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CHRONICLES OF CHAOS E-Zine, December 13, 1995, Issue #5
Co-Editor: Gino Filicetti <ginof@io.org> <_DeaTH_ on #metal>
Co-Editor: Adrian Bromley <bw823@torfree.net>
Assistant Editor: Alain M. Gaudrault <alain@mks.com>
Web Page Manager: Brian Meloon <bmeloon@math.cornell.edu>
Mailing List provided by: The University of Colorado at Boulder
--> Interested in being reviewed? Send us your demo and a bio to:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
CHRONICLES OF CHAOS
57 Lexfield Ave
Downsview Ont.
M3M-1M6, Canada
Fax: (416) 693-5240 Voice: (416) 693-9517
e-mail: ginof@io.org
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles of Chaos is a monthly magazine electronically distributed
worldwide via the Internet. Chronicles of Chaos focuses on all forms
of brutal music; from thrash to death to black metal, we have it all.
Each issue will feature interviews with your favorite bands, written
from the perspective of a true fan. Each issue will also include
record reviews and previews, concert reviews and tour dates, as well
as various happenings in the metal scene worldwide. We here at
Chronicles of Chaos also believe in reader participation, so we
encourage you to submit any material you may have to Gino Filicetti
<ginof@io.org>.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a
message with "SUBSCRIBE coc-ezine <your-name-here>" in the BODY of
your message to the list handler at listproc@lists.colorado.edu.
Please note that this command must NOT be sent to the list address
<coc-ezine@lists.colorado.edu>, but to the mail server which handles
this mailing list.
WORLD WIDE WEB SITE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are currently in the process of constructing a website for
Chronicles of Chaos. You can check it out by pointing your web
browser to http://www.io.org/~ginof/coc.html. If you have any
comments or suggestions, please e-mail Brian Meloon
<bmeloon@math.cornell.edu>.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Issue #5 Contents, 12/13/95
---------------------------
* Editorial
* Feature Stories
-- Dissecting and Devouring the Details with Dissection
-- Six Feet Above the Rest
-- Guns, Bombs, and La Policia
-- Vast and Vivid Visions with Voivod
-- Dutch Doom Domination
-- A Day In the Life of Agony
* Chaotic Chat Sessions
-- Painful Pleas from the Pros
* Record Revelations
-- Sentenced - _Love and Death_
-- Moonspell - _Wolfheart_
-- Napalm Death - _Greed Killing_
-- Hansel Und Gretyl - _Ausgeflippt_
-- Nailbomb - _Proud To Commit Commercial Suicide_
-- Orphanage - _Oblivion_
-- My Own Victim - _Burning Inside_
-- Testify - _Ballroom Killer/The Blitzkrieg Remixes_
-- Hostility - _Brick_
-- Paradise Lost - _Draconian Times_
-- GWAR - _Ragnarok_
-- Trouble - _Plastic Green Head_
-- Merauder - _Master Killer_
-- Sielwolf - _Metastasen_
* New Noise
-- Lords of the Stone - _In An Eyelid's Fall_
-- Deeds of Flesh - _Gradually Melted_
* Chaotic Concerts
-- Caught in a Mosh with 'thrax
* What We Have Cranked
* The Final Word
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
E D I T O R I A L
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Gino Filicetti
Well, here we are, after long, long last: Chronicles of Chaos #5! Let
me start off this editorial with an apology for the lateness of this
issue. I know if there is one thing in this world that royally pisses
me off, it is being late. I mean, I can't stand it when something
that I'm just dying for at a certain time arrives late. Now I know
that many of you out there understand our situation, and I'm glad
that you are so sympathetic, but the fact of the matter is, we should
be able to get you this mag on time, on the first of every month. The
problem this time around was that I was really involved with various
other priorities (ie scholarship applications etc.), but the good
thing is that they are over and done with now, so I am convinced that
it IS possible to release this mag on time all the time, it's just a
matter of will.
Anyway, enough of the unpleasant talk, now to the good news. Our
subscriber mailing list is currently at 481 at the time of release.
That's just 19 shy of our goal of 100 new subscribers per issue, but
hey! That ain't bad! It still amazes me how our subscriber list can
grow everyday, it just blows the mind how many people know about CoC
now. We are getting the support of just about EVERY record label
we've approached, and everybody who's heard of the 'zine, whether
into the music or not, thinks it is utterly cool. All I can say is
that I'm more than overjoyed with the way things have been going for
us. Sure I don't get as much sleep as I used to (it's now 1:30am on a
school night), and maybe I don't get as much free time to myself, but
hey, who am I when compared with 481 rabid metal monsters frothing at
the mouth for more, more and more brutal musick? :)
One thing I'd like to mention before I go is an idea brought to my
attention by Bruce Moyle <bmoyle@tamarcom.com.au>. Bruce thinks that
the only thing lacking from Chronicles of Chaos is a "Letters To The
Editor" column. And you know what? He's right. But the thing is this:
I can not write this column for you people to enjoy, YOU must write
this column so that everyone can see, hear and experience what you
have to say. All you need is a minute and a thought, just send us any
old email ranting and raving about how shitty CoC is, or how stupid
our writers are, or any other such informative insights. One thing I
ask of you however is this, please include in the first line of your
body something to the effect of: 'Attention Letters to the Editor' or
even, 'Attn: Letters....' This is just something to make it easier on
me when I have to sort through tons of email, so I'd appreciate it if
you could do me that favour. Remember, your letter can be about
ANYTHING YOU WANT. I don't give a shit, the more creative, the
better. All Letters will be printed with any and all spelling and/or
grammatical errors intact so as to perserve the raw, down to earth
feeling most letters convey. Please mail all letters to
<ginof@io.org>. If we get enough letters, the column will appear in
CoC #6, if we get too many, only the best will survive.
That's it from me, take care and stay brutal everyone, and don't let
poseur's and wannabe's get the best of you. Later!
Here's a message I got from Alain that I thought might interest a few
of you...
>I got word from a guy called Kirk Dolbear that he runs a music distro
>company called Cyclonic Distribution out of London, Ontario. Anyway,
>he's looking for black metal bands to put on a compilation album he's
>putting together. His address is:
>
>Cyclonic Distribution
>P.O. Box 28083
>London, Ontario
>N6H 5E1
>kirk.dolbear@onlinesys.com
>
>Oh yeah, if you're interested in checking out the titles he has for
>sale, just mail him and he'll forward the list to you. He sells
>mostly black metal CDs for $21 Canadian, shipping *included*.
And here is a message from <nahitfol@warka.univ-paris8.fr>
>CHAOTIK webzine, the first french hard music web fanzine is out! It's
>written in english and in french.
>
> C H A O T I K W E B Z I N E
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> punk, hardcore, metal, industrial
> http://www.cs.univ-paris8.fr/~nahitfol/CH/ch.html
> e-mail: nahitfol@warka.univ-paris8.fr
> Bands, labels, zines send your stuff to:
> Panos AGOROS, 8-10 rue F.Arago, 93500 Pantin, FRANCE
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
DISSECTING AND DEVOURING THE DETAILS WITH DISSECTION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Adrian Bromley
Progression within their music has always been an important
factor for Sweden's Dissection - an attribute they have clearly
focused on since the release of their first demo _The Grief Prophecy_
in 1990.
Five years and one debut album later, we find a much more
strengthened quartet, fully armed with stories of death and power
with an attitude that shapes itself in the form of their sophomore
opus, _Storm Of The Light's Bane_.
"Over the years I think we have developed the sound of the
band," begins singer/guitarist Jon Nodveidt from his home in
Gothenburg, "but we feel that we went further on with the
sound/direction on this release with both the songwriting and music.
It is still the same band, but with each record we want to go
somewhere with our music where we haven't been and not try to do the
same thing. We don't want to repeat ourselves too much, and that is
why we will always try to progress with each album or new material."
Along with fellow gothic/epic black metallers Johan Norman
(guitar), bassist Peter Palmdahl (who along with Nodveidt started the
band in 1989), and drummer Ole Ohman, the band has been able to carry
themselves further with _SotLB_ than they did with their debut, _The
Somberlain_, in 1993. Much darker and tighter, _SotLB_ (which sounds
great due in part to awesome producer Dan Swano, Edge of
Sanity/production mastermind) is no doubt a big stepping stone for
the band in finding their sound and specific style.
Says Nodveidt, "We never limit ourselves even if we feel we play
dark, death metal. We don't write our music to fit into a certain
pattern." Adding, he explains, "We will not change musically or
lyrically in any drastic way. We will do what we have to as long as
it makes us feel that we have improved."
On the topic of the album in question, _Storm Of The Light's
Bane_, I asked about a possible concept theme for this album.
"Everything we do is connected through death in one way or another.
This is not an album where all the songs follow a story. On this
record, all the songs and music are different but still have that
death theme within them to tie them in some form or another."
As mentioned, there is a dark, evil feeling enveloping the
album's tracks, but still the album finds time to show off a tranquil
state at certain points. "We want to release different emotions with
our music, to express them with our sound and music. We want it to be
heavy and angry but also putting melancholic styles input into our
music."
Also seeping into this death-ish metallic offering is obvious
old school metal influences, something Nodveidt and the rest of his
band are not ashamed to be influenced by or include in some way into
their music. "Old school metal (Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Venom)
have meant a lot to us personally as they are found in our musical
roots. We think of ourselves as death metal, but we like to try to
spread ourselves around musically where we can have our own sound."
He adds, "Of course we have hundreds of influences but we don't
use them to copy them. They are used to become more creative. That
would be stupid to just copy them now wouldn't it?"
As for the metal music scene there and abroad, how is it? How
important are those music scenes for him and his band to follow? "The
scene is pretty healthy but the older bands mean more to me than the
younger, newer ones that are surfacing here or in North America. The
ones that got me into this music are what are close to my heart."
Old school metal with a Dissection-ess twist? The truth of the
matter is _Storm Of The Light's Bane_ is an added ingredient to the
world of metal as it pays homage to old school metal, but at the same
time allows us to witness a style and sound uniquely Dissection's own.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
S I X F E E T A B O V E T H E R E S T
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Gino Filicetti
"This is not a fucking funeral, I'm still alive and well and kicking
around, and I will be for a long time to come."
-- Chris Barnes (vocalist)
Hailing from what was once the mecca of American Death Metal
comes Chris Barnes and Allen West, most likely two names you
recognize if you've been into this genre for any period of time.
Straight out of Cannibal Corpse and Obituary respectively, these
dudes know where they want to go. Speaking on the phone with Barnes
from somewhere in the ethereal plane of our long distance networks,
Barnes had more than his share of opinions to share with us.
Formed in 1993, Six Feet Under started as a glimmer in the eye
of guitarist Allen West who approached Barnes with a raw tape he
demoed at home. "He sent the tape along to me when we [Cannibal
Corpse] were recording _The Bleeding_ and I just thought it was
killer and all, so we got together and laid down some drum tracks
with a machine and put in some bass lines and whatnot, and after we
found our current bass player (Terry Butler, ex-Death, ex-Massacre)
and drummer (newcomer Greg Gall), and that was it. It was really
Allen's idea from the beginning."
Seeing as most artists seem to incorporate a good deal of
stylistic techniques from their "9 to 5 band. in their own
side-projects, how does Barnes think Six Feet Under compares to
Obituary or Cannibal Corpse? "Well I think it's just a different
style of music, you know. It's different people making the sounds and
we just tried to do our own thing the way we wanted, and put out an
album. And the lyrics I wrote are also different in a way." Having
read the lyrics over it was evident that Barnes has altered his
lyrical approach slightly. "The lyrics are coming to me a lot quicker
because I don't have to approach things or be seen a certain way
anymore. There is no need to write lyrics that are over the top or
try to be very blatant or crazy. The lyrics just form into what they
are with no real need to explain why I am writing a certain way."
The short life-span of most side projects is a well known fact.
Take for example Nailbomb (see article in this issue). Having
released their debut in 1993, they have already called it quits. Six
Feet Under, on the other hand, is not in this biz as a hobby, attests
Barnes. "From the beginning, we didn't go in there with the side
project mentality you know. I mean we wanted to record shit, and tour
and everything like a real band. I mean, we wanted a future for Six
Feet Under." Working with a completely different band must also have
been strange for you. "Fuck no man, it was fucking refreshing. I mean
we are all good friends and stuff and we all have the same ideas on
what the music should sound like. We all just got along really well.
It was great to finally work with people and not have the personality
clash. I liked it a lot."
This brought us to the latest piece of gossip on the street,
Barnes' supposed canning from Cannibal Corpse by his fellow
bandmates, a band whom he helped create and popularize through his
hard work over the past several years. "The only thing I know is that
I'm not in Cannibal Corpse anymore. That's right, I was on tour with
Six Feet Under and I got a call from their agents and stuff to inform
me that they were letting me go and stuff." And his reaction?
Continues Barnes, "It surprised me you know, I didn't see it coming
at all. I still don't know why they had to go and do that. I mean,
maybe they thought I wasn't going to be committed anymore to them and
stuff, but Hell, shit happens."
Another big issue with Barnes is the press, an entity that he is
not very pleased with to say the least. After being shit on by many a
magazine, especially in the U.S., what does Barnes have to say about
it all? "Fuck man, I mean there is just this list of people I have
that I just want to fucking kill if I run into them. I mean these are
people that have nothing better to do than to rip apart someone's
livelihood and personally insult them with their fucking opinions, I
mean, sure you can have your own opinions and stuff, but you don't
have to go around completely killing shit that you don't like.
Fucking journalism sucks man, no offence to you (none taken!) but it
does, some of these mags man I don't know, just can't fucking tell
them apart from tabloids." He continues, "Our album is selling great
all over, so I don't know where these people get off telling us we
suck, you know? It's up to like 50,000 worldwide which is absolutely
great for a death metal band just starting out." But does Barnes
think that this can be attributed to the two "stars" that make up one
half of Six Feet Under's lineup? "Well, you got a good point there,
and I mean, I guess that comes into play a lot, but still you know,
music is music, and I think that whatever someone likes or dislikes
is ok if it's for the right reasons, you know what I'm saying?"
After about 20 minutes of a great interview, other than the fact
that Chris Barnes - while having a great vocal presence on stage -
talks like a mouse, my favorite question of all time came out. 'What
do you think of the scene today?' "Well fuck man, I don't know what
everyone is raggin' on, 'cause I think the scene is great right now
you know. We've been able to sell all kinds of fucking albums, and go
and tour wherever the fuck we wanted. I thought it was great." And
what is Barnes' take on the 'Black Metal Scene' in Europe today?
"Well, I'm not really into it, so I don't have an opinion. But I
guess it can't be all that bad, I mean, as long as they are playing
music for the right fucking reasons, it's great. You know, people who
play out of a passion for the music, not just to get huge and make
money. Which, by the way, they are in the wrong field for anyways."
With that, it was time to close off our nice little chat, so I
thought I'd let Chris include a message for all of you, the fans and
the critics, that make and break his career. "I want to say this, to
everyone out there who's listening, this is not a fucking funeral.
I'm still alive and well and kicking around, and I will be for a long
time to come."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
G U N S , B O M B S , A N D L A P O L I C I A
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Nailbomb
by: Adrian Bromley
Finished. Kaput. Call it a day. The End. Of course there are
many other ways to describe the rather abrupt, but well thought out
decision of the two founding members of Nailbomb (Max Cavalera of
Sepultura and Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel) to stop the legacy of the
band after only one album - 1993's superb _Point Blank_.
The band's latest LP, _Proud To Commit Commercial Suicide_, is
the final chapter of the band, and a live recording of the band's
only live performance, at this year's Dynamo Festival. "When we
played the Dynamo Festival, we never said we were going to do a live
album when we did that show," explains Newport about the decision to
just see how the album would sound on the festival's 24-track
recording system. "We said we'll see how the show goes and how the
tape sounds and if it sounds like the spirit of the show then we
would release it - which it does sound like. It sounds pretty
intense. We wanted people to feel as if they were there as much as
possible."
He adds about the response to the live album, "I don't care if
people like or hate the album as long as there is some form of a
reaction from it."
Calling it quits on such a high note, flogged with critical
acclaim and fan excitement, was the band happy to end it the way they
did? "That was the idea," he says explaining, "we had already decided
to break up and not do another album. We wanted to leave things as
they were. People wanted to see Nailbomb live and we played the gig,
but it takes a lot of work to pull it off and I don't think it would
be right for Nailbomb to do a full tour. The live album seemed
fitting to end on."
Playing live had its problems, as Newport explains bringing the
live sound on CD format was not an easy task to undertake. "It is a
pretty stressful deal. The main thing was not for us to get into
overdubs too much on the live album production. It was pretty hard
for me not to want to redo the guitar parts because they sounded a
certain way, because of the live recording that is the way they
sounded - not the best - but they sounded okay and so I left them."
About the non-polished edge of the live album he says, "I'd rather
have mistakes than overdub the guitars and make it sound perfect."
Also included on the live album are two new tracks: 'Zero
Tolerance' and 'While You Sleep I Destroy Your World'. Why the
additional two new tracks if the band was trying to bring everything
to an end? Newport responds, "We wanted to make it a bit more
interesting seeing that CDs are $16 each and I can't see anyone
buying a $16 CD with the same songs that were on _Point Blank_, even
though a lot of the songs sound different; and also, including those
two songs was like an extra bonus, to make it a more interesting buy."
When the initial stages of Nailbomb was put together by both
Newport and Cavalera (back in early 1993), he explains that the band
was only assembled with a certain amount of seriousness. But as
Newport explains, many fans of the metal genre saw hope and
excitement within the release of _Point Blank_.
"The responses that we had gotten from the whole Nailbomb thing
was usually very positive, something hard to believe seeing that the
project was only semi-serious. It wasn't really serious in the sense
of being a band, but the songs and what we said was serious. Most of
all we wanted to have fun and play our guitars a certain way and
bounce off each other with ideas and all and record them."
He goes on to talk about the recording of their debut:
"Originally we didn't even have the intention of making _Point Blank_
a CD. It was supposed to just be 4-track recordings, but we got such
a good response so we decided to record a CD."
Seeing the reaction that the first album garnered the band,
would they ever get back into Nailbomb mode if the fans wanted it? A
strong-willed Newport responds, "No. Too many bands carry on too long
and destroy all the great things about them. Look at Black Sabbath.
They were at one point the greatest band of all and now they are a
laughing stock and I think that is so sad."
About Alex's work with his old band (Fudge Tunnel has broken up
as of early this year) he points out, "With Fudge Tunnel, the last
album we did we thought was our best album. What we had tried to
achieve in seven years we had done with it. And after we made that
album we felt we had achieved what we wanted to do so we stopped
right there. With us it was like with every album, we wanted to go
one better and with the last album we were left saying, 'Where can we
go from here?'"
Getting back to the answer he responds, "There is no doubt in my
mind that me and Max will work together again, it just won't be
called Nailbomb. I think it is better to end on a good note rather
than have Nailbomb continue and become something it was never meant
to be. I'd rather leave it as special as it is right now."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
V A S T A N D V I V I D V I S I O N S W I T H V O I V O D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Adrian Bromley
"We wanted to be heavier and go back to our roots," starts
Voivod founding member/drummer Michel "Away" Langevin over the phone
from Montreal about the band's latest LP, _Negatron_. "We went very
experimental with the last few albums (1991's _Angel Rat_ and 1993's
_The Outer Limits_) and we felt that we went as far as we could with
that direction. We felt that there was no other form of musical style
we could go to."
So along with other founding member, guitarist Denis "Piggy"
D'Amour, Langevin tried to salvage the pieces of the Voivod wreckage
that had almost come to an end after nearly 13 years. Founding
frontman Denis "Snake" Belanger left the band, and the future looked
grim for Montreal's metallic export.
He explains the problems that came with the struggle of keeping
the band around. "The last few albums were difficult. That is where
we got into a lot of difficulties with Snake. He didn't want to yell
any more and we felt we needed to do that. We missed the kind of
music we played from the old albums but we also wanted to write
heavier stuff."
In comes singer/bassist Eric Forrest; "When we got Eric, he was
heavier than we had expected to go with the band and we liked that."
For those unfamiliar with Forrest, he has been the frontman of
several local Toronto hard rock acts. Molding him into Voivod
material was easier than had been expected according to Langevin. "It
was different having him in the band at first but Eric was the first
guy that we tried out for singer and he was the perfect match. He was
exactly what we wanted - a raunchy version of early "Snake" with a
90's feel to it. It was obvious when we tried out Eric he was up to
fill Snake's position. We jammed for 20 minutes and knew he was in.
It was just that easy."
"I don't think we have ever sounded so powerful," says Langevin
about the addition of Forrest to the band and the new material. "This
power-trio is the best way to approach the music."
More powerful than previous releases, though somewhat back to
the basics of such Voivod classic albums as _War And Pain_ (1984) or
1988's _Dimension Hatross_, _Negatron_ is a collection of power
chords, screams, anger, and dexterity. Precision performance is
everywhere on _Negatron_. But is Voivod still Voivod heading into a
90's alternative nation or have they needed to become something more
commercially appealing? Langevin begins, "We have been told many
times that stuff that we write goes over the heads of the average
listener, that our topics are too complex for metal fans. But we
always wanted to write abstract lyrics and surreal stuff that went
with the music and that is the way we choose to be. Obviously Voivod
is about music and that is the way we like to express ourselves and
we will stay this way," finishes Langevin.
When questioned about the band's decision to work with an
independent label, TO-based Hypnotic Records, Langevin said, "We
chose the indie approach this time so we can put out album after
album and tour after tour. And the only way to do that is be on an
independent label. If you are on a major label, you have to sell a
million copies to make them happy and in order to do that you have to
compromise. That is why we have chosen to go this direction." He
adds, "The label was the only one who understood our plan of attack
(he quickly mentions Hypnotic president Tom Treumuth as the key to
the band's signing to Hypnotic). Plus I really liked the studio. I
was really impressed. It [the studio] was the perfect format for us
to do the album: the size, feel, and spacing of the studio. The cool
thing was also that the Hypnotic office and studio were on the same
floor."
Future plans for Voivod include a month-long tour throughout
Europe headlining with Germany's Power Of Expression. Langevin and
the rest of the power/metal trio are looking forward to Europe - big
time! "The album has been out in Europe for about a month and a half
and the response has been great. For the first time in four and a
half years, I don't have to defend myself or the album. We were asked
many times if we were going to go back to the roots of our music over
the last four or five years. Finally we have done that and people are
happy," ends Langevin with some pleasure.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
D U T C H D O O M D O M I N A T I O N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An Interview with Orphanage
by: Gino Filicetti
Hailing from The Netherlands comes doom metal's newest
contender: Orphanage. Formed in 1993 by guitarist/vocalist/frontman
Lex Vogelaar, Orphanage has managed to pique many people's interests
both in Europe and abroad, and has shown the world that doom metal is
certainly not doomed.
Speaking with Lex on the telephone, the first thing that
obviously came up was the concept behind their latest/debut album,
_Oblivion_. "The last album was recorded in January and we are very
pleased with it because of the difficulty in reproducing our sound on
CD, the reason being that we use the heavy metal musical approach and
on the other hand we use very subtle things with the vocals and it's
very hard to pick them out unintentionally. So there was a lot of
experimentation to find the right balance and the right sound. But it
turned out well I think."
The rest of the band is rounded out by old friend and
keyboardist Guus Eikens, bass player Eric Hoogendoorn, grunter and
screamer George Oosthoek, and newest members Erwin Polderman (drums)
and Rosan van der Aa (femme vox). How did this eclectic bunch of
musicians manage to hook up? "It started as a project. Me and Guus
have known each other for a long time. So we recorded one demo and we
got very majestic reviews. Then we tried to get a whole bunch of
people together in order to stay as permanent members. And it's only
been since April of this year that our lineup's been stable. Our old
guitarist/female vocalist (Martine van Loon) that did the CD left,
and we now have a new female singer.
While distributed by Nuclear Blast in Germany, Orphanage's
mother label is DSFA records run by Anthony van den Berg (formerly of
Displeased Records) out of Holland. While being DSFA's first signed
band, Orphanage knew that van den Berg was the best choice for them.
How do they feel being signed to such a small label? "Well firstly I
really like it, because music is my hobby and I'm not trying to make
a living being a musician. The contracts we were offered from other
companies we would never sign because they were very good contracts
for the labels, but not good for us, and we decided that we wanted to
make music first, and always keep it that way and whatever happens,
happens. We just want to play live and we just want to make good CDs
which we can be happy with, and we don't want any bullshit about not
selling enough units and just having no rights at all. Plus I knew
Anthony van den Berg personally and he's a very enthusiastic person
and he really goes for it on his terms. So that's what I really like
because it motivates the whole band and it's something that really
works."
While the music is definitely first, the band itself isn't huge
and does not sell a million records with each release. For Lex and
Orphanage, this is merely a very serious hobby. Lex is currently in
school at 27 years of age, and was formerly a studio engineer and
computer programmer. This project is something that completely
devours all of Lex's free time, but he has no complaints. Orphanage
isn't out to conquer the world, preferring instead to make
meaningful, honest music rather than raking in the cash. "Well it
would be nice, but it's not like we do everything in order to get as
much money out of it as possible or to make a living on the music. I
have tried it personally in the past, but I think that chances are
very, very, very slim and I just made a decision that I wanted music
to be a hobby for me, and that's what I'm doing right now." He adds,
"You see, in Holland the chances of making it are very, very slim. I
think in a bigger country like Germany or America, I think the
opportunities are greater."
And the scene in Holland? Is it thriving or fading out like too
many hard music scenes today? "Well the scene here is very small.
It's a nice scene, the gigs here do very well. We usually get between
a hundred, and a hundred and seventy people per show." Does the band
plan on expanding their horizons and touring Europe in the near
future? "We are trying very hard to get one. All kinds of people are
looking for us and promising us they'll see what they can do
<laughs>. We hope to be able to do a tour next year in February or
March. That's because the entire band will be free then. So we can do
it if one comes around."
At present, the future of death metal and extreme music in
general is in question. No one is certain what path will be followed,
however Lex believes, "there will always be a place for extreme types
of music. The death and aggression side of this music is emotional
for me personally and it just comes in the form of doom metal. It's
very easy to get emotions across this sort of music. There will
always be new people that are into things like that. So yeah, death
metal may be dying but it will just flow into something else in the
future. Even though at this moment death metal may seem to be dying,
there are still new bands that are very popular and are influenced by
death metal."
What is the band up to now? "We are writing the new material.
It's been like 6 months since we actually recorded the first one, so
we are happy to put all that behind us. Our aim is to record the
second album and all be absolutely satisfied with it and we hope it
will knock everybody over <laughs>."
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A D A Y I N T H E L I F E O F A G O N Y
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by: Adrian Bromley
Brooklyn's Life of Agony are the real thing. With their lives
and their surroundings fuelling the engine that brings out the groove
and lyrical content of their songs, Life Of Agony need not look any
further than what they are part of to create music.
Since the release of their gripping debut album, _River Runs
Red_, the band - comprised of singer Keith Caputo, drummer Sal
Abruscato, guitarist Joey Z. and bassist Alan Robert - has been on a
crusade to be seen and heard, and in the process have become the best
damn band they can be. Through thick and thin, pain and suffering,
and extensive touring, the band finds themselves in 1995 with a lot
to say and show, and it comes with the offering of their latest
stunning effort _Ugly_.
"This album was a natural progression, the next step for us",
begins Robert. "We were really focused on having a heavy, groovy,
melodic record." Drummer Abruscato adds, "We wanted to have real
songs that would have real classic qualities to them which would give
them longevity and stick in every average human being's mind. We
didn't want to cater to a specific audience anymore. The first record
was really heavy and that was an amazing debut album for us, but we
didn't want to repeat where most bands' second album is weaker and we
didn't want that. We didn't want that to happen to us at all."
So true does Abruscato speak, as _Ugly_ is a much more
solidified, yet experimental album than their last. Songs like 'Lost
At 22', 'Unstable' or even 'Let's Pretend' take the band to another
groovier level of heaviness, but the most unexpected track on the
album is the cover of the 1983 Simple Mind's classic pop song 'Don't
You (Forget About Me)'.
Explaining the reasoning behind such an odd cover, Abruscato
says, "A lot of bands in our vein are doing Sabbath and Zeppelin and
Kiss covers. That would seem like the logical type of song to cover
for a band like us. We didn't want to do a cover song where we got
lumped in. Why do something so predictable when we can come out with
a cover song that no one would ever expect? You know? Straight out of
left field. Now we have people coming up to us and saying, 'Simple
Minds, I would have never expected it.' Exactly!!," says Abrsucato,
"that is the point we are trying to make, that the band is not your
average hardcore/metal band with no musical intelligence. There is
musical intelligence, and the music is still growing and learning."
And his thoughts on the album in general? "We are going to do
whatever it takes to get this record in everyone's faces," says a
determined Abruscato. "This album reminds me a lot of Soundgarden's
_Superunknown_. _Badmotorfinger_ was really heavy and all of a sudden
_Superunknown_ comes out and you have songs that are so dramatically
different. Different mixes, different vibes happening and it appealed
to so many people.
"You always want to give something to the public where they can
see that the band can make music and something that they can relate
to. You'll hear on this record a lot of grooves and power driven
material. Stuff that anyone can bop to." Robert describes the record
as: "Something people wouldn't expect, and something that the
industry needs to bring back originality to what is going on now."
"Hopefully with this record, it will allow us to be able to get
on a good tour to go into the New Year and do some damage," says
Abrusacto. He continues, "I think people want to hear real music,
organic music. Music that comes from the soul and has a groove. Soul
is important. A lot of bands forget about the soul, they forget about
the feeling that simplicity is better than overdoing it to be a ham
or showoff."
Cutting in Robert adds, "That is why a lot of bands have a hit
single and then they are gone tomorrow. That is something that this
band doesn't want to do or that will ever happen to because we have a
real fanbase and we continue to develop it with the live show and the
integrity."
About this fanbase, Abruscato details the core of its
foundation. "Our following is so loyal that we haven't put out a
record for two years and we can go back to anywhere in New York, any
day of the week and play. People are seeing that we can still draw.
Fans, they still fuckin' show up. And that is what we want, almost
like a cult following for us.
Pleased at the magnitude and loyalty of the band's fanbase
Abruscato says, "They'll do anything to come and see us when we play.
They'll fuckin' kill each other to see us."
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This is the column where CoC sits down to have a face to face, no
holds barred conversation with your favorite bands, and get the
inside scoop into what's happening in their lives.
P A I N F U L P L E A S F R O M T H E P R O S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Chat with Pro-Pain
by: Adrian Bromley
Pay attention everyone, it's time for a little one on one tough talk
with New York hardcore/metal outfit Pro-Pain. Pro-Pain has done well
in the metal/hardcore market with the popularity of their self-titled
debut (1992) and their most recent offering, _The Truth Hurts_
(1994). The questions are general but the attitude and sincerity are
sharp and genuine. And one thing is for sure, singer/bassist Gary
Meskil (GM) knows where he wants his band poised in the future: in
our faces.
(Pro-Pain is rounded out by guitarists Nick St. Denis and Mike
Hollman, and drummer Dan Richardson)
CoC: With the newer material that you are working on (the third
effort is due out in March of '96), do you know what you are
trying to accomplish with the forthcoming release?
GM: "The mixture of both previous albums. I think the second album
threw a lot of people in a loop with the heavy vocals making it
sound different from the first record. I mean it was something we
wanted to do (the vocal adjustments and overall heaviness). The
album came out the way we wanted it to sound."
CoC: Do you see Pro-Pain's music changing because of the need for
music to change in order to be successful?
GM: "We don't even listen to any other bands out there - seriously!
We make a record, tour, play and go back into the studio to make
another record. We try not to get too involved with all the
bullshit or what is happening now. We have never been that way.
We are going to do what makes us feel good when making the next
record because obviously we are not capable of selling a million
records because of who we are. We are with Energy Records which
is a cool independent label and that is what they are: an
independent label. So we realize where we are and there is no
reason for us to start trying things to get from one point to the
other. We just make a record and go out and tour."
CoC: How hard has it been for a heavy band like yourselves to
actually go out and tour? Has the band seen changes?
GM: "For sure there has been change, especially with fans branching
off to heavy bands like us or Nine Inch Nails or any other
college favorite music act that has a following. It is definitely
much harder now for bands like us that are starting out right
now. I can definitely say the heavy music scene is slowly going
downhill with bands like Nine Inch Nails being able to headline
arenas and leaving bands like us in the clubs and just hangin'
on. For us now we are going to stay the way we have wanted to be
when we first started. We'll stay heavy as long as we can, but to
be honest with you I can see Pro-Pain only lasting four or five
records. We realize what is going on in the music industry and I
can honestly say that I think five albums would be tops for a
band like us."
CoC: What has been the hardest thing that the band has had to endure?
GM: "It hasn't really been a struggle but if there was anything, I
would say touring has been tough. We toured our asses off with
the first record and it was a battle to get the Pro-Pain name out
there. But without the backing of a major label, we realized that
you have to do it all on your own. It is great that your label
(ie. Energy) will get your record out in the stores but you have
to play every town so people will go to the record stores and buy
that CD. You gotta keep going and trying to sell those records. A
band like Pro-Pain will sell somewhere between 60,000 to 100,000
depending on the record (if they are lucky) but that is what came
out of extensive work on the band to promote themselves. You have
to take it all into your own hands which is what we have realized
since the beginning."
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This is where we rant, rave, and rip apart albums. Check this column
every month for the scoop on the latest in heavy hand-outs.
Scoring: 10 out of 10 -- If there was ever a perfect CD, this is it!
8 out of 10 -- A great piece of metallic mayhem
6 out of 10 -- Not too bad of an album
4 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
2 out of 10 -- If you like this, you are fucked!
0 out of 10 -- My shit can put out better music than this!
Sentenced - _Love and Death_ (Century Media, Dec 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (7 out of 10)
Hailed by some as the greatest band on Earth and by others as the
cheesiest bunch of Maiden rehash artists is Finland's very own
Sentenced. _Love and Death_ is an EP containing two new tracks along
with two tracks previously only available on the Japanese import of
_Amok_ and finally a cover of 'White Wedding' by Billy Idol (!). The
music on this release is a continuation of the trend set on their
last LP, _Amok_. Known to metamorphosise with each new album, if
Sentenced continues in the current vein of this release, they will
not break any new ground, as they'll simply stay on the level set
with _Amok_. Still combining all the elements of 80's heavy metal,
Sentenced have not achieved anything significantly new with this
release. The cover of Billy Idol however proved a bit nostalgic for
me, as I remember bopping to that tune back when it came out (hey! I
was only a kid alright?!). Century Media plans to only release 5000
of these beauties when they get released, so make sure you snag one
up as soon as it comes into view. Not too terrible an album I must
admit, I was never one to bash _Amok_ completely anyway, and there is
absolutely no doubt that whatever kind of music Sentenced decides to
play, they will always excel at it.
Moonspell - _Wolfheart_ (Century Media, Nov 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (8 out of 10)
While probably not your first choice when guessing where these black
metal, operatic geniuses hail from, Portugal is their real homeland,
honest! Formed in the late eighties under the name Morbid God, the
basis for what was to become Moonspell was laid. While of course
sounding raw and immature, these boys, who have 'borrowed' their
names from various folklore and myth, had hit upon something they
would not come to realize was their destiny until this album came
about. 'Wolfshade' starts off this album with an intro of acoustic
melodies which crashes into a cacophony of heavy guitars and
surprisingly lively keyboards. The vocal approach thoughout this
entire effort is ultimately varied, encompassing everything from deep
gothic whisper type vocals, to high-pitched black metal acoustical
agony. Traditional heavy metal arrangements are present on this album
on songs such as, 'Love Crimes'. And the ever enjoyable female vocal
presence is embraced here as well. One song that stands out is
'Trebraruna', completely sung in Moonspell's mother tongue. It begins
in a gothic vein, and gradually evolves with crushing guitar riffs,
and finally ends in a blood curling scream. Definitely an album to
hear and a band to watch out for because a band that can make a name
for themselves coming from a country completely devoid of any scene
is definately not just a flash in the pan.
Napalm Death - _Greed Killing_ (Earache Records, Nov 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (8 out of 10)
What a shock! Sit any ancient Napalm Death fan in front of your
ghetto blaster and play the first track of this new EP (a teaser in
lieu of Napalm Death's forthcoming album due January 30th), and watch
his/her eyes pop right out of their head! When I first put on the
advance tape for this EP, I thought that they sent me the wrong
cassette! This album starts off with a totally un-Napalm Death,
almost progressive guitar riff, which then degenerates into the now
regular, (after 1994's _Fear, Emptiness, Despair_) Napalm Death
sound. The one thing however which signifies beyond all else that
Napalm is back and in full force, is Mark 'Barney' Greenway's
superbly killer vox. The first two tracks of this 7 track offering
are lifted from Napalm Death's forthcoming longplayer, _Diatribes_.
Glad to say that the first track, 'Greed Killing', doesn't hold the
prog riff for much of the song. The album then progresses into 'My
Own Worst Enemy', a more mechanical but still somewhat 'light' song
that compares closely to 'Primed Time' from their last album. The
next four tracks are rejects from the _Diatribes_ recording session.
An interesting cut is 'Self Betrayal' which features spoken word
distorted vocals and experimental slow paced background music. The
next three songs, 'Finer Truths, White Lies', 'Antibody', and 'All
Links Severed' are all quick-tempo, blast-beat laden (!) grinders
which make good medicine for any Napalm fan's heart. But perhaps the
most disappointing moment on this album is the closing track, 'Plague
Rages (live)'. I almost cried upon hearing this sorry excuse for a
live track. Although it's good that they did not try and overdub any
of the sound, it was just plain shit, especially since I saw them
live in Toronto and personally thought it was a great performance.
Anyways, I'd buy this album if you are a fan of the new direction
Napalm Death have taken with _Fear, Emptiness, Despair_. If not,
there is nothing of interest for you here.
Hanzel Und Gretyl - _Ausgeflipt_ (Energy Records, Fall 1995)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
If I could speak German, or at least understand the language, I would
have had no trouble getting into this album even more. Oh well, at
least the music still kicks ass in its own fucked up way. Hanzel Und
Gretyl are a brilliant duo (four-piece on the road) made up of
programmer Lupie and singer Vas Kallas, and their debut album is
extremely intense; full of riffs, mayhem, and screams. Soundbites,
samples, and several musical directions are crammed into
_Ausgeflipt_, and though some might see such a variety of musical
styles to be a problem, I think it only makes this album more
enjoyable to listen to. Tracks that stuck out were 'Galaxia Malakia',
'38 Lashes', and '0 Gemini 31'. This album may be far from what this
band will do in the future, or it may be proof of what is to come,
but for anyone laughing off the notion that these two individuals are
like the next aggro-industrial/dance version of Roxette - think
again. These guys eat Roxette for breakfast. No comparison 'cause
this band will no doubt leave you floored.
Nailbomb - _Proud To Commit Commercial Suicide_
by: Gino Filicetti (6 out of 10) (Roadrunner/Attic, Nov 1995)
When I first heard that Nailbomb was doing a live record, I thought,
hmm... should be interesting, as it turns out, the CD was pretty
good, but nothing I would exactly kill for. The record was recorded
at the 1995 Dynamo Open Air Festival in Holland last June, an event
heralded by many as one of the best Dynamo's ever. Nailbomb played a
warm up set two nights before their actual gig at a small club in
Eindhoven. Supposedly Nailbomb only actually rehearsed FOUR TIMES
before flying to Europe. Their line up consisted of Max Cavalera, and
Alex Newport of course, with Igor Cavalera (newly wed!) on drums
sharing duties with ex-Dead Kennedy's crazy skinsman DH Peligro and
Tribe After Tribe's Barry Schneider throwing in percussions as well.
This album contains eleven live tracks all taken from Nailbomb's 1994
killer release: _Point Blank_. The music on this record, while very
solid and powerful, is full of certain small errors, but, as the band
agrees, "We were not really concerned about mistakes or technical
situations - more about the feeling of the whole thing." Tracks that
stand out are 'Vai Toma No Cu,' 'Religious Cancer,' and
'Exploitation.' I've never liked live albums and this record has also
failed to convince me of their validity, but still, a great way for
Nailbomb, who are calling it quits, to go out with a bang.
Orphanage - _Oblivion_ (DSFA Records/N.Blast, Summer 1995)
by: Adrian Bromley (8 out of 10)
Symphonic and tranquil at times, Orphanage's debut is a brilliant
piece of music. _Oblivion_ is well-recorded and the music seems to
take on a very honest, creative approach; in the same vein as My
Dying Bride or Paradise Lost, Orphanage's debut is an assortment of
several song styles incorporating choir-like vocals, heavy riffs,
growls and peaceful musical interludes. Despite a somewhat standard
pace, the secret to this band's success on this outing is the fact
that the music seems to leave you with a pleasant feeling, one that
makes the listener step aside from his/her daily duties and be
transported into the world that Orphanage trys to reveal through
their music. As heard on tracks like 'Journey Into The Unknown,'
'Weltschmerz' or even the amazing 'Veils of Blood' or thump of 'Sea
Of Dreams' (especially when accompanied with the harmonic female
vocals of Rosan van der Aa) there seems to be a curiosity brewing as
to where the band will be going next. Addictive and definitely a
sure-fire inspiration for bands of this gothic/epic metal to rise
above the standard chug-chug of metal, Orphanage get my vote as a
band to watch out for.
My Own Victim - _Burning Inside_ (Century Media, Nov 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (7 out of 10)
Straight out of Louisville, Kentucky comes My Own Victim with their
debut release which proves a point which I think many people tend to
ignore, that metal and hardcore can and do mix. From the onset of
this album it is evident that the band draws from many influences
both metal and hardcore. The riffing is reminiscent of Sabbath style
groove, and the vocals are the pure, unadulterated, agonized screams
of hardcore origins. Every song on this album has that irresistable
'toe tappin' groove to it that makes listening an enjoyable
experience. However, mid-way through this release, as a result of the
shortness of the songs, I realized that there really wasn't a
memorable track on here. I think the band should have beefed up some
of their good tracks and cut out some of the mediocre ones; with 14
(plus one hidden) tracks in total, I don't think it is humanly
possible to make one song that will stick in people's brains.
However, this album still rocks and I can't get over the smoothness
in which My Own Victim have successfully fused hardcore with metal.
The one track that deserves mention is their (supposedly) last track,
'To Become One'. With devilishly conceived thrash riffs and peaking
climax, it is one of the only tracks that really stuck in my mind.
And to end things off, the album includes a hidden 15th track, a
short but sweet frenzy of maniacal mayhem.
Testify - _Ballroom Killer/The Blitzkrieg Remixes_
by: Adrian Bromley (4 out of 10) (Van Richter, Summer 1994)
Not really being a big fan of remixes, I went into Testify's latest
release, _Ballroom Killer/The Blitzkrieg Remixes_, with a bit of
skepticism and uncertainty. Needless to say, I wasn't really that
excited. This being the band's followup to their well-received debut,
_Testify 01_, I was kind of disapointed and saddened by the minimal
amount of work and sincerity put into this offering. I mean sure,
some of the tracks sound a bit more 'out there' (allowing a different
angle to a few of the debut's numbers) and a bit more polished (hell
even moshable) with its heavy industrial, no-nonsense attitude, but
they are still the same songs. Nothing really grabbing me here, even
with two cover versions of Sweet's 'Ballroom Blitz'. I felt as though
this band, which does cater quite a bit of its musical satisfaction
vented through hardened industrial riffs, put themselves in a
situation that didn't really harm them much (despite the fact that
they should stick to their own material - or cover KMFDM.) And what
this album did was leave them where they left off with their adequate
debut. This band needs a heavy, industrial followup to go anywhere.
If not, they will be left in the rubble of fellow industrial metal
bands that succumbed to Trent Reznor's might. No need to be a NIN
wannabe band right guys?
Hostility - _Brick_ (Century Media, Nov 1995)
by: Adrian Bromley (7 out of 10)
Pantera 101 if you ask me - but that is a good thing to see. With the
definite growl and bite of Pantera and the heart and soul of a
strong-willed hardcore/metal outfit, Kansas' Hostility blow through
the ten tracks found on their debut, and not once sound monotonous or
bland. This band can really stick it to you hard with numbers like
'Spine', the stupendous 'Above', and the crash and burn attitude of
closers 'Self Belief' and 'One Wrong Word'. Singer Dean Brook shifts
from a Phil Anselmo vocal style to a Burton C. Bell (Fear Factory)
approach, and back and forth which allows his vocal sound and
structure to show off his variety. One of the best numbers is
'Goodbye', a stirring number dedicated to Dean and his brother
Duane's (drums) late father. This band would probably be amazing live
just because of the precision sound the band conveys. I am waiting to
check them out as soon as they make their way here, up North.
Reckless and on the verge of anarchy, Hostility's debut is worthy of
a good LOUD listen.
Paradise Lost - _Draconian Times_ (Relativity, Jan 95 in N. America)
by: Adrian Bromley (6 out of 10)
"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times..." and then
there is _Draconian Times_. So begins the famous words that start off
_A Tale Of Two Cities_ and how fitting are those words for a fair
comparison of Paradise Lost's latest LP. I really wanted to like this
album, especially with the chills and thrills that 1993's _Icon_
brought to me. Somewhat of a letdown if you ask me, with the band
carrying on more of a Sisters Of Mercy-meets-Metallica sound,
allowing the band to come across cleaner and with a definite
direction for the music, but in the end allowing little if any
variety in the twelve tracks found here. This band, hands down, has
written some amazing 'epic' numbers that cast out doom and gloom but
still shine with beauty and dwell in mystery, but with _Draconian
Times_, we are left wondering where we are at most times. The
listener never really grasps the emotions bestowed by tracks like
'Hallowed Land' or 'Shades Of God'. Despite the flaws of the LP,
opener 'Enchantment', 'Forever Failure', and 'Yearn For Change' are
definitely ones to take note of because unlike some of the other
numbers, these are the songs that show maturity and growth. Sure this
change for the band seems to have left me in a rut for now but in due
time I guess I and the rest of Paradise Lost's fans will hopefully
make out the blurred vision of _Draconian Times_ and it will become
clearer. Masterpiece or disapointment? You be the judge but tell me
this: is this where _Icon_ should have been continued from?
GWAR - _Ragnarok_ (Attic/Roadrunner, Nov 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (4 out of 10)
Although I've never been that much of a GWAR fan, I know that I found
this album a complete disappointment and I feel sorry for all you
die-hards out there who will buy this trash, and try your hardest to
like it. The album begins and ends in disappointment. The first song,
'Meat Sandwich', has the basic spoken word vocals with sub-mediocre
punk rythms. The CD insert, however, is what makes this album garner
3 extra points than it deserves. It is layed out in the form of a
tabloid, and the lyrics to the songs are interspersed within the
humorous "articles" such as: "Mutant Penguins Attack Brazil," "The
Prophecies of Nostrildumas," and "Satanic Skinheads Take Credit for
Growing Wave of Cattle Mutilations." It is obvious that GWAR are
sub-standard from a musical point of view, however it will be more
than interesting to see them live when they come on tour in support
of this album. As is always the case, they put on one of the sickest,
most barbaric shows around. Sure it's all fake, but one has to
appreciate the showmanship that goes into this band. See the show,
but beware the album.
Trouble - _Plastic Green Head_ (Century Media, Oct 1995)
by: Adrian Bromley (4 out of 10)
Not too big on this Sabbath/70's kind of feel with extensive guitar
solos and riffs that shed more sludge and trudge than the Great Lakes
- but in some way or another, Trouble (with this, their sixth album)
seems to lift my perception of their music just a bit beyond that
description; a bit. Listening to _Plastic Green Head_, I hear a lot
of Sabbath and Deep Purple influenced music with which they have been
known to carry on. The most peculiar thing I picked up was the vocals
of Eric Wagner sounding a bit like Rob Halford and his Fight voice
(eerie but true - listen to 'The Eye') as the album went on. Sure
there are some good songs here like 'Hear The Earth', the title
track, 'Requiem', and even a Beatles cover of 'Tomorrow Never Knows',
but with those choices aside, I felt bored and it felt like I was
forced to listen to the rest of the music within the album after I
heard those tracks. Good to see that there are bands playing music
that seems to preserve the essence of what metal was all about when
it started. See this band live (I saw them with White Zombie a few
years back) because they are much heavier live and the music may even
make an impact on you. Not my choice for an album to slap on and
headbang to, but it'll suffice for all those craving real, rooted
heavy metal.
Merauder - _Master Killer_ (Century Media, Nov 1995)
by: Adrian Bromley (3 out of 10)
Brooklyn's Merauder are a standard hardcore meets metal outfit that
really do dwell in that 'standard' feel and sound. New York has given
us some major heavyweights in hardcore, ie: Life Of Agony (still
thinking that one over?), Biohazard, and Sick of It All, not to
mention the intensity of outfits such as Orange 9mm, Helmet, and
Quicksand. It seems that Merauder seems to be following in those
bands' footsteps. It is generic, sometimes monotonous music that
really leaves the listener bored and in no way interested as the
album meets mid-point. Hopefully, as times change in the industry,
Merauder will be able to go about their own musical direction rather
than latching on and becoming a cling-on to the hardcore sound that
has already become a thing of the past. Hopefully there will be a
future for Merauder as they mean well. Best tracks: 'Downfall Of
Christ' and 'Mirror Shows Black'.
Sielwolf - _Metastasen_ (Van Richter Records, 1995)
by: Gino Filicetti (3 out of 10)
If there is one thing that I don't like in this world of ours, it is
noise; pure, unstructured, white noise. About all I can say with
regards to this album is that it is below mediocre and unfortunately
meets the above criteria. From the intro of the first track, till the
end of the album, I did not find one aspect of this recording
inspired in any way. The vocals throughout this album are distorted
to the point of absurdity, and that is when you can actually hear
them above the rest of the unintelligible interference. One song,
'White Trash', starts out with a sample (there may be more, but I
couldn't make them out if there were), and then proceeds into a
guitar riff (gasp! guitars! just when you thought they were taboo!)
that I thought was kind of cool. That is, until I realized it was a
stolen Fear Factory riff! All I can say is that this band needs a
major overhaul if they want to get anywhere. I may not be the biggest
industrial fan, but my gut tells me that this stuff would go over
even worse with a fan of the genre.
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Your best source of information on the newest of the new, and the
lowest of the underground, New Noise is the place to read about all
the coolest shit you never thought existed! And if you have a band,
don't forget to send us your demo with a bio if you want to be
reviewed; our address is included in the zine's header.
Lords of the Stone - _In An Eyelid's Fall_ (4 track demo)
by: Gino Filicetti
This demo comes to us from Dutch doom metal maniacs Lords of the
Stone. After corresponding on IRC with bassist Arjan, I became
interested in what this band had to offer. They were described as
being 'atmospheric doom metal with crushing riffs, pounding rhythms
and highly original male vocals.' Although this description is
surprisingly accurate coming from a bio, the one part I disagree with
is the part about the male vocals. From the onset of this demo, I
heard an absolutely identical voice to Lee Dorrian's of Cathedral
fame, especially Cathedral's latest album. Don't get me wrong though,
it works for this music, but sometimes it does seem out of place. In
the Dutch underground, Lords of the Stone are already
well-established seeing as this is their third recorded demo. The
music on this album is exceptional and definitely something that I
could really get into. My favorite element of this demo however are
the suberb female vocals, definitely a plus. An abundance of
atmosphere is also present but contained within are certain select
parts where I can hear rock arrangements with the various "wah wah"
solos and whatnot. All in all, something I'd definitely recommend
checking out.
Contact: Arjan van de Logt, Wilhelminalaan 44, 8262 DG Kampen
Voice: 05202-18442, Email: lords@worldaccess.nl
Web Page: http://www.worldaccess.nl/~lords
Deeds of Flesh - _Gradually Melted_ (4 track demo)
by: Gino Filicetti
This three piece, formed in 1994, hails from Los Osos, California,
home to ... well ... I don't really know! No really, my first
impressions of this demo were nothing spectacular. It sounded grossly
generic to me with it's plethora of blast beats and deep guttural
groans. However, it was soon evident that Deeds of Flesh weren't just
another out-dated "death rock" band. Certain elements such as groove
and the occasional tempo change are present, but they have to be
scouted out from the rest of the music with an acute ear. Production
of this tape is of the highest caliber. It actually sounds as loud as
other professional tapes at the same volume level. The vocals here
have the Carcass quality to them, one with the deep guttural
gurgling, and the other with the high-pitched acoustically agonizing
screams. I found myself wondering if the guitarist had the low voice
and the bassist had the high one. I seriously wouldn't doubt it,
definitely something that would put a smile on my face. If I were
you, I would give these guys a chance. I'm sure from the sound of the
tape that their live material is excellent, too bad California is so
far away (and especially tempting to migrate to at this time of
year!!)
Contact: Erik Lindmark, P.O. Box 6544, Los Osos CA, 93412, USA
Voice: (805) 528-4322
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C A U G H T I N A M O S H W I T H ' T H R A X
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Anthrax at RPM in Toronto, December 3, 1995
with Life of Agony and Deftones
by: Adrian Bromley
Having been three years since the restructured Anthrax crossed
the Canadian border, many were at the show to see if Anthrax still
had what it takes to carry the metal badge on their sleeves. If
loudness, shredding guitars and a happening mosh pit is any
indication, Anthrax hasn't lost any edge.
On tour in support of their latest album, _Stomp 442_ (second
album with John Bush at the helm), Anthrax pulled no punches and
steamrolled through an impressive 90-minute set that included new
numbers like the killer 'Fueled' and 'Riding Shotgun', as well as
classic 'thrax numbers such as 'I Am The Law', 'Got The Time', and
'Caught In A Mosh.' The band also included a substantial ammount of
material from 1992's emotionally driven powerhouse effort, _Sound Of
White Noise_ with 'Hy Pro Glo', 'Only', and 'Room For One More'.
After more than ten years of touring and recording, the loyalty
of their fans is still there, and as long as the band keeps pumping
out music in the same vein as their last two efforts, stuffing a
1,000-seat venue like RPM shouldn't be too hard. They may once again
be able to sell out small amphitheatres.
Second on the bill was Brooklyn's Life Of Agony who delivered
probably one of the most energetic sets of the evening and were
impressive in showcasing material from their new album, _Ugly_.
Instigated by their debut album's anthem-like number 'Through And
Through' as opening number, the frenzied pit didn't let up until the
quartet left the stage. The band shredded heavy with 'Lost At 22',
'River Runs Red', and the rugged crunch of 'Seasons'. Like Gino said
to me (he was at the show too - of course!) during their set, "It
ain't too hard to pick out the new material from the old." So what?
Live is where a band sells themselves and after this performance, I
was definitely sold.
Opening was Sacramento, California's Deftones - a strong quartet
of musicians who rely on emotions to carry their music. No real
message, just a feeling from the music - a vibe if you will. I had a
chance to talk to the band (a possible CoC chat is in the works) and
they really live and breathe their music. Cool shit. This band, very
similar to Korn, is a must-see band live. Standouts included the
unforgettable '7 Words', 'One Weak', and 'Roots'.
For both Gino and I, this was one of the best triple-bills we
have seen in a while. No flash, just straight out hard music. A
little bit of everything for everyone, and you know what? I didn't
see anyone leave the venue complaining. Metal is still around thanks
to Scott Ian and the boys.
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W H A T W E H A V E C R A N K E D ! ! !
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Gino's Top 5
1. Marilyn Manson - _Portrait of An American Family_
2. Hansel Und Gretyl - _Ausgeflippt_
3. Napalm Death - _Greed Killing_
4. At The Gates - _Slaughter of the Soul_
5. Monster Magnet - _Superjudge_
Adrian's Top 5
1. Nailbomb - _Proud to Commit Commercial Suicide_
2. Alice In Chains - _Alice In Chains_
3. Slayer - _Reign In Blood_
4. Hostility - _Brick_
5. Voivod - _Negatron_
Brian's Top 5
1. Dissection - _Storm of the Light's Bane_
2. Necrosis - _Acta Sanctorum_
3. Cradle of Filth - _The Principle of Evil Made Flesh_
4. The Great Kat - _Digital Beethoven on Cyberspeed_
5. Twilight Kingdom - _The Guardian_
Alain's Top 5
1. Immortal - Pure Holocaust
2. Gorgoroth - _Pentagram_
3. Alice Cooper - _The Last Temptation_
4. Manowar - _Battle Hymns_
5. Ozzy Osbourne - _Ozzmosis_
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T H E F I N A L W O R D
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And now ends our latest issue (pun intended). Once again, I would
like to apologize for been more than a week late, but it was
unavoidable again, a classic case of extreme workload on yours truly.
But next issue is looking great as well as looking to be out on time,
so lets keep our finger's crossed and send in those letters for our
new column next month. By-the-way, sorry about the exclusion of our
"Independent Interrogations" this month, there was absolutely no time
to line up an indie interview, but next month I promise to try and
get not one, but TWO indie interviews for all you cravers of the
'real' underground. Until next time people, have fun, stay safe and
say NO to drugs.......................... yeah, easy! :)
-- Gino Filicetti
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End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #5