SPICY
BITS OF SCANDAL, also known asSBS, history begins in the year 1979, when two guys from
Vilnius decided to form a rock band. In the year 1988SBSwas famous enough to play not only on Lithuania’s stages but also abroad: in the international festivals in
Latvia and after a year in Poland and etc. 1991 was a significant year for
the band: virtuoso guitaristTomas Varnagiris, and
the best Lithuanian hard rock vocalistVitalis Kairiūkštisjoined, and the band was on stage again
having gigs in main Lithuania’s cities.
In 1996SBSreleased
an MC -„Mėnulio
Šviesa“.The recording, containing 9 songs.
Although after this record the activity of the band was slower because of the the economic situation in Lithuania,
the band in the year 1999 had a big gig in Vilnius
“Karolina” club to celebrate the 20th anniversary of SBS.
After a five years pause, in 2005 the band was ready to rock again. This time –
especially for the international Lithuanian festival -„Rock
Nights – 2005“.The show ofSBSwas
so successful that after the festival the band was chosen to open forROYAL
HUNTin
their concert in Vilnius (October 21th 2005), sadly the show was canceled.
But this year was lucky enough: heavy metal monsters JUDAS PRIESTchoseSBSto
open for them in their concert in Vilnius
(December 3rd, 2005.). This show was recorded and in the beginning of 2006,
released as a double CD„Gimęs laimėti (Born to win)“,
including five brand new songs (one of them -„Žaidėjas“ (The Gambler)became
a mega-hit) and the concert from„Rock Nights – 2005“festival
on DVD, which was filmed byLithuania’s National TV. In“Rock
Nights – 2006”festival
almost everyone waited forSBSand
the show sharing the stage withJohn Lawton(ex
vocalist ofUriah
HeepandLucifer’s
friend) was a success again.
In April 2007SBSreleased
their next album„Tik
mėnulio šviesa... (Only moonlight...)“, which was well evaluated by the
biggest German webzine„HardHarderHeavy“. The new release got 6 out of 7
and in theREVIEW
TOP 15with
342 votes stood in the second place, afterMANOWAR, but was outrunned byPINK
CREAM 69andSAXON.
In 2008SBSpresented
their 3rd album“The
Gambler”. This album was highly rated by international media. “Metal to
infinity” gave 84 out of 100, “HardHarderHeavy” – 6,5 out of 7 and hailed the
band with the phrase “SBS, Europe awaits you !!!”.., “Metal Express Radio” –
8,5 out of 10, “Metal Observer” - 8,5 out of 10 points. Webzine “Progressive
rock and progressive metal” nominated “The Gambler” to an “album of the month”
award.
At the moment the band ended their 4th album“Heaven can wait...”and
is seeking for promotion and concerts worldwide. As the mastermind ofSBSVitalis
Kairiūkštisproudly
announces, this new album is „international“ – musicians from Italy – the
Virtuoso keyboardistMaestro
Mistheria(http://www.mistheria.com/home.cfm) - and Germany –Ferdy
Doernberg (Axel Rudi Pell, Rough Silkand many many more,
(http://www.ferdydoernberg.de/) did the great job with the keyboards. New album
is compiled of 15 brand new songs. “Heaven can wait...”was highly rated by international metal
zines. Stormbringer gave 4,5 out of 5 (with musical redactor remark that he
hasn’t heard anything better at the moment), Metal To Infinity - 83 out of 100,
Metal Temple - 8out of 10, HardHarderHeavy - 6,5 out of 7.
One of the biggestSBSprojects
will be„Diagnosis:
SBS“, a rock mystery with a symphonic orchestra that might become a big
surprise to the music industry and allSBSfans
worldwide.
Info about
SONGS from BLACK SPIRIT “I am who I am” you can find here:
1. First off thank you for taking the time to speak to the metal times.
please tell us your name and what you do for a living.
Alli Chastain. Cellist, private music teacher, and full time Mom.
2. So obviously this is an interview regarding tattoos, let's talk about your art and why it is important to you.
I knew from the time I was about 12 years old that I wanted tattoos. It’s a look that I have always admired and a way I have always wanted to express myself. Most of my tattoos have special meanings to me, but some of them I chose just because I liked the design, and I think either way is the right way to choose body art!
3. What made you want to get a tattoo? And how many people told you not to do it? And did it make you think twice? My parents weren’t thrilled about the idea of tattoos when I was young. I actually got grounded once at age 17 for drawing an elaborate design on my left bicep with markers. We all laugh about it now. I know without a doubt they love and support me unconditionally.
5. What was your first piece? how did you pick it out and was it done professionally(where) or underground? (where). My very first tattoo was on my left ring finger. My wedding ring. I was 21 years old. It was done professionally by Eddie Smith who worked at Southtown Tattoo in Fort Smith, AR at the time. I believe he has a shop in Sapulpa, OK now. People were concerned about what a bold move it was to get my wedding ring tattooed, but here I am more than 13 years later still married to and playing music with the love of my life, and now we have a beautiful 2 year old son.
6.were you scared about the pain or the consequences more? I can honestly say I’ve never been scared of either.
7. How has your art hurt or helped your career or has it hindered anything that made you wish you didn’t have it? It has never hindered my career, not even when I worked in the legal field before becoming a mom. It has always been a great conversation starter.
8. Are you about a story with your pieces or are you just into cool art? In other words, does your skin tell a story. Some of both. I sometimes plan my art pieces with lots of intention, and I incorporate elements of life that are important to me. But other times, I just pick a design because I like the way it looks. My newest piece, created by Brittany Goff at Red Cloud Tattoo and Body Piercing in Conway, AR was created from three nouns I selected that represented my life: coffee, library, and dancer. It’s the piece pictured on my left ankle/shin area.
9. Is any of it about extremity pain/pleasure or is it more expression. I would say it is mostly about expression, but once you have sat through and survived a long tattoo session, it is admittedly addictive. My first really long session (more than 3 hours) was the cello piece on my left side, created by Dylan Glaze at Darklight Tattoo in Fort Smith, AR.
10. Is there an end game? When do you think you will be finished. I probably won’t be finished until I’m dead.
11. What is your number one favorite tattoo and why? My most favorite tattoo is my piece on my right bicep that was designed by artist Crissie McBride at True Grit Tattoo. The piece is for my son, Odin.
12. How do you feel about getting a partner’s name or initials? Is the curse real? I can’t comment on whether the curse is real. I haven’t had my partner’s name or initials tattooed on me. I don’t want to find out if the curse is real!
13. Do you have and if so are you willing to admit you have a barbed wire band tat?
Starting back in early november 2019, my then band I drummed in Enemy Of All. Took a turn for The least expected, Enemy Of All frontman left moved out of state. Was my only band at The time, felt lost incomplete without music. Feel its my release, my therapy so to speak so yeah also during this time my mother in law had passed away as well. Which was rough on me as well, as on my wife of course rough rough time. Then skip forward to early, january 2020 my mother who, was very sickly. She had A ton of health problems, for A ride in my car not knowing it would be our last. Went out spending time talked told my mother, I was about to fully give up on music. Cause seamed, I couldnt find another band to drum for. Which I had, played drums since I was 14, was searching, asking around. Seamed, it just wasnt meant to be. She told me family matters most.
But to be patient that something, would turn up for me. And it did just that actually, like magic right when I needed it most. Because in mid to late january, my own mother passed away in and it hit me hard like A ton of bricks we were very very close. Effected me still effecting me now to this day, something told me to do it this. To lay down The drumsticks, and follow in my mothers footsteps who also was A singer for many many years. Really felt The need out of nowhere to contact A old friend, whom I had meet spoke to builded A friendship with while playing some shows. While I was in, Go Dont Go and Fully Justified and it just builded from there on. Who now, is The producer (Brandon Dotson.) And also, studio drummer studio bassiest,and electronics.) Who also, is The current drummer for The band Awakened and here we are today happened like magic like it was just meant right when I needed it most and couldnt be more proud of our music of this band Im An Alien.
This band began from alot of heartache and pain. Its been amazing, and well needed therapy to pull and drag me pick up through The mess of A year 2020 has brought me and my family. Thats for sure, The beginning of this past november of 2019 I had just gave up quit smoking and drinking cold turkey. Then week maybe 2 weeks after that my then band, I drummed in Enemy Of All went on indefinate hiatus. Singer/guitarist Tommy West moved, states away from me. So was already tore up, battling from withdrawals now my band ending was alot to take in. Then around end of november my mother in law passes away, then 2 months later my own mother passes away. Then covid 19, global pandemic breaks out unto The world destroys everything lives The entertainment world. My world my life had never ever been this, turned upside down before. Never had went through, this much in my entire life was too much to take in. My mother had always of course, been my number 1 fan right from The very beginning. Was always at my gigs, helping me carry equipment always out in front row smiling rocking out. Telling people out in crowd, how proud she was of me that,. That was her son up, there playing those drums lol always put A huge smile on my face. But anyway was so lost no music was going through, all this only way I ever knew how to release anything. I ever went through in my life, hard times or pain was through music and now for The first time I had no band.
Felt completely, lost with all The losses everything just happening all at once. Mom was A singer for many years sang, in my late unkles bluegrass gospel; band. She sang rock as well for fun had such A beautiful angelic voice,she loved rock music mainly 70s 80s era stuff which is what I grew up listening to and still love to this day and proud of it. I always sang for fun in little project bands, just messing around for fun. Greatful, ive also got my moms singing voice her side of The family was always The musical ones. But anyway could not find A band, to drum in kept looking kept asking around nothing so kept thinking. Finnally idea came to me, out of nowhere why not go in A different route. Actually take up singing seriously, this time maybe it was time to finnally front A band. Move out in The front, instead of being behind The drumkit as I had for so many years 17 to be exact lol. Here I am at 31, starting A whole new chapter and proud happier now in A band then ive ever been before. Thats for sure, idea came to give an old friend I had meet while playing drums at some gigs in older bands I was. In Go Dont Go and another band called Fully Justified, anyway he is also a producer owns runs his own studio Redemption Studios. Band he drums in, is Awakened asked him if he would be down to allow me to come down and record an ep or album. Orginally was going to be more, so an electronic album mixed with slight rock pop elements. Then kept building and building, further and further in The writing process. And idea came to Brandon, who runs said studio to erase that idea and come up with my own sound. Something different something, versitile from all other bands I had played in all The styles I listened to loved to branch myself out more so yep its hard rock. its metal its alternative grunge somewhat funky pop fused stuff but mixed with electronic orchestra style stuff . Hey made it work lol, so kept writing and finnally found my sound and more happy now then ive ever been musically completely content. Also in my band Im An Alien, got Jon Mounts on bass and backup vocals as A live member. Whos main band, is Awakened which Brandon drums in full time. And drums for me in Im An Alien, and got Allen Toler on guitar as A live member who is also guitarist full time in The band Fully Justified. More so, this band Im An Alien is there side project. This is my main focus, my main only band and so happy content with it all. Lyrically upcoming album, is all about this crazy year ive went through really like an autobiograpy in album form. And absolutely cannot wait, to share it this experience cause thats what it is A journey A movie all in album form cant wait to share it with The world The album title is The Year Of The Glitch and releases November 6th. (Here is link to our facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/imanalien2020 (Here is link to our music video for our single So Empty Inside, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R41JJ_cQ9pQ (And here is link to our music video for our single River Of Sorrows,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzlm-m4thFc
We spoke with the band prior to this review here's what they had to say:
Tunings?
Hello!, we are Angel Vengeance, we’ve just released our debut album Angel of Vengeance with Downfall Records(Sweden), it’s melodic power metal album that contains sticky melodies and hooks, all you need from power metal is here together with progressive music, twins lead guitars, beautiful harmonies, bass and drums solo. Theme of this album is about Apocalypse, our world is rotten by the activities of human, too much consumptions that brings us pollutions, global warming, hate, greedy, and the war we made, plague, and as the time comes to an end, Angel of Vengeance will bring us the justice, fairness, harmony, vengeance and redemption, Symphony of Apocalypse is playing slowly!!..
Bands you have played with?
Mostly are Japanese metal bands that we have played with no matter Maverick, Sirent Screem, Helldump, Anelas, All Images Blazing, Nacarbide and mores. Along with the plan of this year, we’re gonna play with Freedom Call, German power metal but as we know, we’re all on pandemic right now, all the shows have been postponed to the next year 2021, so stay safe and after rescheduling, see you all at the shows.
Accomplishments?
Angel of Vengeance is our debut album that the band and I intended to do since selecting the songs, melodies and techniques to use in each part, the band and I are satisfied with the results and absolutely, this is a powerful album that power metal fans will like it, great feedback from the audiences around the world, Mike and Downfall Records distribute this album worldwide, pandemic affects our shipments both CD and merchandises but hang on, the fans will get them all, so stay tuned!.
Goals
We will try to reach as much as possible for the audiences around the world, we’re on pandemic right now, cannot do anything much especially go for the shows but fortunately, social networks help us presenting our music throughout the world. After pandemic, we will be back on the road again, see you at the front!.
FUNNY/WEIRD story about your band?
Funny story is the band and I almost missed the flight back to Bangkok, Thailand because of the wrong place appointment, different gates we waited with poor WiFi signal to contact each member such a bad joke it is, ha ha ha.
Weird story is our debut album, Angel of Vengeance with Apocalypse theme released in 2020 this year during pandemic and conflict situations around the world, will doomsday clock move to midnight ?!!...
LET'S GET TO THE REVIEW:
OPEN YOUR EYES
https://youtu.be/wEJ_rEhnHJw
Has a distinct DRAGONFORCE feel to it, soaring guitars with swift arpeggios and scales and fast pick attacks..
Persistent drum patterns are good..
Good riffs, good solos, very melodic at times..
Hard and fast riffs.
KARMAGEDDON
https://youtu.be/JxQMa7svNPs
I liked all the started out with a slower pace..
Solid chugging riffs..
Sudden shift into harmonizing leads was good..
Sped up to a blistering Pace well..
Complex guitar parts..
Shifts tempo a lot which is hard to do.
STREET OF TOMORROW
https://youtu.be/dFf30qJSzYY
Good background sounds..
Studio production is good..
Aggressive guitar work..
Good drum work..
The accent on the vocals of the songs is good and sets them apart it was probably difficult to sing all of the songs in English..
My favorite song.
ANGEL OF VENGEANCE
Starts out very creepy but the erupts Suddenly then erupts again..
Very impressive guitar work here..
Solid song.
BLOOD OF THE BROTHERS
https://youtu.be/-_N-hCALw0Q
Another solid banger..
Using guitar tones in a clear" manner, the highs and lows bring a crisper tone well the mids allow the guitar to store with pitch and sustain.
BOTTOM LINE:
Angel Vengeance brings some solid fretwork and a booming drum line to highlight the vocals, producing an overall sound that fits their band.
FOR ALL THINGS ANGEL VENGEANCE PLEASE FOLLOW THEM HERE:
We're back with this month's Unsigned Band of the Month for September!!! Hundreds of bands submitted their best for this project..only a few were chosen.. we present to you POWERHOUSE from New Mexico!!!
This band bleeds with the Old School of Thrash Metal sounds.. soaring guitars and solid rhythm sections.. amazing solo's, and they just have the look of the 80's thrash bands that we all grew up to.
Hailing from Albuquerque New Mexico, POWERHOUSE brings the original intensity you'd expect from a hungry, unsigned band looking to add a label to their resume.
We spoke with the band in our exclusive interview, here's what they had to say:
1.) What's the name of your band and where are you located.
We’re POWERHOUSE out of Albuquerque, New Mexico!
2.) Where did you all meet and describe to us how you formed your band.
When we formed, we actually all met at different times. Our original drummer Andy Montoya contacted Niko Valdez for a jam session just to see how things went. Niko had just turned 18, was extremely eager and he already had a vision for the band before it even started. Once at the first jam session Niko had met Lance Montoya, the original rhythm guitar player. So at first, it was just two guitarists and a drummer who shared the love of heavy metal covers. Shortly after, we recruited Luke Peterson on vocals who was the singer on our 2017 EP Adrenaline. Lastly, through a video that went slightly viral of Niko playing guitar at his high school, Nate Smyth our current bassist contacted us and joined the band!
3.) How did you decide your band name?
We actually went through quite a few names at first.. One being “Scoundrel”? None of us were happy with any of the names we had come up with. Niko had one name saved for the right occasion, and he ended up bringing it to the table. That was “POWERHOUSE”, and at first no one in the band liked it but him but no one had any other ideas. Then as the weeks went by, the name spread like wildfire and people started to love it and we started to feel like it had some gumption, so we went with it and it looking back it was definitely the best choice!
4.) How long have you been a band?
We’ve been together for 4 years now, with some lineup changes of course. But with Niko and Nate leading, POWERHOUSE has been strong for 4 years.
5.) Tunings?
We really love writing in E standard, but every once in awhile we like to switch it up and write a song in something different, like the last track off the Adrenaline EP “Crush ‘Em” was written in Eb.
6.) Bands you have played with?
Looking back on it we’ve played with quite a few! Act Of Defiance, Exmortus, and Hatchet being super memorable!
7.) Major accomplishments?
We’re really fortunate to have accomplished quite a bit within a very short period of time. Our debut show, we outsold every band on the bill by 100 tickets. Which for some, may be nothing. For us, in the smallish city we come from it was a big deal. We released our debut EP Adrenaline in 2017, just over a year after we formed. Because of that EP we were scouted by the legendary Combat Records, and were put on a contest with 99 other bands to be signed to the label. While we didn’t win, we ranked 31st out of 100 bands worldwide that were chosen out of the thousands that tried, and we even were mentioned on the compilation CD, that to us is a major accomplishment. Since then we’ve released two singles, Whirlwind (2018) and The Patriot (2019). With The Patriot being our most successful release to-date. Our most shared, listened, and sold release.
8.) Goals?
To be honest, everything for us in POWERHOUSE is goal oriented. We don’t like being satisfied and stagnant and we’re always looking for the best riff, best tone, the best song idea, the best attitude. Our main goal is to convey ourselves to the world, the way the music speaks to us. We want to impact people, the way we’ve been impacted by our favorite bands. We want people to feel the excitement we feel, when we write and perform music.
9.) Tell us about your Biggest/ best show?
Our biggest show to date, was actually our latest show. Believe it or not, we were invited to play at a country bar call The Dirty Bourbon in Albuquerque. The credit goes to our previous fill drummer Jimmy who does the sound at that venue. It was on a Wednesday night, and over 250+ people showed up and banged there heads. It was super loud, super heavy and loads of fun.
10.) Any radio airplay?
Yes! We’re extremely grateful to have been picked up by numerous radio stations over the course of 4 years, and lately thanks to Wes from Metal Coffee Promotions for giving us a shot and spreading the word.
11.) Any Label intrest yet?
Yes, a few independent labels as well as Combat Records.
12. Let's discuss the demographics of your social media accounts.
Where are people listening to you the most based off of your Spotify and YouTube, etc accounts?
A lot of our listeners and fans, buy our music through bandcamp, or iTunes. The streamers definitely lean towards YouTube!
13.) Any awards like Battle of the Band winner, Band of the Month, etc?
We’ve been apart of many battle of the bands/band of the month and contests of the sort! Our first battle of the bands, was super weird but it was loads of fun. We were the only band out of our genre that played that show, the rest of the bands being metalcore or deathcore. We placed 3rd, out of 15 bands and it was our 4th show back in 2016.
14.) How are you marketing your band?
When it comes to marketing, we definitely try to use whatever we’ve got to spread the word. Word of mouth, social media promotion, videos, and yes of course.. Going out in the damn street and passing out flyers and business cards.
15.) Let's discuss your gear.
Our gear, is definitely our pride and joy.
Nate uses a Mesa Boogie Big Block 700 Head with a Frankensteined (3 different speekers in it) 4x10 GK cab and a 2019 Epiphone Thunderbird.
Niko’s rig consists of 2 Jackson Rhoads, one with EMG James Hetfield signature pickups, and the other Seymour Duncan Invaders. Through a Mesa Boogie JP2C into a Marshall 1960a cabinet, with a very small pedal board containing an Ibanez TS9 Tibe Screamer, Bose CE2W analog chorus, and a KH-95 Dunlop wah pedal.
16.) Day jobs?
Our day jobs, are exactly that. Days jobs. Nate works at a manufacturing plant for herbal supplements, and I (Niko) actually worked with him at that job for a year before the pandemic hit.
17.) Describe your music to us in one sentence.
Songs that are different than what you see out in the mainstream Metal world, as well as different than what’s been popular in the underground.
18.) Influences?
We’re influenced by everything we want to be, and influenced by everything we don’t want to be. Although our main influences come from the 70’s and 80’s, we also have a sweet spot for some of the bands we grew up with in the past 20 years.
19.) Can you explain what you want to accomplish on stage???
The stage, is where we feel most comfortable. Of course the writing, and recording process is fun but there’s something about being up onstage live that’s so exhilarating. We want to be able to project ourselves on stage, as a group of guys who turn anger and sadness into something special. And how do we accomplish that? Play harder, and keep the momentum climbing!
20.) What would your band like to accomplish if you were signed?
Getting signed, is every bands dream. When that time comes we want to make sure just like our other releases, to put out the best material possible. The most energy, the most heart and make sure all this hard work is for something great.
We're attaching a few videos from their YouTube channel for you to listen to:
A major part of qualifying for Unsigned Band of the Month is LIVE PERFORMANCE and STAGE PRESENCE.
We've attached a few videos demonstrating the band at it's best, ON STAGE!!! Those two factors determine about 75% of the qualifications for Unsigned Band of the Month, you simply HAVE to bring it onstage.. have a look for yourself.
https://youtu.be/RF1ecy9yjeY
Congratulations to POWERHOUSE on being selected as Metal Coffee Promotions Unsigned Band of the Month for September!!!
For all things POWERHOUSE please follow them here:
You just can’t fake it, you know? That special kind of filth and feeling of utter abomination. You can’t. It has to come straight from your guts, like a sudden urge to vomit. Some say call it instinct, others will probably choose blind devotion instead but whatever it is, BLASPHEMOUS PUTREFACTION is death metal incarnated. But death-metal at its most primal and gnarly, where the riffs are more dragged in the mud screaming than actually performed and where there’s no room for melody nor any other sign of normal human feeling. No, what we have here is disgusting, necro and downtuned madness.
The band was founded in June 2017 by Satanic Death Vulva (strings, vomits) and Tar Morion (drums, noise) who had already played together in DECIBEL REBELS and, most notably, in GENOCIDE with whom they released last year the massive piece of blasphemy known as Demonic Rituals In The Shadow Of Endless Fire. Thus throughout the years, they’ve developed an almost telepathic relationship, Morion rough and almost ritualistic drumming completing perfectly Vulva sluggish playing. While some will instantly recognize the latter caveman guitar style from his work with the gasmask terrorists GOATBLOOD and while it’s true they share the same obsession for the most bestial form of extreme metal possible, BLASPHEMOUS PUTREFACTION truly remains a beast on its own.
First exposed on the Abominable Premonition demo in 2017 and excreted again on the Festering Plagues EP two years later, their music takes the most disgusting elements of death/doom and cult bands like (very early) INCANTATION or PUNGENT STENCH and smear them in pus and excrements. And to say that things sound as nasty, if even more, on their first proper full-length Prelude To Perversion is an understatement. The most impressive fact though about this foul aural document is that it was over a year in the making as the pair had to go through no less than three different studios before getting the right mix and master.
Actually, what’s most striking about Prelude is that unlike most of all the other war metal combos at there, BLASPHEMOUS PUTREFACTION took the opposite sonically wise. Whereas the songs are on purpose adorned with rough arrangements and slimy parts, instead of the awaited lo-fi fuzzy sound, the listeners are instantly assaulted by a massive and powerful production, thus enhancing their bestial nature instead of taming it.
From their moniker to the album’s straight-forward artwork or its bludgeoning musical content, BLASPHEMOUS PUTREFACTION makes no mystery on what they’re all about. And Prelude To Perversion is their manifesto of hate.
Recorded by Tar Morion. Mixed by Schewi. Mastered by M. Dahmen at Liquid Aether Audio (Germany), 2020. Logo by Vomitor. Design by J.S. Executive Production By Dunkelheit Produktionen, 2020. All Rights Reserved. WWW.DUNKELHEIT.CC
POSSESSION's dawning goes all the way back to 1991, when vocalist Nyk Edinger and drummer Shane Goade approached Shayne Scholl about creating music that would make lasting impact in the metal world. From the outset, the music was meant to be war machine intense while bound together by addictive hooks from which listeners would never be able to totally free themselves. Lyrical themes set out to breathe new life into concepts such as spiritual strife and obsession with the occult with a vocal range that virtually defined the band's identity.
“Have No Fear” was but the very first “manifestation”, shall we say? Two other even more ambitious compositions were written, and the band were scheduled to make a studio recording in August of that same year. It never happened. Shayne, in one swift stroke of supreme idiocy, mashed his left hand in a machine and had to have it completely cut it off.
Five days later a bass player joined. He wasn't very good, but neither was Shayne... now. The only way to turn two negatives into a positive was to pick a very easy song to learn, King Diamond's “Haunted”, and challenge the would-be bass player to see who could learn it first. It didn't go well for the new guy. For Shayne, it was an important first step out of the abyss, and just like before, it wouldn't be learning to play that allowed him to compose. Rather, it would be composing that drove him to learn to play again.
Mike Vinson joined as second guitarist in the spring of 1992, and the two immediately began writing material. Mike was an amazing guitarist whose creativity paid no tribute to genre. One important aspect of his sound, however, was that he was left handed and played right-handed guitar, which, while giving him a powerful reign over the fret board, represented a farewell to “war machine intensity”. Even so, it's best to let the music do the talking on that matter. The two did not always see eye to eye musically, but what made them a strong duo was their constant willingness to make each other's ideas work.
The four-piece entered the studio for the first time in late '92, salvaging “Have no Fear” from the ashes and presenting four new songs. Mike played the bass tracks. Mad Crazed & Violent was released in early '93 on cassette (remember those?).
Lance Whipple joined at this same time and the band immediately began playing live, to audiences that either loved it or were just left confounded. Of course, they'd heard heavy music before, but rarely anything original from their hometown, and never with the kind of vocal onslaught that Nyk delivered. It was Kansas City, during a tumultuous time when the local metal du jour in a land better known for country music and cows was transitioning from hairspray glam posers to the horrific hebetudinous of grunge. Possession forced blistering mayhem upon an unwitting populace, among whom only a select few understood that real metal is not about looking like girls, or like you live in a tent – it's about ripping heads off. It's not about being liked. It's about being hailed or hated, either of which means job well done.
Over the next four years the band self-financed and promoted three more releases, as well as recorded some rehearsal and non-released material, all of which are included in this 2-CD entitled "Disentombed Manifestations" to be released by Xtreem Music in August 2020.
“The most soaring, magnificent, ethereal cathedrals to reason, faith or anything else were as mere unkempt and dilapidated hovels compared to the constructions – if they could even be described as such – within the Sublime.” (Iain M. Banks, The Hydrogen Sonata)
“Sublimation” is an album recorded by 4 guys who appreciate good sci-fi literature and enjoy playing riff-centric, rhythmically intense underground music.
It has been heavily inspired by the late Iain M. Banks’ concept of Sublimation, as explored in the master’s final sci-fi novel, “The Hydrogen Sonata”.
It is Dephosphorus’ 4th full-length album and it presents a few notable differences compared to the rest of their discography, which are up to the audience to find out.
Old allies of the band have joined forces for the physical release: Selfmadegod (Poland) for the CD, 7 Degrees Records (Germany) and Nerve Altar (USA) for the black vinyl edition which includes a poster, with a clear version of 100 copies reserved for pre-orders (both black and clear versions have been pressed to 180g wax).
Last but not least, the record’s atmosphere has taken visual shape thanks to Viral Graphics.
Line-up:
Thanos Mantas - Electric and 12-String Acoustic Guitar, E-Bow, Chants on Tracks 5 and 10
