Free Metal Monday: Mountain Moshpit Vol. 1

"Mountain Moshpit Vol. 1" is a free compilation from the folks over at Armstrong Metalfeast. With a total of 19 tracks there is a lot of good stuff going on, but then again the same could be said for Armstrong Metalfeast 2016! You can find this digital compilation by heading here. While there be sure to check out all the details of Armstrong Metalfeast 2016 as it sounds as if it is going to be a blast!

Currant Playlist

It's Sunday my friends. that means I am super late with my current playlist. That's not good. It's not good at all. But then neither is the fact that I got hardly any work done this week. I kind of knew that the end of the school year would be busy for me, but I didn't expect it to take up this much time! Thankfully school will be out for my daughter after Tuesday so I won't be playing chauffeur as much. Having one child get out in may and the other in June does make things a wee bit difficult, but sometimes you just have to roll with the punches when one is going to a normal high-school and the other one's going to a vocational school! Being a single dad doesn't make it any easier, but I wouldn't change it for the world! OK, enough with the rambling on and on. Here's my list for the week and as always please feel free to share yours! 

Listening to:

Judas Priest-Painkiller

New York City Rock N Roll compilation

Hash Palace-Grit And Bare It

The Metal Box (3CD set of various hard rock and heavy metal groups and artists)

Anthrax-Return of the Killers A's

Glass Harp-S/T

Areosmith-Get Your Wings

Watching:

Arrested Development Season 1

The Do-Over

Chuck Season 4

The Taking of Deborah Logan

Constraint-Enlightened By Darkness

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Formed back in March of 2011 (while many of it's members were still in their teens!), Constraint is a up-and-coming symphonic metal group that hails from Italy and began life as a cover band. This young group, which is now signed to Atomic Stuff Promotion(!), is lead by vocalist (and would be opera singer!) Beatrice Bini* and rounded out by guitarist Alessio Molinari, bassist Federico Paglia, keyboardist Simone Ferraresi, and drummer Alessandro Lodesani. Released on February 12th of this year, "Enlightened By Darkness" is Constraint's full-length debut album and this CD displays the natural evolution of one five-piece band that went from playing Nightwish, Epica and Evanesence covers to crafting it's own distinct material. Preceded by a 2012 demo entitled "Illusion Of A Dream", Constraint's "Enlightened By Darkness" is admittedly at it's best when it pursues a more metallic narrative. When she is backed by the smoldering leads of guitarist Alessio Molinari (and in full-tilt opera mode!) Beatrice Bini is something to behold! There's a distinct feeling of power & energy and it feels almost magical when the proverbial peddle** is smashed to the floor!! That's all great and it makes me want to hear more from that version of Constraint. Unfortunately when things slow down (and lead singer Beatrice goes from full-tilt opera mode to normal singing) this disc simply doesn't work. It's not simply a case of the album losing some of it's momentum, but it's overall appeal. Truth be told  it's a tale of two cities when it comes to "Enlightened By Darkness". On one hand there is top-notch symphonic metal that is enthusiastic& hard driving. On the other hand there is something that is more akin to mediocre melodic metal. Obviously the one side of this band works and is great while the other side feels blah. If Constraint can become more consistent across the board then this female-fronted band could be the real deal. And yes, I could see that happening. Especially as there is more to like*** about this album then there is to dislike....


*No insult meant there as Beatrice Bini could be a opera singer if she so desired.

**Pedal to the metal as they say! 

 ***In addition to Bini's opera-like vocals (or rather that side of her voice) top points should be awarded to all of the musicians involved with this album. There's was strong musicianship all over this disc. No matter if the album was fast or slow that aspect of Constraint never changed. Add in some solid songwriting and a overall good production job and you've got one disc that despite it's few flaws is still recommend. 

Interview with Snakewine members Ronny Konietzko And Sebastian Welsch

Snakewine is a FANTASTIC German hard & heavy band whose rock n' roll-infused debut album, "Serpent Kings", completely blew me away! Earlier this month I not only covered that must-have release, but one of the group's latest songs, "Brood Of Vipers". Both the album and the new single ROCK THE FUCK out of life itself and have made me a new believer in the full-tilt power that is Snakewine! You can read my coverage of these two cool releases by clicking on this link. For now though it is my extreme privilege to present an interview that I recently conducted with Snakewine members Ronny Konietzko (vox) and Sebastian Welsch (bass). I want to thank these two fine gentlemen for taking time out of their busy schedules to chat with us and I would like to encourage all of our readers to find out for themselves why I consider "Serpent Kings" to be the answer to my rock n' roll prayers! Enjoy!!

Andy-Up-front guys I would just like to say how much I love the sound of your band! It's like the perfect mixture of heavy rock, classic hard rock and dirty metal!!

Sebastian- Andy, thank you for the kind words. It means a lot to us! 

Andy-Was that you're goal all along or has your band evolved over time? I mean in regards to your stone cold killer and all!

Sebastion-On the subject of Snakewine as a band, our sound doesn’t follow any goals. And unlike everything else we do as a band, this sound kind of ‚happens‘. It is hard to find out the reasons behind, but to me, it’s because we are all die-hard musicians. It’s as simple as that. We live for every of those moments in the rehearsal room, for every mile on the road to a gig and for every scratch on a guitar and broken stick on stage. We don’t play a role when we write our songs and we don’t picture ourselves as ‚fans‘ of other great bands in rock history, but as a part of their community, their demise. It all comes back together that we are very close to have a pure and genuine development process within our songs and every note that’s played is there because it’s…meant to be. I think that our listeners feel this attitude towards our own music and value this the most. Most modern bands can’t grab their crowd on this level, the bands from the 80ies could. Why? Because they didn’t go out to sound like anyone else, but to be heard.

Andy-I couldn't agree more! So, with Snakewine how did it all come together?

Ronny-I got a quite simple answer for that: a big desperation about the today's music scene combined with a deep rooted "make it or break it" attitude. In a small region like ours it was just a matter of time that we had to cross the path of each other. The first incarnation (band) didn't work well because there was only Sebastian and me that fits together. Second incarnation fits a lot better, here you had Frank and me. And in the third and best of all you have Sebastian, Frank, Buddha & me. We all were our missing piece to complete that thing what you now know as Snakewine.

Andy-Well, I for one am glad to now know Snakewine! I mean "Serpent Kings" really blew me away!! The only thing is I can't help but feel as if I'm late to the party. How has the reaction been from fans and critics alike?

Sebastian: You aren’t. To be honest with you, ‚Serpent Kings’ is our very first step to where the spotlight is. We are right now blink behind the curtain, ready to go out. The intro is already running and the people are putting their drinks back on the table and heading to the stage, willing to listen, standing their expectantly. But it’s quite a few steps to take to get on stage, with the lights on us. When Frank will hit the first chords, you’ll get your party, I promise. But until this moment, we will have to work really, really hard, and most of this work won’t be related to the music itself. We will kick asses, but at first we have to kick our owns out of the dark.

Andy-That's a great response! I'm just going by your energetic new single here, but it sure does seem as if Snakewine is more revved-up than ever! What's the secret to your success? I mean how do you guys keep getting better and better when you were already perfect to begin with?

Sebastian-Your enthusiasm really blows me away!! The secret…eh, that's a tough one. Maybe it is a matter of self-respect. We are cocky. I always see people fail because of their mindsets. For us, there are no such questions like ‚Will we be able to do this?‘ or ‚Can we achieve it?‘ We don’t waste our time asking stupid questions so we don’t receive stupid answers that take our focus. The plan is simple: make the most of everything you do. You come out with an debut album? Make it count, don’t come up with first-try excuses. You are at a venue and there are only 2 people? Cool, they deserve it to be served the best way possible. Your sound guy fucks it up and you can’t hear yourself? Play the shit of that guitar and when it sounds off, it at least will look cool. That’s how you grow.

Andy-Nice. And since we're on the subject of new material anyway I might as well ask. Do you plan to release any other singles in the near future or is the next step something more...expanded?

Sebastian-On our road-map is our first video to ‚Mean Machine‘, which we currently focus on. In the second half of 2016 we will play a few gigs throughout Germany and begin writing (actually already did) new songs for a big release following in 2017. There is a chance you’ll see another EP released later this year, but we are not sure if it’s the right thing to do.

Andy-I hope you do! I mean release a new EP. But, let's keep moving on guys. On tape your music is simply kick ass so I would have to assume that you guys kick up a little bit of dirt when playing live. Is there such thing as a typical Snakewine show or is every gig a new excuse to cause as much mischief and mayhem as humanly possible?

Sebastian: Hahaha! Boy, we need space! In smaller locations we always put our big equipment box about 5 ft. in front of the stage to give us a little more room to play and jump around. We love to be within the crowd and go crazy with the people there, it sometimes reminds me of underground hardcore shows. Ronny screams from the top of his lungs, being on the ground, Frank jumps in the crowd and slides on his knees when the solo part of ‚Serpent Kings‘ begins and I throw this bass guitar into the drum-set when the encore fades out. This, my friend, is our approach to live music. Deeply connected with the fans, since rock’n’roll is nothing to only look at.

Andy-Fucking amen to that! Do you guys ever pull out the odd cover song or two when playing out?

Sebastian: No more. We fucked it up every time. The last cover song we played almost a year ago, called ‚Die Die my darling‘, a simple punk song but we just couldn’t rock it. Remember what I told you about we are not playing a role? We are not even able to!

Andy-I understand where your coming from with that. Has there been a favorite gig so far?

Sebastian-We once played a show on a small death metal festival. The people booed at us since the very first moment we got on stage to soundcheck, because they expected some volbeatish-rock’n’roll-thing and didn’t come to terms with this. As soon as the intro was over, we had a shitload of new fans. And I was like ‚yeah, suck it!!‘ Best moment for me on stage so far.

Andy-Awesome! New recruits are always a damn good thing! So, how about the near future? Will the band be playing a lot of upcoming shows or are you headed back to the studio?

Sebastian-More gigs, bigger gigs, better gigs. The video will hopefully open the doors of more exclusive venues and we get some more well-known bands interested in touring with us.

Andy-I really hope it works out for you guys. You guys deserve it! As we wrap things up where can our readers find out more about your group?

Sebastian: Facebook is our #1 channel. We are currently implementing a merch shop on our Facebook-page, go check it out!

Andy-Sweet! I've provide the link below. Now, I always let bands have the last word. That means the mic is all yours! Is there anything we missed that you might want to mention? Have a favorite story to tell about the band? Whatever it is now is your chance!

Sebastian-We are thinking about booking a US Tour in 2017 on our own. If there is anyone of your readers interested in working with us, we really appreciate that!

Ronny-Cheers  ;-)

Andy-That would be INSANE! Man alive, Snakewine here in the U.S.?  There is no way I would miss that!! And I would hope that our readers would jump at the chance as well. If there is any chance that you (our reader) could help the band out in that regard then by all means PLEASE drop Snakewine a line! Speaking of which, Snakewine can be found online by either heading to their Facebook page or by checking out their official website. If you haven't heard "Serpent Kings" for yourself then be sure to head here. And to the band thank you again for talking with us and for the music! Snakewine is REAL rock n' roll heavy metal for real everyday people and frankly it does not get any better than this!

Nuke-Nuke

Hells Headbangers
2016

Due for release on July 22nd, "Nuke" is the self-titled debut from the lean and mean Detroit speed-tinged metal punk band of the same name. It serves as the follow-up to Nuke's twice sold-out demo, "Delta City", and finds this "supergroup" of sorts pouring gasoline on the rotting corpses of eighties metal, speed metal, street metal, raw thrash, N.W.O.B.H.M, and crossover and then slam dancing the night away of the smoldering remains! Comprised of members of Shitfucker, Reaper, Borrowed Time, Perversion, and Anguish this Detroit metal machine has a rough and raw sound unlike anyone else out there and it should come as little surprise to learn that they more than live up to their name!  With Ritchie Riot from Shitfucker on lead vocals(!), Nuke unleashes all kinds of chaos and blood-soaked carnage on their first full-length release and it makes for grand fucking good time to say the least! Whether this is a one and down deal or a long term project is anyone's guess, but let's all hope that this is just the first of many nuclear assaults that will reign down on us from these Detroit maniacs!

Free Metal Monday: Metal Up Your Axe, Vol. 2

For today's Free Metal Monday feature we have the cleverly-titled "Metal Up Your Axe Vol. 2". This impressive 41 track (!) compilation includes current and unreleased original songs from both up and coming bands and already established acts. There are rock & metal bands from the United States, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria and it all comes courtesy of the great folks over at Online Metal Promo and the UK radio show, The Autopsy Report! You can download the free songs, compilation artwork and track listing by clicking on this link. Meanwhile here is the list of all of the bands that are included on this wicked compilation:

1. Alsatia
2. Angerhead
3. Azrael’s Bane
4. Blasted To Static
5. Broken Teeth
6. Canedy
7. Chris Violence
8. Corners of Sanctuary
9. Diamond Lane
10. Dire Peril
11. Dreadnaught
12. Empires of Eden
13. Enceladus
14. Eternal Voyager
15. Flames of Fury
16. HailMary
17. Helion Prime
18. Ignitor
19. Jessikill
20. Knightmare
21. Lords of the Trident
22. Love & War
23. Malice
24. Maxxxwell Carlisle
25. Outlaws & Moonshine
26. Phallax
27. Rabid Assassin
28. RebelHot
29. Seventh Calling
30. Shallow Ground
31. Sorizon
32. St. James
33. Stop Stop
34. Strikeforce
35. The Rods
36. TwentyDarkSeven
37. Unbound
38. Vanlade
39. Viron
40. Zar
41. Zephaniah

Sunday Singles: Lilith and The Knight-Wake Up

Red Vixen Records
2016


Calling London home, Lilith and The Knight is a up-and-coming heavy rock/hard & heavy band with one truly inspired single to it's name thanks to the recently-released "Wake Up". Formed by guitarist Stephen and lead vocalist Lilith a little over a year ago, Lilith and The Knight draws it's inspiration from a wide-range of sources that are both new and old. From classic rock to modern metal you'll find a little bit of everything has  made it's way into the heart of this band's fresh sound and with guitarist Adam, bassist Tom, and drummer Francesco rounding matters out it sure seems as if NOTHING can stand in the way of this group's ultimate success! Fans of female-fronted rock and heavy metal would do well to invest in the magnificence that is "Wake Up" especially as this in one new single that is sweet as F**K!!!!

Current Playlist

Wow, another week has flown by in flash! Where did it go and why do I feel as if I have whiplash from the whole affair? Even though I was sick for a couple of days there in the middle it still seems as if it was just last week when I was posting one of these. It's just crazy....

Listening to:

Striker-Stand In The Fire (For possible review)
Imperative Music Volume XI
Nuke-Nuke (Review coming...)
Sacred Reich-Ignorance
Diamond Head-Diamond Head (Review coming...)
Scarblade-The Cosmic Wrath (Possible review...)

Watching:

Goosebumps
The X-Files Season 1

Playing:

Fallout 4-Far Harbor


As always I welcome I your playlists as well as your suggestions for reviews. Let me know what your listening to, watching, reading, and yes, even playing! And as always have a great week and remember to keep it LOUD and PROUD!

Killer Khan-Global Killer

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Killer Khan is one band that should need no introduction. That is if you consider yourself to be any kind true metalhead! I mean after all this is the same incredible group that gave us the album "Kill Devil Hills"!! Our longtime readers might recall that I first covered this classic metal release in a Forgotten Gems feature back in 2012. Originally independently-released way back in 1999, "Kill Devil Hills" proved itself worthy of high praise and worship thanks to it's slick combination of eighties metal, hard rock and doom. With the Ozzy-like vocals of lead singer/guitarist Killian Khan merely serving as the sweet and delicious icing on top of one hell of a flavorful cake(!), "Kill Devil Hills" became a hidden gem for everyone who came across it and naturally that includes me. "Kill Devil Hills" has become a mainstay in my home and to this day I still enjoy it for what it represents. And that is real heavy metal for real heavy metal fans! When it comes to this criminally-underrated band from Mooresville, North Carolina we're talking about everything that there is to love about tried and true heavy metal wrapped up into one neat and tidy package. It's all there from superb performances to catchy material and whether you recognized it or not this four-piece has always been right there in the front genre since first coming together as Holy Moses back in 1994! Eventually that band evolved into Killer Khan and then Killer Khan gave us "Kill Devil Hills". And because of how solid that album actually was it would only be a matter of time before some label would come along and see fit to properly re-issue it. Put out in mid-April of of 2015 by Heaven and Hell Records, "Kill Devil Hills" went from being a hidden gem to an album that was finally in the spotlight (and rightfully so as this was a place where it had always belonged!). Thanks to it's remastered sound and the inclusion of two additional bonus tracks in "Abomination" and "Iceman (Part II)" the re-issue of Killer Khan's debut album hit the scene like a ton of bricks. Along the way it also managed to pull off the impossible. Somehow the Heaven and Hell Records version of "Kill Devil Hills" improved upon perfection! The new and improved album was everything that longtime fans of Killer Khan could have hoped!! Not only did it sound great, but it looked great too! As far as Killer Khan fans were concerned everything was right with the world and just how it should be. Killer Khan was finally getting the proper recognition that it deserved and everyone would see this group's back catalog for. And that is an amazing collection of material that is simply not to be missed! But then came the news that Killer Khan was back and working on a new album. And suddenly I found myself laying there in bed with a burning question all but eating me up inside. "How in the world can anyone expect Killer Khan to top that great re-issue?" I asked myself. "Had they painted themselves into a corner?" I wondered. These questions and so many more keep creeping up on it. Would "Global Killer" prove to be a comeback album for this North Carolina four-piece or was the magic all used up by now? To be honest I thought the worse. Even after "Global Killer" dropped I wasn't ready to try it out. Honestly I waited a good while until I check out. Thankfully all it took was one listen to opener to "Prowess of the Night" and I had my answer. Killer Khan was back! And not only were they back, but they were back with a fiery vengeance!! On the fittingly-named "Global Killer" the guys in Killer Khan meant business!! There would be hell to pay for all those who had forgotten their name. For band-mates Killian Khan (vocals, guitar), Ron Dalton (guitar), Brice Sandahl (bass), and Jody Rumple (drums) this new disc would prove to be a lightening bolt straight into the faces of the unbelievers! What "Global Killer" represents is simple enough even if you can't put it in exact terms that are easy to understand. This album is another great mixture of all the things that make Killer Khan the unreal act that they are. It's eighties metal. It's hard rock/heavy metal. And it's doom. "Global Killer" is Killer Khan doing what they do best and that wonderful concept keeps everything flowing along nicely until the very end of "Playful Dead". On their third full-length Killer Khan cranks out highly memorable metal that is once more perfectly-flavored by those great vocals of Killian Khan. I once wrote how much Killian Khan reminded me of Ozzy (or at the very least his illegitimate offspring!) and while I still stand by that concept there is a brief side note to add. Here on "Global Killer" Killian Khan sounds more mature. Like many of us he has added a few more miles on his voice with the passage of time. Obviously he isn't the same front-man as he was on "Kill Devil Hills", but trust me here when I say that's good. The maturity in his voice actually works towards the overall appeal of this new album as it gives everything a more natural and real vibe. It's as if the front-man isn't afraid to admit that not only has he grown as a musician, but as a person. And while he might be older he has way more experience under his belt. In the end it just gives the material on "Global Killer" a more realistic feeling. In that regard credit must also be given to the album's overall production. Thankfully Killer Khan's new album isn't over-produced. "Global Killer" feels like a metal disc should. It's tuneful in just the right places while it is also open enough so that raw appeal of heavy metal is able to come through nice and loud. Each and every part of this new album works. In a day and age when heavy metals albums can sound way too glossy I cannot even begin to tell you how nice that is! Not once does "Global Killer" shy away from the fact that it is there to deliver an ass kicking. It doesn't let up on sonic assault or pull away from the raw metallic energy that fuels it. Instead "Global Killer" is as rebellious and destructive as it wants to be. Whether you are a fan of this great group or not that is something to celebrate. Needless to say I love this album and highly-recommend it.....

Free Metal Monday: Nice Guyz-Propaganda

Self-Release/Independent
2016

"Propaganda" is the second Free Metal Monday offering of the day and this name-your-price release comes from an Israeli four-piece band that is known as Nice Guyz. With seven original compositions and two interesting cover songs, "Propaganda" looks as if it is the first proper full-length album from this hardcore punk metal band and it serves as the natural follow to a late 2015 recording that was fittingly-enough entitled "Demo EP"! Based in Giv'atayim and currently comprised of Liron Elisar (rhythm guitar), Asaf Keefe (lead guitar), Chen Kira (vox), and Alisiya Lavrenova (drums), Nice Guyz has a lot to offer on this rage in the cage recording in spite of what the above-artwork might otherwise suggest. In addition to head-kicking title track, "Propaganda" features such fury-filled gems as "Anarchy In Tel Aviv", "Realishit", "Rampage", and "Testament" and they all go down nice and smooth! Often times these angry cuts come across as if they were a lethal (but delicious!) cocktail of the Sex Pistols and The Exploited* and when you sit them next to covers of "Hurt" (Johnny Cash) and "Rape Me" (Nirvana) you get one damn fun release** that is most-definitely a steal of a deal since it's free! 




*Or at least the early days of The Exploited when they were more hardcore than metal.



**While it's certainly more modern than it is vintage, "Propaganda" did make me think back to the old tape-trading days when punk hardcore and raw garage metal would get together on a sweaty Friday night and bang out some choice material! Usually this was after first consuming a case or two of extremely cheap beer, but the end result was all the same (ie: attitude-filled music that wasn't easy to define genre-wise).

Free Metal Monday: New Jersey Metal Attack Vol. 1

NVNM Productions
2016

Today's Free Metal Monday feature (which was just released today!) comes courtesy of the fine folks over at NVNM Productions. Available for free by clinking on this link, "New Jersey Metal Attack Vol. 1" includes five new and unreleased songs from some of the talented groups that are affiliated with NVNM Productions  Said bands include Jaws Of Hades, Siege Column, Retaliation, Nefarious Cabal, and DSS and in addition to this name-your-price digital download there will be a limited number* of hand-dubbed cassette available in the very near future. For more information on the limited-edition cassette tape or the individual bands that were involved with this HEAVY sampler be sure to check out the link that was posted above.

*Only 50 copies will be made available!

Sunday Singles: Snakewine-"Brood of Vipers"

Phonector
2016

Released back on February 10th of this year, "Brood of  Vipers" is a drop-dead AWESOME single from German heavy rock/hard & heavy band Snakewine. This ass-kicking quartet is solid as fuck in regards to both their songwriting skills and actual performances and it was it just last week that I covered Snakewine's unreal album "Serpent Kings". Seeing as this rock and roll-fueled outfit is as much influenced by bands like Guns N' Roses and Rose Tattoo as it is Motörhead and Zeke there is no shortage of good times when you plug into tracks like "Brood of Vipers"! In fact the more I hear from this up-and-coming band the more I fall MADLY in love with them and it's the same kind of special feeling that I've long felt for Motörhead and "Appetite For Destruction"-era G N' R!! This is another band that I can't believe is flying so far below the radar especially in this day and age when this kind of dirty underground rock could save us all!!!!

Current Playlist

Another week and another playlist! As per usual it is as odd as I am, but why change a good thing when it's got me this far in life?

Listening to:

Geddes Axe-Aftermath

 

Beastie Boys-Solid Gold Hits

 

Destruction-Release From Agony (inspired by my review of the band Mortal Peril)

 

Alice Cooper-Trash (This CD is such a guilty pleasure of mine!)

 

Mother Love Bone-S/T

 

Fire Ants-Stripped (Special thanks to the site I Hate The 90s for this one!)

 

S.O.D.-Speak English Or Die (If you ask me the world really needs more politically incorrect hardcore/crossover right about now!)

Watching:

 

Deadpool Blu Ray

 

Friday The 13th Part 3

 

Weapons

 

The Walk

 

Chuck Season 3

 

Playing:

War of the Monsters

 

 

As always what are you (yes you!) into this week?

Mortal Peril-The Legacy Of War

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Teutonic thrash metal. Those are three words that I will never get tired of hearing. As a teenager I fell head over heels in love with German thrash and ever since that first fateful encounter* I just cannot get enough of the stuff! Like many others before me it was the Big Three that first turned me on to the glorious insanity that was and still is the German thrash metal scene and now I cannot even begin to imagine my life without that trio. It should go without saying, but just in case it isn't obvious then I am talking about the gods themselves: Kreator, Destruction, and of course Sodom! Those three groups helped get me through the living hell that was high school and I cannot even begin to tell you how many copies of "Extreme Aggression", "Release From Agony", and "Agent Orange" I wore out along the way! To me these three F**king Awesome bands will always be the absolute best that Germany has to offer the thrash metal scene and I simply cannot see that ever changing. So, what exactly does that have to do with Mortal Peril you might be asking? Well, a lot actually. First off all Mortal Peril channels the spirits of all three of those veteran bands. Yes, Mortal Peril is also influenced by the eighties thrash scene in general (Slayer, Exodus, Overkill, and Metallica) and there are flashes of speed metal, HEAVY traditional metal, melodic thrash and even doom to be spotted along the way. So technically it's not 100% Teutonic thrash metal we're talking about with "The Legacy Of War". Still, in all the best ways humanly possible, Mortal Peril reminds me of the greats. On "The Legacy Of War" I get the same kind of wonderful sensation I got from some of Sodom's more technical albums. From the songwriting to the performances I can feel the bands Kreator and Destruction. Somehow this six year old band has managed to put together an album that has all the vintage charm of those three bands while still packing enough of a modern day edge to make it relevant. It's all there and more and it is wicked! But, here's the kicker. Despite the involvement of these influential spirits the band Mortal Peril still has their own thing going on and man oh man is it ever energetic! You're going to want to be careful where you are when you first play this disc as this is pedal to the metal thrash we are talking about! I was on my way to pick up my daughter from school yesterday when I first put in this CD and the let me just tell you the opening number, "Generation Hate", had me FLYING down the back-roads! More than once I had to dial it back some because this CD is SICK! With their second full-length album since first forming back in 2010 the four members of Mortal Peril push everything to the absolute limit. For band mates Jan Radermacher (vox/bass), Pete Rode (lead guitar), Mr. Greene (rhythm guitar), and drummer Jonas Linnartz this is as good as it gets. Frankly-speaking this the kind of album that many bands dream about but are never able to achieve. My friends this is the complete package and to get back to our earlier conversation I can't help but imagine a new generation of kids using this album as an outlet in much the same way that I used tapes by Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction! How is this all possible? How can one band that many have never heard of do so much on their sophomore release? Honestly I don't have an answer for that particular question, but if you want to try to answer it for yourself then it is all packed neatly inside this CD. Needless to say, "The Legacy Of War" is A+ release and it comes HIGHLY recommend! 



*My very first taste of German thrash came from Kreator's "Extreme Aggression". I found the tape one day while visiting a music store in Chapel Hill Mall in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. To this day I absolutely LOVE that album and while Mortal Peril's new disc might actually lean closer to classic Destruction at times I can still feel the spirit of Kreator creeping about in the background! What I dig about this band and this CD is how they take classic thrash and give it a modern feel. Well, there's that and then how damn catchy this stuff all is! 

Interview with G.O.T.H.

For those who might not be in the know, G.O.T.H. is a up-and-coming hard & heavy gothic rock/metal band with both a male and female vocalist. It was only yesterday that I covered G.O.T.H's excellent debut album, "Glam On Thy Hell" and you can read about it by heading here. Now it is my pleasure to post an interview that I recently conducted with co-vocalists Ivan and Kate. I just want to thank the two of them for taking time out of their busy schedules to talk to us and I would encourage each and everyone of you reading this to check out their killer first album! 


Andy-Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today. Would you mind telling us who's who in the band and how G.O.T.H. got together?

Kate-Thank you for this interview! G.O.T.H. is made up by me as a female vocalist and Ivan Prim as a male vocalist. Then there is Dean on guitar, super-star wrestler Christina Von Eerie on bass and Zak on drums.

Ivan-On the beginning when I recorded the album it was just Kate and myself but I knew that I wanted to play live, and as our tour started in the United States we've found there the right people to complete the line-up.

Andy- I'm sure you've been asked this question a thousand times before, but how did you end up with the name G.O.T.H.?

Ivan-G.O.T.H. is the acronym for Glam On Thy Hell. Finding a name for a band is always complicated but I wanted to build on my concept of life that is no matter where you are in heaven or hell in a palace or a poor house your values must always be the same as your glamour. Hence the name Glam On Thy Hell and because our music is more suited to obscurity, love and death joining the initials of the name makes G.O.T.H. that is what we advocate.

Andy-How would you describe your sound to our readers who might not be familiar you?

Kate-Our music is a mix of feelings they can speak of hate and love, heaven and hell, angels and demons and each mysticism that separates the mankind from the other side...

Ivan-The truth is that people can take our songs and lyrics as they want, every individual has the freedom to understand it in his own way. It’s like what happens with the most known best-seller book in the world and the most read - the Bible -every Christian religion interprets and modifies the interpretation of the Bible…sometimes to their benefit.

Kate-Maybe there are two truths? Also our lyrics hide something that only some people can decipher...

Andy-Among other things, "Glam On Thy Hell" has a really cool vintage vibe going for it. Was this something you planned?

Ivan- The music of the band is the face of the band, something mystic and imperial that reflects exactly our sound and lyrics. It’s like the worst human being in the purgatory who shakes while facing with death, while in his life he was always so pretentious and judgmental of other people's lives but when finally judgment comes upon him he cries like a bitch.

Andy-Your debut album is finally seeing a CD release, How did the deal with Musicarchy Media come about?

Ivan-Yes, we kinda had some issues with the release of this album and changed record label and going to Musicarchy Media only recently. Now our self-titled album G.O.T.H. will be released on June 17th via Musicarchy Media. How we signed with Musicarchy Media is a long long story with luckily a happy ending.

Kate-Musicarchy Media is doing an excellent job. Everyone has a good attitude and it is all reflected on the job they do, so we can better do our job.

Andy-Since you touched upon it earlier could you talk to us about the mythical aspect of G.O.T.H.? Especially seeing as there is something almost otherworldly about music.

Ivan-Absolutely, there is something supernatural guaranteed on several aspects, plenty of times I composed a song and recorded it and the next day I had no idea of what was recorded, like if it wasn't me who recorded what I was listening to, many times I felt the presence of something while recording.

In the beginning was weird but then it started to become part of me.

Kate-Something was strange about the band and we realized that here is something with the number 13, everything related to G.O.T.H. has the number 13. When Ivan told me about it, I didn't care much but then I saw that it was too much of a coincidence. I can give some examples; the name Glam On Thy Hell has 13 letters, we have 13 songs, so far so good, some songs were made in Wolverhampton and the name Wolverhampton is made up of 13 letters.

Ivan-If you add up the minutes and seconds of the album you will get the number 13, the first time that I met our current guitarist he had the number 13 tattooed on his hand, our row on the plane was row 13 coming to the United States, then someone offered me one pair of tennis shoes as a gift and the person didn't even know any of this and they had the number 13 with skulls on them.

Kate-Meanwhile our label Musicarchy Media tells us that the digital album release is planned for May 13th, after that we got to the casino to play French Roulette and Ivan told me to bet on the 13 and we won.

Ivan-The song "Chapter One", the first of the album and live shows has a poem that the knight templars used as a ritual, and for those who don't know the knights templars were persecuted and killed on a Friday the13th.

Andy-Wow, those are some strange coincidences! It's really crazy. Let's move on though. Lyrically-speaking the material on "Glam On Thy Hell" is deep and rewarding. Who pens the actual lyrics?

Ivan-I composed all the songs, played all the instruments and wrote all the lyrics.

Kate-I love the lyrics, some of them are more direct and other you might feel confused but if you pay attention metaphorically and do the joining of words and dates you will see that there's a code there.

Andy-I really like the lyrics as well. But then again I also love the actual music! I have to ask. Who inspires the band musically and lyrically?

Ivan-All kinds of art, whatever it may be, musically I like old school bands but Kate prefers newer bands. My inspiration comes from any kind of art.

Andy-That's something I can appreciate. The meeting of the old and the new I mean. So, now that the band is backed by an actual label that is willing to support you as you grow where do you see life taking G.O.T.H.?

Kate- It's very important for us to have someone to believe and support our work, having like 10 or 15 people working behind us for the same goal is much better than having only us. Musicarchy Media have been doing an excellent work, we do talk a lot, we present ideas and priorities increasingly be able to acquire new members for G.O.T.H. legion.

Andy- How can fans find out more about G.O.T.H. and your new album?

Kate- You can find us on social networks like:

www.facebook.com/glamonthyhell 

www.twitter.com/glamonthyhell 

www.instagram.com/glamonthyhell 

www.tumblr.com/glamonthyhell 

www.reverbnation.com/glamonthyhell 

Do the pre order at musicarchymedia.com, and you also can find information about us.

On YouTube you may search for G.O.T.H or Glam On Thy Hell.

 Ivan-We answer messages from fans, me and Kate are always attentive to that.

Andy-That's great. I'm of the mindset that you should always let bands and artists have the last word. Is there anything else that we didn't cover that you would like to discuss? Or perhaps you want to say something to your fans and supporters. Whatever it is the mic is all yours!

Ivan-We just want to thank everyone who’s been following us so far, especially all the people who joined us on our tour in United States and thank to the G.O.T.H legion for all the support thank you all.

 Kate-Also we hope to see everyone at our shows in Europe, thank you one more time.

Andy-You're very welcome and good luck with the tour!

G.O.T.H.-Glam On Thy Hell

Musicarchy Media
2016

Formed in 2005 by co-vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Ivan Prim, G.O.T.H (Glam On Thy Hell) is a rock-solid hard & heavy gothic metal band whose vast array of influences seem to range from Siouxsie and the Banshees to Slayer*! Originally released back in 2015 in digital format only, "Glam On They Hell" is the first full-length studio recording from this up-and-coming American/Portuguese band and it is a highly-atmospheric walk on the dark side of the moon! Well, it's either that or it is a calm, cool & collected sneak peak at the other side of the life's door. You do know the spooktacular place that I am talking about right? If not then it is where you can expect to find death just sitting there nice and comfortable as he waits to greet you after all of the lights have been turned out!! Given the mysterious narrative that is this album's lyrical content** (mystic metal anyone?) I suppose it could go either way. From that point of view it isn't a easy task pinpointing the exact origin of "Glam On Thy Hell". Mind you it's not as if it actually matters. For you see whichever way you choose to slice it and dice it the end result will always be the same. From it's lyrics to it's actual music "Glam On Thy Hell" is a winner! You don't often get hear that when it comes to a band's first album, but somehow all of the stars were able to line up just right and G.O.T.H. pull it off. Produced by Ivan Prim and João Pereira at Requiem Studios in Wolverhampton UK, G.O.T.H.'s debut outing is truly something special, but then again so are the two people that were involved with it's creation. Yes, you heard that right. Despite it's grand scheme there were only two people at work on "Glam On Thy Hell"!. In addition to G.O.T.H.'s main-man and founder Ivan Prim (lead vocals and backing vocals, drums, guitars, bass, and orchestration!) you have Kate Prim (lead vocals and backing vocals). Working together with co-producer João Pereira the pair of Ivan and Kate created a bang-up goth metal release that musically covers a lot of ground and should help set this band apart from it's peers. Somewhat fittingly "Glam On Thy Hell" includes 13 tracks (one of which is nothing more than an intro but still....) and these different tracks all line up in such way that you can't help but be reminded of a time when albums were just that-actual, honest to goodness albums and not just a collection of random numbers just tossed together. There's a nice even-flow about G.O.T.H.'s debut album and the vintage vibe of this disc's production merely adds to the overall appeal of "Glam On Thy Hell". With this only being their first album there's no doubt that this will be a good band to keep an eye on. And now that they are teamed up with the great folks over at Musicarchy Media the members of G.O.T.H. will finally get a chance to put out their debut album on a physical format***! That's a win-win in my book!!



*Even if it has more in common with heavy glam metal than it does thrash this album's somewhat eerie title track, "Glam On Thy Hell", features the same kind of familiar guitar riffs that Slayer in known for. And to answer your second question, yes, the song "Glam On Thy Hell" is all the more awesome because of these killer riffs!

**Despite the fact that you can take the album's well-written lyrics and interpret them in a variety of ways the end result is always the same. There is a strong sense of unity between the lyrics and the actual music on G.O.T.H.'s first album and it makes for a damn fine listen! 

***While it is technically just for the European market, "Glam On they Hell" will at least see a CD release. And that is all that really matters when it comes to fans of this underrated gothic rock/metal band.

Snakewine-Serpent Kings

Phonector
2015

Formed in January of 2014, Snakewine is a underground German four-piece whose dirty & sweaty sound combines elements of heavy rock, hard rock, blues rock, and heavy metal. "Serpent Kings" is the full-length debut album from this rock-infused band and it features the line-up of Ronny Konietzko (vox), Frank Vogel (lead guitar), Sebastian Welsch (bass), and Buddha (drum). The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Niklas Wenzel and it features eight hard living cuts that would have made Lemmy proud! Speaking of which, Motörhead is at one end of the spectrum (as far as influences go!) with the likes of Guns N' Roses, Dangerous Toys, Skid Row, Danko Jones, and even Danzig* sitting comfortably on the other end. Sure, you could argue that there is a lot more to this bands sound**, but either way it all adds up to one hell of a rock n' roll ride  that probably slays the beast live! With summer fast approaching you couldn't ask for a better soundtrack to the good times than  "Serpent Kings".



*The albums last cut, "Shipwrecked", sounds like a cool mash-up of early Danzig (as in his first solo record!), Guns N' Roses, and Motörhead.

**Listen in closely and you'll likely pick up on everyone from AC/DC and "Trash"-era Alice Cooper to Poison (if and only if Poison had been more influenced by Lemmy and company and they rocked a much heavier beat!!).

Free Metal Monday: Brutal Battle Cuba Vol. 1

Asher Media sent me this free digital compilation a few months back and somehow it slipped through my filters until just recently. All the same I am glad that I found it as it would have been a absolute shame not to share this 12 track compilation with all of our readers. Available for free by heading here, "Brutal Battle Cuba Vol. 1" features some great music from some good bands and it just what the doctor called for on this particular Monday. Enjoy!

Wolfheart featuring The Malavita Antisocial Club-Morphean Empires

Wolfblood Productions
2016


"Morphean Empires" is the first release from Wolfheart featuring The Malavita Antisocial Club. And who or what is Wolfheart featuring The Malavita Antisocial Club you might be asking? That's a really good question with a really long answer. But, seeing as time is precious and all that jazz (or in this case METAL!) I'll just keep this short and sweet in order that we can get to real meat of this piece. Stripped to it's core, Wolfheart featuring The Malavita Antisocial Club is, for all intents and purposes, a solo outing for one Wolfgang Süssenbeck (Angry Nation, Citizen X, Darkside, Demolition, Midgard.Upgraded,  Noohoorsh, Waves). On the ultimately impressive (and if we're to be bloody honest here rather lengthy*!) "Morphean Empires" vocalist/keyboardist Wolfgang Süssenbeck has teamed up with fellow Darkside member Jaroslav "Jaro" Lukac (guitars), and bassist/drummer (Dark Lunacy, Darkside, Tapewhore, ex-Demolition (live), ex-Infernal Poetry, ex-Priority, ex-Resurrecturis ) in order that he might unleash (FIERCE!) melodic death metal onto the unsuspecting masses. With guest musicians (and fellow followers of the almighty power cord!) Thomas Schmoll (guitar) and Walter Oberhofer (guitar) along for the ride, "Morphean Empires" ends up being a grand experience and one that should not be undertaken unless you are fully prepared for the eventual onslaught that will follow! Sure, "Morphean Empires" is Wolfgang Süssenbeck making good on a promise that he made to himself some 30+ years back**, but it's also a pleasant little jog through a METALLIC minefield where every new step could find you blown to pieces and left for dead!! In other words, "Morphean Empires" is a damn fine listen especially for those who like their death metal to be melodic, technical and above all else terrifying! Only time will tell if Wolfheart featuring The Malavita Antisocial Club is the real deal or a one and done project. Hopefully it's the former and not the latter as there is a lot of good ideas floating about on this uncompromising release. This one definitely comes stamp with my seal of approval. And as to the band's decision to cover The Doors on "Morphean Empires"? Well, we already had the keys to the kingdom, but now we get all the gold that comes with it!!!!



 

*The promo I was sent included 21 tracks(!) for a run-time of over an hour and a half!

** Wolfgang promised himself that at some point in the future he would release a solo album. Well, the future is now and by the sounds of this bloody curtailing release everything  is on fire!

Saturday Singles: The Ragged Saints-"Pretending Diamond"

Turenki Records
2015

Issued back in June of 2015, "Pretending Diamond" is the most current release from Finnish classic hard rock band The Ragged Saints. Members include Markku Kuikka (lead vocals), Tomi Julkunen (guitars), Toni Bite (guitars), Jukka Hoffrén (bass), and drummer Miikki Kunttu and yes, this is the same band that gave us "The Sound Of Breaking Free"*. Formed in 2011, The Ragged Saints hail from Helsinki and they are one of those rare bands that have managed to effectively combine elements of classic rock, radio rock, eighties hard rock, and melodic heavy metal into something absolutely magical! With a new album reportedly in the works there is still hope that the world will catch on to just how good this group is! Meanwhile a cool number like this should give fans a bit of cheer even if it does make you long for more...



*You can read my review of this rock classic by clinking on this link.

Current Playlist

Listening to:

G.O.T.H.-Glam On Thy Hell

Jack The Ripper-Tortured And Twisted

Snakewine-Serpent Kiss

Constrained-Enlightened By Darkness

Watching:

Dexter Season 8

Chuck Season 1

Wrong-Wrong

Relapse Records
2016

Wrong is post-grunge/alternative rock band that resides in Miami, Florida and is made-up of ex-members of Torche, Kylesa and Capsule. The just-released "Wrong" is the first full-length recording from this four-piece band and this 11-track release serves as the follow-up to a 2014 EP entitled "Stop Giving". Band-members include Eric Hernandez (guitars/vox), Ryan Haft (guitars), Andres Ascanio (bass), and drummer Brian Hernandez and as far as Wrong's influences go there is one particular act that stands head and shoulders above the competition. Apparently Wrong is Florida's answer to Helmet and while it might not be an exact carbon copy it is about as close as you could get to the New York band without outright copyright infringement! As such, "Wrong" is just right for Helmet fans and all those who love the more metallic side of noise rock.

Joe Bouchard-The Power Of Music

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Just released on April 29th and serving as an absolute must-have for classic rock fans both old and young(!), "The Power Of Music" is the latest (and arguably greatest!) solo recording from one time Blue Öyster Cult member (and superb musician in his own right!!) Joe Bouchard. This spectacular full-length album (which is Joe Bouchard's forth solo recording since 2010) features seven new numbers and two choice covers. It also serves as the proper follow-up to 2014's "New Solid Black". The album opens strong with the classic rock thunder of "Walk With The Devil" all but stealing the show and from there it is just one ace track after another until "Career of Evil" closes things out in style! Written by the poet Patti Smith and Joe's own brother Albert (who was a founding member of Blue Öyster Cult), "Career of Evil" is just one of many classic B.O.C. songs that still rule rock radio and it is given special consideration by Bouchard on his new solo album. Simply put it works on so many levels, but then again you could say the exact same thing when it comes to the original material that makes up the bulk of Joe Bouchard's "The Power Of Music". In addition to the splendid title track (which sounds as if it could have been written by B.O.C. sometime in the seventies!) and the aforementioned "Walk With The Devil" (I love this great rock track!!) you've got the wild and fun ride that is "Is He The Wolfman". This first-rate song is old-time rock and roll number with a nice and spooky horror/Sci Fi vibe and it shows just how talented and creative this multi-instrumentalist is! Other stand-out numbers from this former B.O.C. member include "Story Of The Blues Project" (more old fashioned rock and roll, but this time with a nice blue twist!), "36 Strings" (a laid back number with an easy does it feel to it), and "Photographic Evidence" (another number that sounds as if it could have easily been written by B.O.C. during the seventies!). When it's all said and down "The Power Of Music" is a hell of a good rock and roll album from Joe Bouchard and it makes for a great (as in solid gold!) addition to one's classic rock collection.

Waste Pipes-Fake Mistake

Atomic Stuff Promotion/Andromeda Dischi
2016

Formed back in 2003 by some high school age friends (and amazingly enough still featuring the same line-up after all these years!), Waste Pipes is a (melodic yet slightly-aggressive) hard rock and roll band from Italy with a handful of releases to it's name. Released on February 27th of this year, "Fake Mistake" is the latest full-length recording from this Turin-based band and (without mincing words) it is absolutely brilliant! Opening by way of the rock-steady "Headstrong", "Fake Mistake" (which is incidentally available on CD and as a digital download) is the sound of one hungry five-piece band that has finally struck studio gold! Waste Pipe's new album includes nine highly-creative & perfectly executed numbers and it's all from the youthful team of Chris (vox), Kina (guitar), Guarro (guitar), Lava (bass), and Boe (drums). On "Fake Mistake" you'll witness the full potential of this up-and-coming Italian rock band that has slowly but steadily grown from being one of Turin's best kept secrets into something much bigger and ultimately better!! With influences that range from classic rock (AC/DC, Cheap Trick, Led Zeppelin, The Cult, Queen, and ZZ Top!) to all things alternative* (everything from The Killers and Linkin Park to the Buzzcocks, The Church, The Clash, Radio Birdman, and even Midnight Oil!!) there is so much to love about "Fake Mistake" even if there is one track in particular that really sticks out. That song would be the catchy "Stay The Night" which has HUGE SUCCESS written all over it! Hands down this potential hit single in the making is the best song of the lot and you can check out the official video for it by heading here. The third track on the group's newest release, "Stay The Night" is one of those songs that will get stuck in your head and leave with with no choice but to sing it over and over again! Even so, "Stay The Night" is just one of the many wonders that awaits listeners on the brand new studio album from Waste Pipes. In-between the aforementioned "Headstrong" and this albums closing cut, "Bad Growing", you have plenty of other great moments ("Fire Below", "The Loser Song", "For All The Time We Waste", "Not Enough", and "Little Devils Scratched My Ears") thus making the band's new studio album a instant classic! Strong musicianship and top of the line songwriting like this doesn't come along every day and even when it does it is never as honest and sincere as Waste Pipes is. When you get right to Waste Pipes has a ton of potential so it would be an absolute tragedy if this graceful and heartfelt band wasn't given a chance to share their music on a bigger stage. Here's hoping they get that chance.... 

Omen-Hammer Damage

Pure Steel Records
2016


Formed in 1983 by ex-Savage Grace guitarist Kenny Powell, Omen is a cult power metal band from Los Angeles, California that is responsible for such classic albums as "Battle Cry" (1984), "Warning of Danger" (1985) and "The Curse" (1986). Originally active until only 1988 (which was incidentally the year that this L.A. band released the God-awful "Escape To Nowhere"!), Omen reformed in 1996 and then released it's forth full-length album, "Reopening the Gates", the following year. Since 1997 Omen has released a couple of compilation releases, a box set, a live album, and one additional full-length album entitled "Eternal Black Dawn". Due to drop on May 27th, "Hammer Damage" comes 13 years after the release of "Eternal Black Dawn" and it finds guitarist Kenny Powell (also ex-Rapid Fire and ex-Step Child) joined by vocalist Kevin Goocher (Perpetual, Phantom-X, New Last Day), bassist Andy Haas (ex-Step Child), and drummer Steve Wittig  (ex-Rapid Fire, ex-Savage Grace). The band's new album, which was also mixed by Kenny Powell and mastered by QuSound Studio/Michael Kusch, features over forty minutes of inspired power metal and it finds Omen returning it's classic roots. The real highlight of "Hammer Damages" has to be the fantastic guitar playing of Kenny Powell, but in all honesty the raspy voice of Kevin Goocher isn't all that far behind! These two members of Omen combine forces in order to give "Hammer Damage" a nice classic vibe and with a slick rhythm section backing them in style there is very little stopping this four piece from taking over the modern power metal scene! Color me surprised, but damn it if "Hammer Damage" isn't one of Omen's BEST albums of all time! That's high praise given how killer this band's first three albums are!!