Friday, July 31, 2015

POWER THEORY- "Cut and Run" (Official Video)

POWER THEORY „Cut and Run“ – video released
The US Power Metal band Power Theory has released a new video for "Cut and Run". The song will be on the upcoming album "Driven by Fear".
Power Theory
Bob "BB" Ballinger - guitars, backing vocals
Nick Bunzck - studio & live drums
Alan D'Angelo - bass, backing vocals
Nygil Hoch - guitars
Jeff Rose - vocals
www.facebook.com/POWERTHEORY1
POWER THEORY- "Cut and Run" (Official Video)

Windfaerer - "Finisterra" [Lyric Video]

Windfaerer has a new album coming up. Below you will find more information about the band and you can hear a new song.
"Tenebrosum is the forthcoming new full-length from Garden State folkloric black metal alchemists, WINDFAERER. Named after the archaic term for the Atlantic Ocean (“Mare Tenebrosum”), meaning “sea of darkness,” with Tenebrosum WINDFAERER casts off the edge of black metal and takes the listener on a spiritual journey of discovery, embarking into unknown, treacherous seas."
"A portmanteau meaning, “one who travels with the wind,” like a vessel lost at sea, the name WINDFAERER sets a melancholic atmosphere of longing for a return to a homeland, yet with hopeful eyes set toward the unknown. It is the animus of guitarist and frontman, M. Gonçalves as an epic black metal paean to his ancestral homeland of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). The band debuted their well-received demo, Glorybound, in 2009. According to Nocturnal Cult, “the carefree and laid-back rural countryside of hilly and forested European landscapes finds new life and breathes once again within the structure of WINDFAERER‘s songs.” The demo set the pathway for their first full length, Tribus (2010), and hefty critically-acclaimed EP, Solar (2012), in which they artfully combined epic folk with the allure of Gothenburg-style death metal and the grit of Scandinavian black metal."
www.windfaerer.bandcamp.com
www.windfaerer.com
www.facebook.com/windfaerer
Windfaerer - "Finisterra" [Lyric Video]
Official lyric video for "Finisterra" from the forthcoming full length album "Tenebrosum" to be released on September 22nd, 2015.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

ATEN

If you are a hunter of death metal, always wanting to hear new death metal from all over the world, and you have not heard ATEN from Albania, here is some information about the band.
ATEN is death metal from Albania.
Aten formed in 2011. They recorded some material from those early years, like demo recordings; material that was not released. After the usual band members changes that happen in a group, the band began to have a more stable lineup in 2012. Things got better for Aten after 2012 because in 2014 the band had its first full-length album ready for the death metal world to hear. Below you can hear the full album. As you will hear, the album is a serious recording by a band that knows its death metal. Death metal people into Cannibal Corpse, Sinister, Obituary, Incantation and the general vibe of traditional death metal should find the music to their liking. Again, the recording is not a demo, it is not a garage recording, but a serious death metal album that is worth a death metaller's time.
Horns of Evil album
1. Intro 01:06
2. Horns of Evil 03:07
3. Shine as Aten 03:10
4. When Love Bites Your Soul 02:52
5. Deathcraft 03:14
6. At Least Escape 02:57
7. No Command 02:19
8. Eternal Empire of Doom 04:39
9. ...Of the Fallen 03:37
10. Under the Shadow of God 03:48
11. Morbid Temple 04:01
Aten is:
Enea - Guitar, Vocals.
Bes - Drums.
Baltion - Bass Guitar, Back Vocals.
Atris - Guitar, Back Vocals.
Listen to the full album below, and consider supporting this band from Albania. As you can imagine, the world does not know much about metal from Albania, but it's never too late to begin to rectify this situation.
www.ulknir.bandcamp.com/album/horns-of-evil
www.twitter.com/AtenDeathMetal
www.facebook.com/vmaten
www.ulknir.org/aten
www.amazon.com/Horns-Evil-Aten/dp/B00LIE9KF8
Busuk Webzine has an interview with Aten. The interview was posted on March 1, 2015. Here are some excerts from the interview.
My Interview with Death Metal band from Albania - ATEN
Can you tell us who else is in the band and what part do they play in the band as well?
Our current line-up is: Enea in vocals and guitar, Atris in guitar and back vocals, Bes in drums and Baltion in bass guitar and back vocals. All members play very important roles in the band, and we don't include session musicians as we all take part in music composition, and, most importantly, we're all friends.
Who came up with the name Aten? What is the meaning on the word? Also does it represent the music you play today?
Aten was founded by me (Enea) in 2011, with a different line up. The name “ATEN” refers to the Sun disc of old, as referenced in Ancient Egyptian scriptures. The origin of the name has no bearing to our music - we don’t employ any Eastern sounds/riffs neither like Nile or Melechesh, for example- rather we draw from the very concept it stands for, symbolically and metaphorically.lockquote>
How would you describe your music to anyone who hasn’t heard of Aten?
We dwell more in the ways of European Blackened Death and American Death Metal, although I don’t really like to box music into categories. The exception is “Shine as Aten”, a song in our current album that mentions the name of the band and a piece of Ancient Egyptian scriptures in the lyrics as well.
Congratulations on the 2014 full-length album ‘Horns of Evil’ how did the recording process went?
Thank you. This is our debut album as a band and I think it is and will be the most special album for us all. It was a really good experience, but not an easy process at all. Being in Albania, we have to tackle many difficulties due to a wide variety of reasons – common to all musicians here, but especially to the extreme scene – mainly because everything you do, you have do it by yourself and from the ground up. I'd say that this isn’t our best work yet, regarding the sound and all, but it was our first experience together, composing and recording and it really got us more connected.
www.busukwebzine.blogspot.com/2015/03/my-interview-with-death-metal-band-from_1.html

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

CATTLE DECAPITATION review by Matt Spall

review by Matt Spall
Artist: Cattle Decapitation
Album Title: The Anthropocene Extinction
Label: Metal Blade
Year Of Release: 2015
If you’re looking for a way to make an impact with your music, I suggest you take a listen to Cattle Decapitiation. In a world where extreme music seems intent on getting ever more extreme, many of the protagonists would also do well to take a listen to Cattle Decapitation. Why?
Because here is a band that make brutal and extreme music into something of an art form. Where others may up the complexity in an effort to become more extreme or even add strings to guitars for more bottom-end rumble, Cattle Decapitation just effortlessly blend everything together to create a genuinely unsettling aural experience that’s just about as good as anything I’ve heard for a long time in this particular scene. It’s not extreme for extreme’s sake; it is music that uses it’s extremity as a tool or a potent weapon to make a statement.
You want technicality? You want groove? You want aggression? You want heaviness capable of shaking the very ground you walk on? Then you need ‘The Anthropocene Extinction’ in your life.
On a first listen, I was, I must admit, a little thrown by this, the seventh record from the San Diego-based quartet. I’m not the biggest out-and-out extreme metal fan and my only real exposure to Cattle Decapitation was via their debut ‘Homovore’ and, to a lesser extent, the follow-up ‘To Serve Man’. Both of these were all-out unmitigated grindcore, albums chock full of quick-fire extremity in bite-sized chunks of around one-to-two minutes in length. As a newbie to the grindcore scene, I rather liked the output because within each frenzied assault was a snippet of real groove, something to latch onto. It was enough for me when what I was yearning for was some unmitigated savagery to cleanse my mind and rid me of pent-up frustrations. The fact that I kept coming back to the debut meant that there was definitely something special about it.
Having missed the intervening four albums however, I was initially surprised to discover a slightly different approach on ‘The Anthropocene Extinction’. Cattle Decapitation circa 2015 is undoubtedly a more refined, more structured and, dare I say it, more accessible proposition. They’re still brutal as all hell of course, but with a modicum of added subtlety, which I personally welcome with open arms. Theirs is now best described as an extreme metal hybrid where death metal influences for example, are apparently as much a factor as those of grindcore. It’s also an album that sees the band focusing on the ‘less is more’ principle and, as such, the songs seem to take precedence over the individual performances; another example of the increasing maturity of the band.
Opening track ‘Manufactured Extinct’ begins very quietly and ominously before launching into a slow-paced and measured riff at the hands of Josh Elmore. The vocals of Travis Ryan are almost indistinguishable from Derek Engemann’s bass rumble but, as the track suddenly picks up pace launching the track into a brief tumult of ferocity, so does the voice into a more discernible growl. What I wasn’t necessarily expecting was the ‘clean’ vocal delivery that emerges to compliment the chorus of the song. To call it clean is wrong though; when I first heard the almost demented but contained shriek I wondered what on earth I was listening to. It’s genuinely harsh, disturbing, uncomfortable and I love it. If the opener was surprisingly melodic and mid-paced at times, follow-up ‘The Prophets of Loss’ goes on all-out attack from the off. Bringing in a Behemoth-esque quasi black metal feel to the track is a master stroke that works to great effect. The pace is significant, as it the utterly ridiculous drumming courtesy of Dave McGraw which absolutely pummels with relentless power and precision.
To pick out all of the good bits on this album would be a futile exercise given that there are so many. Instead I’ll mention the irresistible stomp and majesty of ‘Plagueborne’, the shifting tempos of ‘Clandestine Ways (Krocodil Rot), the out-and-out grindcore-meets-mid-tempo-groove workout that’s ‘Mammals In Babylon’ and the contemptuous snarling within ‘Not Suitable For Life’. The latter is venomous and it has that aura to it – no messing, just genuine revulsion and disgust put to music.
Referring back to the ‘relentless’ adjective I used earlier, that’s the overwhelming feeing I get when listening to this album – it may display a surprising amount of variety given its brutal nature but the content of ‘The Anthropocene Extinction’ is exhausting. But then that’s exactly how it should be. For all the groove, all the melodic flourishes and the brief moments of relative quiet, there’s no possibility at any moment to forget that you’re listening to a properly extreme metal record that is designed to pummel and test the listener’s endurance as much as it is intended to entertain.
The one thing I’ve yet to mention thus far is the lyrical content. Cattle Decapitation are an angry band, that’s for sure. Whether it be animal cruelty, politics, the general state of the world, Cattle Decapitation are open to explore it; they’re not what you could class as an ‘activist’ band but it is refreshing to hear a band that has such strong views, airing them without fear of the repercussions. It all adds yet another layer of authenticity to what is, unquestionably one of the best extreme metal records that I have heard for a long time. It has everything that I could ever ask for and more besides.
The Score Of Much Metal: 9.0
Read more of Matt Spall’s writings at www.manofmuchmetal.wordpress.com
Cattle Decapitation "Manufactured Extinct" (OFFICIAL)

SECRET SPHERE

by MMB
Secret Sphere (Italy): A Time Never Come – 2015 Edition [Re-recorded] (Scarlet Records)
Secret Sphere, according to Metal Archives, began in 1997. Before this new re-recording, they have seven full-length albums. Those in the know in Italy do not need an introduction to the band, although the band is new to me, given that I have missed the boat in this case. I am not qualified to say anything about the previous albums, including the original recording of this album from 2001.
As you know, the metal public that does not like re-recordings. Some people really hate it when Exodus and Manowar and Anthrax and other bands go back and re-record old music. They say it loses the magic of the original. I expect that some of the band’s older listeners will be not be pleased that their nostalgia is being ruined with a new version.
This leaves me in a strange situation because I think this album sounds awesome. If you listen to power metal and you have never heard this band, you will be pleasantly surprised. The album sounds like it is the work of an experienced bunch of musicians, which of course they are; they’ve been at it for a long time.
In my case, I cannot help but think this is an a very good album of power metal from Italy, with the talent, attitude and dedication that traditional metal bands from Italy show in their albums. I am not able to compare it, and can only say that this album is a keeper for sure. If you have not heard Secret Sphere and you would like to hear power metal from Italy, I recommend this album. I have been listening to it a lot to see if the quality is strong for the complete album, and not just a few songs, and have determined that the album as a complete work sounds catchy, melodic and rocking.
Why did the band re-record the album? Really, it does not matter to me, being out of the loop as I am. The band says that this new recording of the album was originally meant for the Japanese market. As you can imagine with bands, the band has gone through membership changes since 2001 when this album was first recorded. One of the main attractions is that the new lineup, including the new singer Michele Luppi (with the band since 2012), and they gave it the new production.
Be that as it may, this was an excellent introduction to Secret Sphere for me.
www.facebook.com/secretsphere
www.scarletrecords.it
Legend SECRET SPHERE A Time Nevercome 2015 Edition

TENTATION

by MMB
Tentation (France): Tentation (Infernö Records)
How much traditional heavy metal in French have you heard? This band sounds like they wake up headbanging to French heavy metal, have breakfast headbanging to French heavy metal and go to bed headbanging to French heavy metal. Can you say Sortilège?
I do not speak French, but I speak a little bit of heavy metal. I understand this music perfectly. Nothing needs to be translated because everything is perfectly clear: 80s traditional heavy metal will not die as long as this band is alive and kicking up the jams.
The band has not been around too long, formed in 2012, and this is their debut EP. When you listen to this band, expect heavy metal similar to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the sense of the old school metal, and expect basically nothing from modern metal. Tentation will bring back the 80s and they want to take you with them. The songs are generally fast heavy metal, and they get to the point quickly.
I have not heard that much heavy metal in French, so this sounded both familiar and different because of the language, but, like I say, in the end the language is heavy metal, regardless of whether you speak English, Spanish, German, Japanese or Martian.
Definitely give this a band your time if you love traditional heavy metal. If in your music collection you don’t have too many bands doing metal in French, then that’s another reason for finding out more about Tentation.
www.facebook.com/tentationfrance
www.tentationfrance.bandcamp.com
www.inferno-records.net
Tentation - Bruixes (2015)

EVIL FORCE

by MMB
Evil Force (Paraguay): Ancient Spores
Evil Force is as honest as possible with the sound of their thrash (think Nuclear Assault, Vio-lence, Hirax, and “Thrash Zone”-era DRI) for 2015. This band is also exclusively for the lunatics that never get enough thrash from the old school. The band began in 2005 and has a multitude of demos and splits that glorify thrash metal as much as humanly possible. The band has three recordings EPs/splits released as splits in 2014 and this album seems to include some or all songs from those. The band is a not a Johnny-come-lately and they sound like experts at thrash with the mentality of the classic days brought into today. The people that appreciate the direct impact of thrash songs, like the old Bay Area bands, and want to hear new (or new to you) bands, Evil Force would be perfect for those seeking thrash with the attitude of the golden age.
www.facebook.com/evilforcepy
Evil Force - Spitting Rage ***NEW SONG***

SATANIKA

by MMB
Satanika (Italy): Total Inferno (Osmose Productions)
Satanika’s extreme metal has growled vocals and some blasting, yet the spirit of the music is all about 80s primal thrash. It’s a good combination; it works for them. The band exudes a level of professionalism that is impressive. This could all be due to their unusual recording history: the band apparently released four different EPs in 2010, which is basically something that seems highly unprecedented. Then, in 2011 the band had an album and EP. In 2012 they had an album and a split. 2013 was a bad year for them: they had “only” an EP. In 2014 they bounced right back with an album. They did not allow too much time to go by, so in 2015—surprise, surprise!—they have a new album: the ten-song lesson in thrash called “Total Inferno.”
Such a flurry of activity means that the band believes in wasting no time: songs that metalheads can understand quickly. At the same time, listening to the music, it’s a bit of a surprise how clean the production is. Perhaps that’s just another example of the professionalism that I mentioned earlier. Satanika means business.
www.facebook.com/satanikattack
www.satanika.bravesites.com
www.osmoseproductions.com
This is an older song by Satanika. It gives a good idea of the thrash that they play.
SATANIKA - Rats from Hell

SUSPENDED

Suspended (Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.)
These thrashers have a new recording in 2015 called “Hollowed Minds,” a six-track EP that continues their path of bringing together old thrash and new thrash. The band bridges the gap between the old school and the new school through the use of growl vocals, and a bit of the modern energy and speed.
“Hollowed Minds” became available in July and the track list is:
1.Latrom
2.Hollowed Minds
3.Escape the Pain
4.Beast Within
5.When the Smoke Clears
6.Embrace the End
The band is moving along fine in their trajectory of thrash, sounding tighter and more experienced. Previously, in 2010 they had a four-song EP called “Dig Your Own Grave.” Before that, they had the nine-track album “Prelude to Indignance” in 2008. Keep in mind that this band’s recordings are independent (from the information that is available) and that goes to show the kind of determination for metal that they have. Furthermore, according to Metal Archives, Suspended began in 2003, so they have been at it a while. Give credit to Suspended for sticking to their story and not giving up. That’s how it should be.
www.facebook.com/Suspendedchickz

MORBID SLAUGHTER

by MMB
Morbid Slaughter (Peru): A Filthy Orgy of Horror and Death (Boris Records/Inti Records)
Fanatics of South American raw and primitive extreme metal have September 4th to which to look forward. That is the date that Morbid Slaughter will have the new album ready for those that live and breathe barbaric metal. These Peruvians are totalitarian bestial metal alchemists through their secret of occult, sick metal. Play this album, hear it, and it sounds great! The members of the band have appropriate names, such as Ripping Corpse and Necrophiliac Sodomizer, names that we can all say aloud when we are gathered together around the water cooler at the office, talking about the newest music that we like. The conversations will go like this, “Oh yeah, Christine, that Necrophiliac Sodomizer is unstoppable on the new album! You should check out Morbid Slaughter for sure.”
They apparently started in 2009, but the spirit of the music says venombathorysodomhellhammermotorhead from the 80s. They have several demos and other recordings to which the metal freaks of Lima, Peru have been raging. These criminals do not want to exclude the world, so here they are now just about to let their songs loose on the world. The vocals are handled by Envenom, whose style comes proudly from the tradition of 80s Bathory.
The best part of the album is that it is really perfect for headbanging, very memorable, in an extreme metal way, but also in a dirty rock and roll kind of way. They know what they want: they want you to bang your head and get into the barbaric metal right now.
C’mon, join the barbaric metal brigade!
www.boris-records.com
www.facebook.com/IntiRecordsPeru
www.facebook.com/MorbidSlaughterOfficial
www.facebook.com/IntiRecordsPeru
www.intirecordsperu.bandcamp.com
This is an old demo recording. This is NOT what the new album sounds like. The production is better. This is just to show what the band is all about.
Morbid Slaughter - Slay With Steel

MY REFUGE

by MMB
My Refuge (Italy): A Matter Of Supremacy (Bakerteam Records)
My Refuge’s album is a solid work of modern/traditional/melodic heavy metal. It’s a bit on the side of power metal and some prog elements are present, but it’s melodic metal all the way. They have melodic singing; it’s not aggressive shouting; just singing. They do uptempo rockers, midtempo songs and some slow songs.
The band had an EP in 2010, the year the band started out as a solo project for Mauro Paietta (guitars). There was another EP in 2013. Nowadays My Refuge is a full band and this is the debut full-length album.
The album is professional. The recording sounds solid, in the style of modern heavy metal. The songs are memorable, and rather easy to understand. The riffs work well with the songs, and the guitars have hooks. The singing is not only melodic but emotional, too, as is expected. If you want melodic metal or if you know that you like traditional metal bands from Italy, then check out My Refuge. This is the debut album, so it’s fair to say that we could be hearing bigger things from them as they gain more experience!
Mr. Paietta started the band, but today this is the full legion of power and glory:
Davide Vella – lead vocals
Mauro Paietta - lead guitar
Simone Dettore - lead guitar
Salvatore Chimenti – lead bass
Valerio Ferrari – lead drums
www.facebook.com/pages/My-Refuge/357637697668118
www.myrefuge.it
www.bakerteamrecords.com
My Refuge - A Storm Is Coming
MY REFUGE - The Cage (Oh Demon In My Eyes) official lyric video

BURGERKILL

Burgerkill from Indonesia will be in Europe soon! This Friday, actually, at Wacken. You will find more information below, links and videos to hear the music.
Friday, 31 July - Wacken Open Air Festival - Headbangers Stage
Saturday, 08 August - Bloodstock Open Air Festival - Sophie Lancaster Stage
BIO
"Originating from Bandung, West Java, Burgerkill were formed in 1995 and have been continually shaping the underground metal scene in Indonesia ever since. For 14 years Burgerkill have consistently been in the spotlight as a force to be reckoned with in Indonesian metal, from writing compositions for movie soundtracks to the successful publication of autobiographic novels.
Their first album, ‘Dua Sisi’, demonstrates the band’s beginnings as a leaning towards a predominantly ‘Hardcore Metal’ and was well received within the underground metal community. With their second album ‘Berkarat’ and their most recent ‘Beyond Coma and Despair’ Burgerkill have found their foot-hole and developed a style of their own. Burgerkill set the standard for live metal performances in Indonesia, and have always been a clear cut above the rest. What you hear on the album is what you get live – no disappointments. Their style and level of performance are incomparable to anything previously seen or heard in Indonesia. Burgerkill have become veterans of the metal stage as they are regularly supporting International metal acts touring Indonesia such as The Black Dahlia Murder, As I Lay Dying, and Himsa.
Burgerkill is a dynamic composition of talented musicians who have all individually featured as prominent influences within Indonesia’s underground metal milieu. With Vicky on vocals, Ebenz on guitar, Ramdan on bass, Andris on drums, and Agung on guitar, the result is a lethal combination of musicians who, as if by instinct, produce a most rancorous sound that leaves you feeling downright butchered. Self produced and Burgerkill’s most recent album, ‘Beyond Coma and Despair’ has been tagged by Rolling Stone Magazine as ‘One of the best albums of the year’ (2006). The sound exhibited on this album is brutal and violent. All throughout this turbulent, provocative album it is as if Burgerkill grab you by the head and smash you to the wall, yet you find yourself still smiling and thoroughly enjoying this merciless invasion of noise.
It is masochistic to the core. There is nothing mediocre about the album Burgerkill attack each song with great ferocity. ‘Beyond Coma and Despair’ is a unique album in that each song churns out a colossal sound, delivering to the listener an unrelenting assault on the eardrums. ‘Beyond Coma and Despair’ more than proves with absolute certainty that Burgerkill will reign eternal in the metal world."
www.twitter.com/burgerkill666
www.facebook.com/burgerkill666
www.burgerkillofficial.com
Burgerkill - Blasting Europe 2015 Video Teaser
Burgerkill - Under The Scars Official Video
Burgerkill - Through The Shine Official Video

GUTTER INSTINCT

Gutter Instinct (Sweden) is traditional death metal that wastes no time with nonsense. They have a new EP on Prosthetic Records. The EP is the four songs listed below. It is called "The Insurrection. The EP is short and sweet, and gives a great idea of the death metal of Gutter Instinct, which formed in 2012. Those that want death metal with the mentality of the old school will find Gutter Instinct to be a band that is worth their time. Give it a listen below!
1. War Command
2. Under the Scythe
3. The Invisble Hand
4. We Hate You
www.gutterinstinct.bandcamp.com
www.prostheticrecords.com
www.facebook.com/gutterinstinct

NERVOSA

Below you will find Nervosa's bio and links to some videos.
The band's discography so far is:
2012 Demo 2012
Time of Death EP 2012
Victim of Yourself Full-length 2014
The track list for the album is:
1. Intro 02:57
2. Twisted Values 05:18
3. Justice Be Done 03:49
4. Wake Up and Fight 03:40
5. Nasty Injury 05:27
6. Envious 04:35
7. Morbid Courage 03:33
8. Death 03:51
9. Into Moshpit 03:43
10. Deep Misery 02:06
11. Victim of Yourself 04:10
12. Urânio em Nós 02:07
"NERVOSA is an all female thrash metal power trio from São Paulo, Brazil, formed by Fernanda Lira (Bass and Vocals), Prika Amaral (Guitars and Backing Vocals) and Pitchu Ferraz (Drums).
Even joining bands from different styles previously, such as death metal and crossover, all the band members see in Nervosa’s songs the same passion: thrash metal. With strong influences coming from bands of the style’s classic school, the girls seek to bring up what is best on heavy music.
Prika Amaral started the band in February 2010, but only in July 2011 Fernanda Lira took over the bass and lead vocals in NERVOSA.
In March 2012 the band released their first video clip for the song ‘Masked Betrayer’, which reached the incredible remark of 20 thousand views in only a week, which lead them to receive and Honorable Mention from youtube, placing the video on the 17th week’s most viewed music video and 55th March’s most viewed.
Thanks to the notoriety accomplished through their hard work, NERVOSA, on the following months, were able to get two other great achievements.
The first one was the management deal with the American Jeff Keller, who also represents other great bands on the musical scene such as destruction and Hirax.
The other good news was the record deal with Austrian record label Napalm Records, which has in its roster great names such as Grave Digger, Hate, Tiamat, Huntress, among many other ones.
The first NERVOSA’s record, a 3-track demo, was released in Brazil in a CD version independently, under the title ’2012′ in August 2012, and worldwide by Napalm Records in a turquoise vinyl version and by Nuclear Blast in a clear vinyl version, both entitled as ‘Time of Death’, which artwork was drawn by the artist Andrei Bouzikov, who had previously worked with several bands, such as Municipal Waste.
Nervosa ends the year of 2012 with a very positive balance laying over 50 gigs around Brazil, among them, sharing the stage with bands like Exodus, Raven, Grave, Samael, Exumer and Artillery, among many other ones.
After a line-up change on the drums, who took over the drumsticks and came to join forces with the band in February 2013 was the competent Pitchu Ferraz, who carries along a 20-year career on her instrument.
This way, the year of 2013 started with a renewed vibe and the band kept spreading their EP all over the country, with gigs in many Brazilian states, besides playing along with great worldwide known names in metal such as korzus, Ratos de Porão and also Destruction, Exciter, Blaze Bayley, kreator, D.R.I. and Benediction.
Besides that, the recording of their upcoming first full-length, to be worldwide released in February 2014, were finished and now the bands focuses on their plans to spread the word about it next year."
NERVOSA - Into Moshpit | Napalm Records
NERVOSA - Victim of Yourself (Official Video) | Napalm Records ᴴᴰ
NERVOSA - Death (Official Video) | Napalm Records
www.facebook.com/femalethrash
www.nervosaofficial.com
www.twitter.com/nervosathrash

PEGASSO

PEGASSO is traditional heavy metal from El Salvador.
"Galopa el viento" is the name of the 2013 album.
1. Pegaso
2. Hipocresia del poder
3. Luna
4. Furia final
5. Gólgota
6. Druidas
Pegasso - Furia final (Galopa en el viento)
Luna - [Pegasso]
You can a song on Facebook.
www.facebook.com/Pegasso.ES

PAGAN SPIRITS

Pagan Spirits is ambient black metal from EL Salvador. Below you will find the link to hearing and supporting the music.
Pagan Spirits is self-described as: "ambient / Pagan Black Metal from El Salvador C. A. First Full-length is in process. A true cult of our ancient pride is coming..."
This is a list of the recordings by Pagan Spirits so far.
Legado pagano y honor ancestral Demo 2013
Bajo el manto sagrado de la noche Single 2014
Pagan Prophecy Split 2014
Memorias de un Pasado Olvidado Demo 2014
www.paganspirits.bandcamp.com/album/legado-pagano-y-honor-ancestral
www.paganspirits.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/pagan.spirits

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

ONE MACHINE

by MMB
One Machine: The Final Cull (Scarlet Records)
Warning: Do not check your brain at the door. You will need it for One Machine! If you hate high-pitched heavy metal singing, move on. If you abhor prog metal that requires several listens and needs for the audience to make an effort to understand the music, you should also move on.
One Machine is midtempo/uptempo, chuggy, proggy metal with an aggro/thrash pounding heaviness, and with both aggro/angry shouted vocals and air-raid-siren singing, like fusing shredder metal with Symphony X, Nevermore and Cowboys-era Pantera, with the aggro of a young Phil Anselmo and the high screams of Rob Halford. For the solos the band unleashes major fretboard action upon the ears of the listener.
Guitar maestro Steve Smyth, who according to Metal Archives is originally from the great state of Texas, U.S. and now lives in grey and rainy London, U.K., first came to people’s attention through his work with Vicious Rumors and Testament, and then perhaps the most visibly with Seattle’s kings of misery and self-loathing metal Nevermore. Mr. Smyth has done work other projects, such as Forbidden and Dragonlord, and other names, too, but those are some of the most well known for the metal music public.
A few years ago Mr. Smyth revealed a new monster that he and fellow conspirators had been frankensteining in the mad laboratory: One Machine. In 2014 they brought out the behemoth known as “The Distortion of Lies and the Overdriven Truth,” a work that was a marriage between classic metal and modern metal, coming across as prog/thrashy metal, heavy, yet still melodic.
Now, on September 18th, they unveil “The Final Cull.”
In my opinion, the first album was a strong exhibition of hard work and dedication, by an experienced team that expects that the listener is willing to put some effort into the music.
The band seems impossible to limit to a category or label, and this new album demonstrates once again that the music is the result of experience.
Mikkel Sandager, the former vocalist for Mercenary, is no longer with One Machine, either. In his place we find Chris Hawkins, who is a new name to me. The band has a new rhythm section, Stefano Selvatico (bass) and Michele Sanna (drums). Jamie Hunt (guitars) and Steve Smyth, according to Metal Archives, have been in One Machine since 2008
The first album from 2014 was a bit overwhelming at times, to me. A little too heavy-handed on the prog/thrash, perhaps a bit too much music-for-musicians, so I was looking forward to hearing the new material.
Since this is the second time around for me, I was more prepared for the high skilled combination of prog metal and modern metal, that particular concoction that is One Machine. I hear the melodies a lot more this time around. Or, maybe the album is more melodic? The song structures have a bit of a twist to them, providing the sensation that this band does not sound like any other band right now. The guitars can be fluid, but they can dig down and get heavy and chuggy, too. Add the variety of vocals of high and low, and the picture of versatility comes into focus rather well. It may sound a bit strange at first, due to the various elements of prog, thrash, traditional, modern and groove metal, but all of it put together adds up to One Machine.
As for me, this new album has been a good transition. I understand One Machine a bit better now, and that’s a good thing because the album sounds like a lot of hard work. Mr. Smyth and Mr. Hunt will probably get tendonitis in the future, and Mr. Hawkins is mostly likely still in the hospital getting therapy for the destruction of his vocal chords during the recording of this album. I wish for good health for everyone in the band!
www.facebook.com/OneMachineOfficial
www.feedtheonemachine.com
www.twitter.com/one_machine
One Machine - The Final Cull - Crowdfunding Campaign Landing Video
I do not have a new song for you just yet, but this is this the title track of the first album from 2014. Keep in mind that the new album sounds slightly different, but this gives a great of what One Machine is all about.
ONE MACHINE - 'The Distortion Of Lies And The Overdriven Truth' Official...

MORTAL SOUL

Mortal Soul is a metalcore band from Kenya. The band says: "Formed in June 2010 by a bunch of college friends. Mortal Soul seeks to make and release quality metal music for your and our enjoyment". You can hear the band's music below at the ReverbNation link.
The band is:
Leon (lead vocals/guitar)
Pete (lead guitar)
Young (bass)
Celeste (drums
www.reverbnation.com/mortalsoulke
www.facebook.com/mortalsoulke
www.twitter.com/MortalSoulKe

VYRJU

VYRJU is "melodic doom black metal" from Norway. Below you can listen to the recording at Bandcamp.
This is a bit of information about the project.
"My name is Jan F. Lindsø, and I am the man behind Vyrju. Apart from songwriting, I'm playing guitars, bass, synth and do vocals in Vyrju. I also play in Gjenferdsel."
www.vyrju.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/Vyrju

BLUNT KNIFE IDOL

BLUNT KNIFE IDOL is grind from Holland and the album is called "Greed Heritage." Metal Archives says that the band is: Herrie on vocals and bass, Tony on drums, and Arco on guitar and backing vocals. Facebook and Metal Archives have no pictures of the band.
The says that they like: "Napalm Death, Terrrrorrrrrizer, Bolt Thrower, Marc Almond, Carcass, Je moeder, 2Unlimited, Brutal Truth, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Incantation, Repulsion, Napalm Death, Napalm Death en Napalm Death"
You can listen to the music at the link below.
www.bluntknifeidol.bandcamp.com/releases
www.facebook.com/bluntknifeidol
tracklist:
1- Nothing but Lies
2 - No Light at the End
3 - When they Return
4 - Air of Ashes
5 - Legendiarrea
6 - Streams of Death
7 - Perished
8 - Feeding on their Fumes
9 - Taken Down
10 -Collapse into Nothing
11 - Infected from Inside
12 - Sermons of Madness
13 - Mountains of Madness
14 - Celebrate the Indulgence
15 - Stabwound Soulwound
16 - Suffer the Children
17 - Mask the Apathy
18 - Hands
19 - Born to Die
20 - The Final Proposition
21 - Take their Lives
22 - Fragments of Reality
23 - The last Steps to Heaven
24 - Order and Obey
25 - Zero

LAST YEAR'S TRAGEDY

Last Year's Tragedy is a metalcore band from Kenya. Below you will find a bit of information about the band, and also you can hear their recording, which is a free/name-your-price EP.
Last Year’s Tragedy is a band from Nairobi, Kenya. The gang met in university and were brought together by their common musical interests. In a country where there are very few rock bands, not to mention heavy ones, it was initially difficult for the band to break through. LYT kept practicing and playing in various small shows and band battles, and in the end inspired other heavy bands to form and join the scene. The movement is growing, not just in Kenya, but across East Africa, and it won’t be long before LYT is sharing stages with other bands from across Africa and the world..."
The band is:
Chizi - Lead vocals
Jose - Lead Guitar
Mahia - Bass
Stan - Drums
Dee - Rhythm Guitar
Ted - Clean Vocals
Ruto - Keys
www.lastyearstragedy.bandcamp.com
www.twitter.com/LYTband
www.facebook.com/LastYearsTragedy
www.twitter.com/Dee_spicable www.twitter.com/Ruto_K www.twitter.com/Joseph_LYT www.twitter.com/kaikannai

KINGCROW

Kingcrow from Italy is a prog band with a new album. Below you can more information about the band and hear a song. Kingcrow is:
Diego Marchesi (Lead & backing vocals)
Diego Cafolla (Guitar & backing vocals)
Ivan Nastasi (Guitar & backing vocals)
Thundra Cafolla (Drums & Percussions)
Cristian Della Polla (Keyboards & Synths)
Francesco D'Errico (Bass Guitar)
"The band was originally founded in Rome, Italy, by Diego Cafolla (guitars) and Manuel Thundra Cafolla (drums) in 1996 under the name of "Earth Shaker". Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem "Raven" and driven by a will of change, the band's name was soon altered into Kingcrow. Together with Stefano Tissi (vocals), the first promo CD "Eyes Of Memories" was published in 1997. The second promo CD, "Hurricane's Eye", was released in 2000, and served as the proof of Kingcrow's evolution into progressive atmospheres performed with a subtle hard rock and metal approach. This stylistic choice was finally consolidated in 2001 with the first official studio album, "Something Unknown".
In the same year Ivan Nastasi, a guitarist of the classic hard rock / heavy metal style, joined the band. In 2002 Stefano was replaced by Mauro Gelsomini (vocals), who contributed to the songs with his deep and emphatic approach. In June 2003 Kingcrow recorded a 3-track promo CD entitled "Matzmariels". Ready for the next step, Kingcrow decided that the next release should be a conceptual album, and thus "Insider" became reality. Kingcrow noted, "We see this album as a continuous flow of emotions narrated by music".
During 2004 and 2005, Kingcrow built their own recording studio in Rome. A new album, "Timetropia", (heralded by media and fans as a true rock opera along the lines of "Tommy", "Jesus Christ Superstar" or even "Operation Mindcrime"), was recorded and published worldwide by Lucretia Records International. In 2007 and 2008, together with new bassist Angelo Orlando, Kingcrow performed several live shows at the biggest Italian hard rock-heavy metal music festivals (including Gods Of Metal alongside Iron Maiden and Judas Priest) to support the album release.
In February 2009, during the recording sessions for the new album, "Phlegethon", Francesco D'Errico (bass) joined the band. Also Mauro decided to leave the band due to personal reasons, and was substituted by Diego Marchesi, a singer with outstanding vocal skills that has an emotional approach which will help consolidate Kingcrow's status as one of the most original bands to come out of Italy in recent years.
Describing the band today is quite a difficult task, but one could state that the influence of such artists as Porcupine Tree, Riverside, Opeth, Orphaned Land or even Dream Theater in their more subtle moments are all present in the music of Kingcrow. With each release Kingcrow has taken a step further away from their original roots as a classic hard rock / metal band and is today one of the most exciting bands that Italy has to offer.
While working in a mostly progressive metal direction in the earlier days, KINGCROW has increasingly expanded the scope of their sound to encompass elements of rock, nowadays rounded-out in a culmination of strong atmospheric component similar to Riverside, Porcupine Tree and Pink Floyd but also bearing a heavier, metallic semblance to Opeth and Dream Theater. This is boldly present on the band’s fifth studio full-length, In Crescendo, the new album encompassing nearly an hour over eight epic movements. Produced by the band’s own Diego and Thundra Cafolla at Sound Under Pressure in Rome, the massive album was then mixed by Giampiero Ulacco and mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music.
Over the past two years KINGCROW has expanded the band’s fanbase through European tours in support of both Redemption and Jon Oliva, in addition to performances at ProgPower Europe and ProgPower USA. Plans for a U.S. tour are being devised for 2013 in support of In Crescendo.
Sensory Records, a division of The Laser’s Edge, will release In Crescendo in North America on February 12th. Stay tuned for further updates as the new album nears release and as KINGCROW takes to the road in the New Year."
www.facebook.com/Kingcrowband
www.twitter.com/kingcrowband
Kingcrow - The Moth [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

CADAVERIA

Cadaveria (Italy) has a new video. Cadaveria is:
Cadaveria - Vocals
Frank Booth - Guitar
Dick Laurent - Guitar
Peter Dayton - Bass
Marçelo Santos - Drums
"CADAVERIA was formed in 2001 by Cadaveria (vocals) and Marçelo Santos - aka Flegias - (drums), with the intent to create a virtual space where to freely express themselves as musicians and extreme artists.
Immediately Killer Bob (bass), Frank Booth (guitar) and Baron Harkonnen (keyboards) join the combo and in 2002 the band release its debut album "The Shadows' Madame". CADAVERIA style, labelled Horror Metal by critics, can be well identified with a personal mix of Black, Death and Gothic Metal. The lyrics, scheming, hermetic and introspective, mirror the dark soul and the vexed personality of the singer Cadaveria.
In 2003 the band release a Home Video, featuring the music videos for the songs Spell and Circle of Eternal Becoming, a making of and some unpublished backstage acts. Fully self imagined, made, produced and distributed, this video testifies the creativity of the band and its love for the visual dimension.
After the departure of Baron Harkonnen, CADAVERIA continue its musical walk building more melodic guitar riffs, but still preserving the original aggressiveness. The vocals become more variegated, flamboyant and fanciful. With the second album "Far Away From Conformity" (2004) CADAVERIA reach an autonomous complex style, well away from the stereotypes and trends of any pre-existing genres. This album collects good reviews from international magazines and is supported by many live dates. Among them we must remember that show at the legendary Marquee in London.
In 2007 the band join Season of Mist and release its third full length "In Your Blood": twelve brand new songs that mark another step ahead in the band artistic career. The album is announced by the music video for the song “The Dream”, immediately followed by the psycho-splattering “Anagram” video.
The band spend the following years in promoting the album and playing live shows in Italy, France, Mexico, Spain and Romania. In the meanwhile a second guitarist, Dick Laurent, joins the combo.
The quintet complete the songwriting and the recording of eleven dramatic new tracks, that flood into CADAVERIA’s fourth album, entitled “Horror Metal”, released on January 31st, 2012 on Bakerteam Records.
2012 and 2013 see CADAVERIA playing live relentlessly from Europe to South America, promoting "Horror Metal". The album is a success and it is soon reprinted in the "Undead Edition" with two bonus tracks. Two music videos are released for the songs “Flowers in Fire” and “Death Vision”. In October 2013 CADAVERIA release "Karma", a retrospective double DVD featuring the band history through many live gigs images, music videos and lots of making of and behind the scenes material, that reveal the true soul of CADAVERIA: a creative band that works at 360 degrees, caring of its product from A to Z and producing by itself music, graphic art and music videos.
November 18th 2014 is the day: "Silence", CADAVERiA fifth studio album, comes out on Scarlet Records!
This is how Cadaveria herself commented: <<”Silence” is an immense and supreme ‘sound-folly’ that celebrates the capriciousness of destiny, the fugacity of life and the eternal presence of darkness in light. An instinctive impetus made of pure emotions, calibrated by awareness and experience. This album represents our maturity as musicians and the highest and most sincere expression of myself as an artist and as a woman. These new compositions are extremely gloomy and sinister, but they give off an explosion of power, intense energies and deep sensations. “Silence” will guide you into a carnival of imagination and reality, where doom and free will are playing their last chess game. I’m sure it will leave many people speechless. Silence!>> Expect... the best!
In March 2015 the Silence Tour starts and CADAVERIA storm the stages of Russia, Italy and Mexico. In May bassist Killer Bob, after fourteen years of activity, leaves the band. CADAVERIA welcomes new bass player Peter Dayton."
www.facebook.com/cadaveria
www.twitter.com/_Cadaveria_
www.cadaveria.com
CADAVERIA - Strangled Idols (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

DORO

This is a bit of the history of Doro in the music business. Below you will find the relevant links.
This is a translation of the German bio.
"DORO Pesch is a living legend! That the world knows at least since 17 June 2013 as the "Queen of Rock & Metal" in England at the prestigious "Golden Gods Awards" in London's O2 Arena was awarded the first ever "Legends Award".
Highpoint of a now already three decades long lasting career. DORO can look back on a truly unique career in the music business. DORO, ie in figures: gold and platinum awards sold for about 10 million records worldwide, and more than 2,800 live performances on four continents and in 60 countries around the world, 16 studio albums, four DVDs, countless titles pictures in all relevant music magazines million enthusiastic fans around the world.
With 16 years DORO played already in first bands, but the success story started with the foundation of her band Warlock 1982 and the first album Burning The Witches, 1983, the first steps towards an international career, which in 1986 became the first woman on the stage of the legendary "Monsters of Rock "festival at Castle Donnington England led - and 120,000 frenetic fans.
That same year, DORO and Warlock were offered to go with Judas Priest on a world tour. At the point to DORO finally decided to terminate her job as a graphic designer and enter wholeheartedly, heart and soul into the professional music business. On major world tours to DORO earned henceforth be headlining in the US, South America, China, Japan, Australia and Europe a huge following. In Spain and Russia it is now even worshiped as a goddess. You also graduated more Super tours with icons like Ronnie James Dio, the Scorpions or Motörhead.
DORO and Warlock took on a total of four studio albums and managed 1987 Triumph & Agony international breakthrough. Shortly before DORO from Dusseldorf to New York was drawn, where she still lives today. Triumph & Agony sold over three million copies and reached gold & platinum status worldwide. The masterpiece contains among others two mega hits from the songwriter-spring DORO: All We Are and Forever, which are still celebrated today frenetically at every gig.
DORO successor Force Majeur tied seamlessly to the 1989 mega-success of "Triumph & Agony" at, shot right away in 5th place of the German Media Control Charts and reached within just 14 days Gold status.
1990 saw the titled with DORO album, which was produced in LA by none other than KISS mastermind Gene Simmons, who is one of their absolute musical heroes and numerous songs contributed to the album.
True at Heart in 1991 produced by the renowned Barry Beckett (including producer of the Rolling Stones). In the 90s, followed by other outstanding albums as Angels Never Die and Machine to Machine and Pearl Love Me In Black.
The deserved recognition received DORO 1994 when she was named the most important German music award "Echo" for "Artist of the Year". Overall, it has been nominated eight times until today for the ECHO.
In the Czech Republic, meanwhile, won the DORO Spark Magazine title "Sexiest Woman Alive". Calling The Wild set another milestone in 2000, are then but Love Me Forever Alone Again and heard: the first duets DORO ever. Sung with the great Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, with whom she today a long-standing friendship.
Even for the 13-times world champion Regina Halmich maintains DORO a close friendship. Thus arose the same four of their catchment hymns: All We Are, Fight, She's Like Thunder and The Queen.
From her love of animals and a few appearances at charity concert "Rock for Animals", which was performed with the Metal Classic Night Orchestra, was created in 2004 with the idea of ​​producing the successful Classic Diamonds album and the DVD of the same name, which DOROs biggest hits in classical Show robe. Live the fans at Wacken Open Air came to enjoy the Classic Diamonds. There DORO celebrated, accompanied by a 60-piece orchestra, in August 2004 to great acclaim.
In 2006 DORO put her acting talent, as the female lead of the warrior Meha in Luke Gasser's film Anuk - The Path of the Warrior and took her cinema debut. At the same time the film DORO wrote their first film score - Warrior Soul. The title track of the album also served as the film's soundtrack. 2012/13 DORO played again the Meha, when she participated in continuing, Anuk 2, which is celebrating 2014 theatrical release. Speaking of celebrations - on 13 December 2003 celebrated DORO their first big anniversary. For 20-year-olds in Düsseldorf Philips Halle congratulate star guests like Biff Byford, Lemmy and Udo Dirkschneider on stage.
Back in the day, five years later were on 13/12/2008 at the ISS Dome, Dusseldorf, the Scorpions, Tarja Turunen and many other guests with DORO on their stage. The pictures were on this DVD DORO - immortalized 25 Years in Rock. At the same time the end of 2008 the single "Celebrate" Album Fear No Evil developed a hit in Spain where remained "Celebrate" for seven weeks in the top ten. Spain is one of the absolute DORO strongholds. Readers of the largest Spanish metal magazine "Heavy Rock" chose DORO today 17 times (!) As the best of all singers.
Fear No Evil shot in Germany in early 2009 at No. 11th On 13 March 2010, the 2,500th concert, which was also celebrated in the home Dusseldorf followed. In summer 2010, the Metal Queen signed a new record deal with Nuclear Blast, the German premium label when it comes to rock and metal (including Nightwish, Accept).
Their latest album, "Raise Your Fist", also rose in October 2012 straight into the Top 20 a. The album represents a new climax in the life's work of DORO. Because to Raise Your Fist combines the artist not only super stars like Lemmy (duet with the soulful ballad It Still Hurts) and Gus G (guitarist of Ozzy Osbourne) on their album, but creates with the title song, a new anthem of the caliber of All We Are. In addition, the song of freedom DORO dedicated - Human Rights of the human rights organization "Terre des Femmes", whose ambassador DORO since 2009.
The current 2013 is dedicated entirely to the great 30-year-old "throne-anniversary" of the Metal Queen. The ceremonial kick-off at the anniversary concert in front of 80,000 fans on August 2 in Wacken where DORO at the 24th W: O: A is seen for the 5th time as a headliner, followed by an extensive European tour in the fall as well as special anniversary gigs.
The new Doro band consists of Nick Douglas (bass), Johnny Dee (drums), Bas Maas (guitar), Luca Princiotta (guitar, keyboard) and Harrison Young (keyboards).
On top DORO versa on 2 and 3 May 2014 two concert nights again in her hometown Dusseldorf back to the CCD hall with a classical night (2:05:14) and a flat-out rock 'n' roll show with illustrious star guests to celebrate their big anniversary."
DORO Discography:
Burning The Witches (1983)
Hellbound (1985)
True As Steel (1986)
Triumph & Agony (1987)
Force Majeure (1989)
DORO (1990)
Rare Diamonds (1991)
True at Heart (1991)
Angels Never Die (1993)
DORO - Live (1994)
Machine to Machine (1995)
Love Me in Black (1998)
Calling The Wild (2000)
Fight (2003)
Classic Diamonds (2004)
Warrior Soul (2006)
Fear No Evil (2009)
Under My Skin (2012)
Raise Your Fist (2012)
Current Album:
Raise Your Fist (30 Years Anniversary Edition) (2014)
DVDs:
Forever (2003)
Classic Diamonds (2004)
20 Years of Warrior Soul (2007)
DORO - 25 Years of Rock (2010)
DORO - Raise Your Fist In The Air (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
www.facebook.com/DoroOfficial
www.twitter.com/DoroOfficial

ARA'KUS heavy metal opera from Seattle

Ara'Kus
"Ara'Kus Productions combines fantasy based, atmospheric, story-driven theater with their signature style of symphonic, operatic heavy metal."
"Ara'Kus Productions is dedicated to creating atmospheric, story-driven theater that can't be found anywhere else. Using traditional operatic themes and weaving them together with symphonic heavy metal music they create stories that are not only seen and heard, but experienced.
Aeterno Elementum, their premier production, is a dark tale of a world riddled with corruption and cruelty, and of its inevitable, and violent, purge. Featuring a variety of performers, from fire-dancers to aerial acrobats, martial arts experts and fully armored knights engaged in authentic medieval combat, Aeterno Elementum is a stunning visual spectacle. Combine this with a soaring, operatic heavy metal symphony and you have a show that must not only be seen and heard, but felt, to be fully understood.
This information is from Facebook.
THE BAND
Jeremiah Johnson - Vocals and guitars
Vivian Lee - Vocals and violin
Olga Milovanova - Vocals
Rachel Boursaw - Keyboards
Ray Salamon - Bass
Jeremy Veleber - Drums
John Perlic - Cello
Molly Grossman - Violin
THE CHOIR
Ryan Aarestaad Brian Davis- Hopkins
Brittany DeMott
Ashley Selleck
Susan Smith
Deirdre Stinson
Pamela Gwizdak
THE CAST
Priest - B.J. Becker
Demoness - Synder
The Hero - Ryan Heflen
Bishop - Karl Deede
The Actor - Hiromi Cota
The Daimyo - Evan Christopher
The Daimyo's Bodyguard- Aaron Scull
The Daimyo's Wife - Patricia Yi
The Nobleman - Joshua Johnson
The Syren - Deirdre Stinson
The Assassin - Kyle Robinson
Assassin’s Wife - Brittany DeMott
Assassin's Daughter - Moira McGrath
The Star of Dawn - Melody Anne
The Warrior - Mike Folger
Warrior's Wife - Shannon Sherrodd
Assassin Leader - Jordin Mitchell
Assassin 1 - Blue
Assassin 2 - Rena Stone
Viking 1 - Michael "Velox" Cassell
Viking 2 - Brandon Worrell
The Imp - Richard Chartrand
The Conquered:
Lynn Grandin
Margaret Becker
Christopher James
Jessica Robbins
The Knights:
Rick Van Meter
Dylan Birtolo
Gina Kessler
Rena Stone
Allan Kemp
Kitty DeBerry
Mike Richards
Tiffany Kreider
The Children:
Moira McGrath
MacKenzie
Selene Halbert
THE CREW
Lighting Design - Inky Grrl
Press Writer - John Stevenson
Director - Tori "Morgue Anne" McDonough
Stage Manager - Jenifer King
Stage Hands - Tony Davies, Michael 'Grimm' Lamoureux, Megan MacDonald
Composer/Writer - Jeremiah Johnson
Combat Choreography - Ryan Heflen
Sound Reinforcement Specialists - Alex Kiwerski
www.heavymetalopera.com
www.facebook.com/AraKusProductions

PÚAH

PÚAH (Venezuela) is a Spanish-language modern groove band with afro-Venezuelan influences.
"Puah undoubtedly carries the banner of the new sound of the Venezuelan metal. A perfect communion between Math Metal sound with the classic touch of Groove, hardcore and thrash, sometimes merging with rhythms of Afro-Venezuelan root; They did awaken the "Chaos Machine" in 2005, a period in which Alejandro Colmenarez Ali Rodriguez and Napoleon Agreda begin to gather in the studio to and give the green light to what would be one of the most important bands of the new national scene.
Major changes would come later with the release of their first EP "Betrayal" recording made in model format with 4 of its main themes. "Vice Terrestrial," "line.13", "My turn" and "Yerro" took the first chords within this material released in late 2007, when entering a fourth member to completely define the sound and identity of Puah Force; David "Chuck" Ferrer.
The band decided to make the official recording of the EP "Demo" (2008) contained the same four issues in a more professional format, material that leads to the stage of II Emerging Bands Festival 2008 (Barquisimeto) resulting as 1st place in the contest. This time for a historical precedent framework band with very good results later. For 2009, the band enters studio for months working tirelessly, discovering new sounds that later, they would be part of the first album tentatively titled "Problem tree", the name by which the process is known pre- production of such work.
For 2010, the "Force Puah" demolish the Venezuelan stage, serving as backup Americans Lamb of God during its passage through Caracas as part of world tour for the album "Wrath". Then in 2011, they share the noise before more than 40 thousand people in one of the biggest festivals in Venezuela: Gillmanfest, the date on which together with the ex - Judas Priest Tim "Ripper" Owens (USA) and Rata Blanca (Argentina) would the main course for what was to date the issue with greater capacity in the history of this prestigious event.
After a profound evolution, it ends the pregnancy and born in the eyes of the public "Kharma" material which receives the first rays of light to January 2014. An album conceived within a series of personal experiences of each member, a contentivo introspective and critical of the "internal conflict" of the human being against himself message. The album received excellent reviews and anuencias, being inside the counting of the top 15 nationally discs (Pig pop / Planeta Urbe) and arriving several countries in Latin America and Europe through iTunes and Google Music. His first single and video "Drylands" was awarded "Video of the Year" during the celebration of the annual awards Melomaniac Venezuela. At the same time, performing their hit "KharmaTour 2014" tour of 9 dates around Venezuela, which served to consolidate completely the place of the band as one of the most iconic groups in the new Venezuelan rock scene.
www.puahvzla.bandcamp.com
puahvzla.com
www.twitter.com/PuahVzla
www.facebook.com/PUAHVZLA

KILMARA

This is KILMARA from Spain, a modern, groove, melodic band.
"Heavy metal ,prog, power from Barcelona
"They were formed out of Barcelona in 2003, originally under the name Jadde and after releasing their very first demo, the band recruited vocalist Christian “Wolf” Kohl and soon with the help of his vision of direction, changed their name to Kilmara and released a 2nd demo in 2004. With the remainder of the band all native Spaniards, the German born Christian had to initially sing Kilmara’s songs in Spanish until they decided to expand their chances of success and popularity by switching from Spanish lyrics to English.
While the 3rd demo has songs in both Spanish and English, their debut CD ‘Hunting dreams’ produced by Rolff Munkes ( Empire, Majestyc, Razors Blade.... ) was entirely written and sung in English to help establish an international market and improve their chances of being signed by a record label. Despite being self-produced, ‘Hunting dreams’ was a decent and consistent melodic metal debut. With influences ranging from the DiAnno-era Iron Maiden to Savatage, Kilmara’s debut effort was a strong performance despite having a few obvious flaws like any new metal band would. However, overall it was a strong, respectable and honest effort that was enough to leave some anticipation and curiosity for the next release. Kilmara received a welcomed boost, when Spanish label Maldito Records signed the band and their latest release ‘Don’t fear the wolf’ was locally released in May 2010. The initial reviews of the CD were positive and it also reached #20 in the Spanish metal/rock charts, And recieved some Awards in diferents countrys.
In November of 2010, Kilmara signed with U.K. label Rising Records who then re-released ‘Don’t fear the wolf’ worldwide in early 2011. There have been a few line-up changes between releases, with bassist Salvador Perez leaving the band in 2010. He was replaced by Jose Sebasstian, however he left just after a short period of time and was replaced by current bassist Jose “Johanson” Castillo. The remainder of Kilmara includes drummer Javier Morillo and guitarists John Portillo and Kike Torres.
For the recording and producing process for ‘Don’t fear the wolf’, Kilmara left Spain for Slovakia, to Grapow Studios to work with Roland Grapow (of Masterplan and Helloween fame) to put together a more powerful CD than its predecessor. In many ways, it excels over the previous; obviously the production is one of the main improvements, but overall the heaviness, catchiness and songwriting has improved quite a lot. Even vocalist Christian Kohl has improved in his techniques and delivery; which at times sounded inconsistent on the debut. The guitar riffs throughout the CD are far crisper, deeper and harder-edged than before (compliments to John and Kike), while the melodies are rather intricate and memorable; thus the songs which appear on the CD have also improved and are of a higher calibre and quality. Kilmara to played with Baron Rojo, Saratoga, Los suaves, Dare, Winger, Metallium, Enforcer, Tank, etc....."
Listen to Kilmara here:
www.facebook.com/kilmaraofficial/app_2405167945
www.facebook.com/kilmaraofficial
www.twitter.com/KILMARA_DFTW

Monday, July 27, 2015

APHASIA

Below you can listen to the music of Aphasia, from Kenya. Here's a bit of info about the band, from the bio.
"Aphasia is a progressive metal core/death core band hailing from Nairobi Kenya.
Having drawn influences from bands such as veil of maya and misery signals, aphasia started out as a side project of the then FYLTH vocalist Red sabin and subsequently became a full time project upon the disbandment of FYLTH in 2011.
With their first release being more of an experimental electronic song, aphasia aimed to define their sound with their second release Hyperion which was released as the first single off their existentialist EP scheduled for release at a later date. Aphasia sights misery signals, elitist and veil of maya as their top influences but also draws inspiration from structures, substructures, volumes and seditionist with their instrumentation being more progressive but having a metal core hardcore vocal structure.
Aphasias themes are a portrayal of all that is wrong with the world spelling out doom for the evil doers and hope for the victims. we also think telletubies are creepy as ****."
Listen to Aphasia here:
www.facebook.com/aphasiaKE/app_2405167945
www.facebook.com/aphasiaKE
www.twitter.com/AphasiaKE

ANGELIDA

Angélida (Spain) plays symphonic metal. Below you can hear the music at the Bandcamp link. Also, below is the bio of the band.
"Angélida is a symphonic metal group formed in mid-2006 Zaragoza founded by Joseph A. Benavente (composer, lyricist and drums) and Javier Ferrandez (guitars). In its early years, the group carried out the recording of their first album (Decanimae, 2007), produced by David Marco in lunanueva studies with getting various awards (Best Young Motion, Finalists Enróckate 08 Semifinalists PopyRock finalists Interpeñas 07/09, winner of the contest Cd San Felices ...) and rave reviews in the music scene for his album-debut.
In 2008 they suffered a few months of inactivity as far as concerts are concerned due to the restructuring of the band. In March 2009 they resume their activity and begin preparing his new work, while presenting live to the new formation. In November of the same year, beginning the recording sessions of the topics that will contain their new LP "The city of the birds"; a conceptual work consists of 11 songs, which Angélida shows its darker and enigmatic while presenting the new additions discographically side. With it, they get open market outside his native Spain up to commercialize its disc in China, Canada and much of South America.
In 2012, and with a large number of collaborating musicians, edited "The Dreaming League", his third studio album. Five songs with melody, strength and feeling that has characterized them and an orchestral version of each of them, which is probably the most bombastic and epic album they have released to date.
Currently the band is promoting his latest work in social networks having achieved wide acceptance among the public in Latin America, the US and Japan.
www.angelida.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/Angelidazgz
www.twitter.com/_AnGelida_