songs now, I can't imagine them any other way."
In terms of the lyrical content on Sympathetic Resonance, John Arch comments; " lyrically -with the exception of ‘Epitaph’ from The Spectre Within- where I am in the first person, there has been a pattern of using characters, imagery and symbolism to create stories, where the characters are in the forefront acting out the story line. This time, much like A Twist of Fate, the man again steps out from behind the curtain without the third person to reveal his human flaws. There are still plenty of metaphors and phrases that are open to interpretation, but just how transparent or relevant the meanings are to those who read the lyrics we will have to see.”
ARCH / MATHEOS debut Sympathetic Resonance will be released September 13, 2011 in North America
4. Paladin – Ascension (Prosthetic)
Fast, melodic, and technical, Atlanta’s Paladin is on a mission to bring some European flavor to the US metal scene. The foursome blends soaring vocals, harsh rasps, catchy melodies, and fiery guitar work reminiscent of the 80s to create their own brand of thrashy power metal.
3. In Cauda Venenum (Latin for "Venom in the Tail") is the thirteenth studio album by Swedish progressive rock band Opeth, released on 27 September 2019 through Moderbolaget and Nuclear Blast.[3] It was released in two versions: a Swedish language version and an English language version.[4] The band will tour in support of the album throughout 2019.[5]
Opeth
Mikael Åkerfeldt – lead and backing vocals, guitars and ramblings
Fredrik Åkesson – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals, whistles, coughs
Death Atlas is the eighth studio album by American death metal band Cattle Decapitation. It was released on November 29, 2019, via Metal Blade Records. Its release coincides with Black Friday and comes more than four years after their previous studio album, 2015's The Anthropocene Extinction.
It is the band's first album to feature second guitarist Belisario Dimuzio and new bassist Olivier Pinard. At just under 55 minutes, it is also their longest album to date. The album debuted at number 116 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 56 in Germany.
Contents
Background
Death Atlas was recorded at Denver's Flatline Audio with producer Dave Otero. Album artwork is by Wes Benscoter.[2] Vocalist Travis Ryan comments: "We have crafted what we feel is our strongest album to date",[3] (...) "Musically and lyrically, there is a lot of grief, anger, hate, passion, and emotion poured into this one".[4] Prior to the album release, the band co-headlined the 2019 Summer Slaughter Tour.[3]
Track listing
No. Title Length
1. "Anthropogenic: End Transmission" 2:15
2. "The Geocide" 3:57
3. "Be Still Our Bleeding Hearts" 3:54
4. "Vulturous" 4:59
5. "The Great Dying" 1:12
6. "One Day Closer to the End of the World" 3:47
7. "Bring Back the Plague" 4:28
8. "Absolute Destitute" 4:35
9. "The Great Dying II" 1:05
10. "Finish Them" 2:55
11. "With All Disrespect" 4:31
12. "Time's Cruel Curtain" 5:31
13. "The Unerasable Past" 2:50
14. "Death Atlas" 9:14
Total length: 54:58
1. Devin Townsend, 'Empath'
Empath is the eighteenth studio album by Canadian metal musician Devin Townsend, released on his own label HevyDevy Records on March 29, 2019. It is his first solo album since Dark Matters, which was a part of the 2014 double album Z², and his first release to act solely as a solo album since 2007's Ziltoid the Omniscient.
Contents
Production
On January 31, 2018, Townsend announced on his Facebook page that he was taking a break from the Devin Townsend Project, which had been his main project since 2008, although 2014 saw the release of both Z², a dual release acting as both a solo album and a Devin Townsend Project album, and Casualties of Cool, by Townsend's eponymous country rock duo; this made Empath Townsend's first release to act solely as a solo album since Ziltoid the Omniscient in 2007, and the first not to be a concept album since his 2006 ambient album The Hummer.[8]
Townsend first mentioned Empath in a tweet from January 1, 2017.[9] Two years later, on January 15, 2019, Townsend officially announced the album, on which work had already been completed, with a March 29, 2019 release date.[10]
A statement on his official Facebook page stated about the origins of the album:
On this album Devin has decided to see what would happen if all the styles that make up his current interests were finally represented in one place. To finally shake the fear of expectation, and just do what it is he was meant to do creatively, EMPATH, true to the name, is about allowing the audience a feeling for a variety of musical emotions. The musical dynamics represented on this single album are broad, challenging, and immense. To approach this sort of work with a long history of what makes heavy music ‘heavy’, allows this to be done with a type of power rarely heard."[11][12]
It was also described as "A bold statement with massive production values and dynamic, uncompromised musicality. This is a statement about not only pursuing creative freedom in a conservative scene, but also trying to show that heavy music is truly a valid musical tool."[11] Guest performers include former Frank Zappa collaborators Mike Keneally, Morgan Ågren and Steve Vai, as well as Samus Paulicelli from Decrepit Birth, Anup Sastry, Chad Kroeger, Townsend's regular collaborator Anneke van Giersbergen, Ché Aimee Dorval (who had worked with Townsend on Casualties of Cool), Elliot Desgagnés from Beneath The Massacre, and Ryan Dahle.[11][12]
A series of documentary videos detailing the making of Empath has been released on YouTube.[13]
On February 22, 2019, the first single from the album, "Genesis", was released. A corresponding video was also debuted that complemented the song's intricate style.[14] On March 15, 2019, a second single titled "Evermore" was released; an accompanying music video was made for the single, which features a 2D animated cat flying through space.[15]
Release
Empath was released on March 29, 2019. Editions include a limited 2-CD digipak with a disc of bonus material, a gatefold 180g 2-LP vinyl + CD + LP booklet edition.[11][12]
Critical response
Wall of Sound gave the album a perfect score of 10/10, writing: "Devin's need for deeper creative expression has resulted in one of the year's most memorable works".[16]
Angry Metal Guy contributor GardensTale gave Empath a score of 4.0/5.0, calling it "...the most Devin album Devin ever recorded." [17]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Devin Townsend unless otherwise noted.
No. Title Length
1. "Castaway" 2:28
2. "Genesis" 6:05
3. "Spirits Will Collide" 4:39
4. "Evermore" 5:30
5. "Sprite" 6:37
6. "Hear Me" 6:30
7. "Why?" 4:59
8. "Borderlands" 11:02
9. "Requiem" 2:46
10. "Singularity"
"I. Adrift"
"II. I Am I"
"III. There Be Monsters"
"IV. Curious Gods" (co-written by Mike Keneally and Morgan Ågren)
"V. Silicon Scientists"
"VI. Here Comes the Sun!"
23:33
5:00
3:29
4:37
3:08
2:55
4:23
Total length:74:08
