Otoño-Something Metal This Way Comes

Human Cyborg Productions
2013

The month of May might seem like an odd time to cover a Halloween-themed album, but if we can keep the spirit of Christmas alive in all of us year long then why not a whimsical night when all the little ghouls and goblins come out to play? For sure it isn't always about Halloween for Hollister, California's Otoño (Spanish for "autumn"), even if this trio (first formed in 2003 as Human Cyborg Relations before the name change in 2009) seems to be generally inspired by horror, but here on their latest/second overall full-length release the band does it right by covering tracks like "This is Halloween", "Phantom of the Opera" and "Ghostbusters" and including samples from movies such as "Evil Dead",  "Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth", "A Nightmare on Elm Street", "The Shining", "The Exorcist" and The Omen"! Oh, and did I mention the fact that Otoño also pays tribute to Peter Steele with a sweet little cover of  Type O Negative's "Black No.1"? I didn't? Well, I am now and I'll tell you what else my friends, there is a lot going on for this group (even if they are off of most peoples radars). For a group whose roots run deep down into the depths of high school (talk about a real hell on Earth for many of us!), when founding members/guitarists/vocalists Eldridge and Bangulo covered their fave groups (Metallica, Slayer and Diamond Head) while looking for that one magical line-up to take them to the top (enter bassist/vocalist Angel in 2008), and one which started off as more of a straight-forward (if slightly enhanced by black metal and thrash elements) melodic death band, "Something Metal This Way Comes" is a real charm, a progressively-enhanced ambient charm! Said to be inspired by "different genres of music ranging from metal to classical… and snippets of everything in between" or, better yet folks, "a fusion of various musical influences" (Opeth, Gwar, Persefone, Metallica, Sepultura, Agalloch, Edge of Sanity, Liquid Tension Experiment, Torchbearer, Machine Head, Buckethead, Katatonia ) Otoño tires on a sore's worth of different hats on "Something Metal This Way Comes". And it's that exact reason why Otoño should be setting off alarms on people's (metal) radar! To be sure a band like Otoño is probably best described as (melodic) death metal first and foremost (so as to offer fair warning to anyone who might be scared off by such an "extreme" format), but this trio doesn't exactly follow any standard set of rules other then say, paying homage to many a great film, book (or, in the case of a number like "Room 237"*, both film and books!) and band. And why not? It's these different forms of media that helped groom the band for what would come about, later on, and it's all done in a manor so that everything just meshes together! Available for free right here: http://otono.bandcamp.com/ this is one of those release which is clever and, yes, plain fun! Sure, Xentrix first did it back in the early nineties, but doing a headbanging version of the theme from "Ghostbusters" is just awesome! As is the band's instrumental take on "Phantom of the Opera". Featuring some killer solo work**, which shows up on just about EVERY track here(!), "Phantom of the Opera" is covered in metallic fashion and while it might not be my fave moment here (I love "The Book of the Dead" which also features stunning lead work!) it's still a nice addition to "Something Metal This Way Comes". Most assuredly this album is worth downloading and for Otoño it's a great addition to an every growing catalog***. Moving forward Otoño could/should deliver on the promise of an album like this one and REALLY make a hell of dent on the melodic death metal scene, but who can say for sure? Today's scene is so fickle and for every worthy (and original/interesting!) band that pops up doesn't it just seem like labels bypass them in order to scoop up and sign a dozen bands who all look and sound alike? Yeah, it sucks. So, like I always say support band's like this! Get up and go! See them live, buy their merch and show them real love! And with that you can follow these guys via these links:
www.otonometal.com 

www.facebook.com/otonometal 

 https://twitter.com/OtonoMetal



*Audio sample on "Room 237" were taken from 1980's "The Shining" and the track also features excerpts taken from the novel. "The red death held sway over all" (originally in Edgar Allan Poe "The Masque of the Red Death") was used by Stephen King in the novel. 

** Solo on "Phantom of the Opera" by virtuoso guitarist Allen "Robot" Van Wert.

***The band also appears on Sinister Path Promotion's "Unsigned Metal Band Compilation Volume 1" https://sinisterpathpromotions.bandcamp.com/album/sinister-path-promotions-unsigned-metal-band-compilation-volume-1

Seremonia-Ihminen

Svart Records
2013

Talk about perfect timing folks. Finland's Seremonia will be releasing their second full-length album, "Ihminen" (Finnish for "human"), just in time for Halloween!  All of you ghouls and goblins should appreciate that fact and embrace this release with open arms. Instead of being candy for the kiddos this Halloween treat is for all the grow-ups who have outgrown the costumes, but still long to celebrate All Hallows' Eve. What makes this album such a treat? Let's take a magic carpet ride with this female-fronted band and find out. Seremonia (Finnish for "ceremony") rely on the unearthly combination of (heavy) psychedelic rock (late 60's/early 70's style), prog rock, doom metal and proto-punk to do the "talking" as their uniquely-flavored rock is sung entirely in their native language! That need not be a problem though as evident on "Ihminen". The lead vocals of Noora Federley give the band a haunting and slightly ghoulish quality. Hence the Halloween association. But, to peg them as just a "seasonal" band would be a wicked crime as this band's creepy brand of psychedelic rock is easily something to be enjoyed all year long!  Now, the group's lead vocalist Noora Federley is cool and all (she has more of a raw, real garage rock and roll style going on) it's doubtful she could sell such acid-soaked rock all by herself. That's where a skilled band comes into play. You have Teemu Markkula who handles it all (or so it seems). He plays electric and acoustic guitars, delivers the goods thanks to his use of the synthesizer and (finally) provides backing vocals as well! That sounds like a lot right? Well, the guys that back up Noora are as good as they come! In addition to Teemu Markkula you also have Ville Pirinen (electric guitars, synthesizer and backing vocals), Erno Taipale (drums, flute and guitar) and last, but certainly not least, Ilkka Vekka  (bass and synthesizer). All of these fine gentlemen, with maybe the exception being Teemu Markkula, are veteran heavy metal musicians. The thing is the list (of who's who and where they played before this band and where they are also currently playing) is way too long to type up! As such I'll just leave that part as homework. If you are really curious just hit up the Metal Archives and they'll have all the info you need (and then some) as it's all spelled out there. Meanwhile this band, and their often fuzzy delivery, just rocks on and on and on and on. That's a huge amount of rocking I know, but that's the one thing you'll definitely take away from this Finnish group. They know how to keep things rocking even if the music throws in the occasional curve balls like Erno's spacey flute parts. Why it is that I always think of Jethro Tull, or more specifically Ian Anderson, when I hear flutes in rock music I do not know. Either way the flute playing here is cool while also different. It fits their style though so Seremonia knows how to make it work just like the rest of their instruments. Back to the album we should, or really must, go and it's worth mentioning  that after it's all said and done you might walk away from this album a bit hazy from all the smoke (if you know what I mean) and lost since your concepts of space and time have been thrown to the curb! First of all smoke-engulfed acid rock does that, but introducing some slightly ghoulish doom to the mix results in a serious head rush! On one hand Seremonia are one of those bands where it feels like you're having a flashback through space and time. That's cool and all, but what's funny is that while this same music invokes another time and what not it also has enough of a modern quality that it never feels as if it's out of place on today's stage. So, while you explore a band that is obsessed with the sounds of acid rook and 70's doom, which this band has down pat, you can simultaneously add this album to your upcoming Halloween playlist and make your party a serious happening since this album also comes packed with some fresh new rock riffs!  Everything about this band and album I love. And yes, that includes the skeleton on the cover which reminds me of the great Mexican rudo La Parka! Does that mean that I am possibly looking at another addition to my year-end best-of list? That might very well be the case.

Happy Halloween!

This is my favorite holiday and I hope to enjoy it despite the weather here in the mid-Atlantic area. If I have power I'll be watching horror movies and listening to Misfits, Samhain, King Diamond, Gein and the graverobbers, The Ghastley Ones, early Iron Maiden and other horror themed music. If I don't have power then I'll be pulling out some Poe and Lovecraft books to read by daylight, candlelight, flashlight or whatever light I can use.

What are your Halloween plans or Halloween watching or listening?

Playing the Misfits for Halloween

So Halloween is almost here and that means jack o' lanterns, horror movies, trick or treating with the kids maybe, but it also definitely means that it's time to play some Misfits. Not that you can't listen to them other times of the year, but this definitely their season. I don't mean Jerry Only lead Misfits or the short lived version with Michale Graves. Definitely not Danzig, don't even get me started on that mess. Now Glenn's mid-80's band Samhain would be a good choice as well for Halloween listening as well. With the slow foggy atmosphere and deep mysterious tones, but really the best choice for the soundtrack for my favorite holiday of the year is classic original run Misfits. Which songs you choose to play is up to you because for the most part as long as it's from that classic run you can't go wrong no matter what you pick. Although tracks like "London Dungeon" and "I turned into a martian" did more to define the band then did songs like "Rat Fink" and "Return of the fly". Still I say any Misfits is proper listening for October 31st and the weeks leading up to it. Normally I pull out the Misfits box set from some time ago and just play those over and over. Unfortunately I was too young to have gotten to them when they were still around in their prime. I discovered them in the mid-80's through trading tapes with different people. I remember being amazed by the fuzzy, blurry and raw mayhem with all the monster movie lyrics and easy to get into choruses. Tracks like "Skulls" and "Horror hotel" had me hooked from when they first attacked my eardrums. This is still a band that I enjoy and look forward to Halloween as I listen to as much Misfits as I can cram in.

****What are some of your favorite Misfits songs?

Heavy metal albums for Halloween

So once upon a time when life was less busy I used to plan ahead for what metal album or albums I would listen to on Halloween night. I think that I did this mainly in college and a year or two after that. I knew that my Halloween night then was committed to studying, but I frequently studied with music on. My favorite holiday of the year demanded that I pick an appropriate soundtrack. I know at one point I played all of these on Halloweens during those years-

Iron Maiden-Killers, s/t, The number of the beast
Grim Reaper-See you in hell, Fear no evil
Ozzy-Diary of a madman, Bark at the moon
Black Sabbath-s/t, Sabbath bloody Sabbath
Dio-Holy Diver
Slayer-Reign in blood, Show no mercy
Mercyful Fate-Don't break the oath
King Diamond-Abigail, Them
Helloween-Keeper of the seven keys pt. 1
Hallows Eve-Tales of terror


***So are there albums that you listen to on Halloween or ones you would like to listen to for celebrating the holiday?

Happy Halloween!

Halloween listening-A list

I took the kids for trick or treating at the mall last night. I needed some music for the holiday to take for listening to in the car so I brought my Misfits boxed set with us. I have been watching horror movies more in October because of Halloween, but I have not gearing my listening for the holiday. in previous years I have done, but so much this year. I still have a few days then to squeeze in some Halloween type heavy music. Here is a list of 13 I hope to pull a few from.

1-Iron Maiden-The number of the beast
Not like I need an excuse to listen to this album because I play it all the time.
Still some horror themed songs on it and it always makes me think of Halloween.

2-Halloween-Don't metal with evil
An obvious choice and it has some holiday themed songs.

3-Hallows Eve-Tales of terror
My favorite of theirs.

4-Helloween-Keeper of the seven keys part 1
Maybe just for the one song, but still an album I think this time of year.

5-Mercyful Fate-Don't break the oath
Definitely a mood setter.

6-King Diamond-Abigail
You always need a scary story.

7-Grim Reaper-Fear no evil
Any would do, but I'll pick this one.

8-Misfits-Walk among us
More Misfits, their best single album.

9-Samhain-Initium
Not as fun as the Misfits, but almost as cool.

10-Saint Vitus-s/t
Some great doom is good for this of year.

11-Overkill-Feel the fire
This one always has me thinking of this time of year.

12-Ozzy-Diary of a madman
Back when Ozzy was worth listening to.


13-Black Sabbath-Volume 4
Toss on an old classic too.

***Feel free to add your list.

Transform store bought costumes into metal Halloween costumes

A few years ago I did a post on do it yourself Halloween metal costumes.
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/2006/10/do-it-yourself-heavy-metal-halloween.html
Well, in these tough economic times it's always good to save money when you can. Now it's time to look how to convert your old non-metal costume into heavy metal masterpiece that you can be proud of this Halloween.



Take that old bumble bee costume and remove the wings and stinger and ta-da you have an old-style Stryper outfit. Since they have a new album out maybe this look is back in style. Okay, it was never in style and never really will be.


Take your old shoulder pads and other sports equipment and put it on over your clothes and now you can go as a member of Raven circa 1986.



Do you have some biker leathers? Well just slap on cheap tiger stripe cloth and cut the butt cheek parts out of the pants and you can go as a member of WASP from back in 1984. Of course if you cut the backs out of your pants you may want to check the weather report for Halloween night before you go out trick or treating.

If you don't have any old costume to transform there is still one other idea you could try. Get some tape you can write on and tear off a lot of pieces. Then write KISS and put a high price next to it. Then start putting the pieces of tape on everything and everyone will know that you are Gene Simmons because he is the only one who would put a KISS logo and a high price tag on anything he thought he could sell. Of course just make sure the real Gene Simmons doesn't hear about this or someone dressed as one of his lawyers may be paying you a visit.

There you are. Feel free to add your own ideas.

Top ten albums to listen to for Halloween

Once upon a time I used to listen to albums on Halloween and that was probably all I could do at the time. I remember being in college or high school being excited about setting aside time to just kick back and listen to a King Diamond or Maiden album in it's entirety around Halloween. Now that I have kids things have changed for my Halloween activities. However if my week was more open and I could pick ten albums to listen leading up to and during Halloween then I would choose these. They are listed in no real order.

Black Sabbath-s/t
Cirith Ungol-King of the dead
Alice Cooper-Love it to death
Iron Maiden-The number of the beast
Grim Reaper-Fear no evil
Halloween-Don't metal with evil
Trick or treat soundtrack (Fastway)
Ozzy-Diary of a madman
Misfits-Walk among us
King Diamond-Abigail

Maybe I will listen to some of these this year if I get time.

Halloween, horror and heavy metal

So do all metal fans enjoy horror movies and Halloween? Perhaps not, but some do and a number of bands have had horror mixed in with their lyrics, themes and stage shows over the years. Halloween always lent itself well to metal as well with a number of bands playing show on Halloween or recording songs about it. A whole book could possibly be written about this topic, but I don't really have time for that so here is a really brief overview of part of the topic at least.
Horror in metal has been around almost as long as metal itself. Black Sabbath have horror elements in their lyrics and album covers since they began in the early 70's. Alice Cooper was using horror elements in early songs like "The Ballad of Dwight Frye and "I love the dead". Of course he incorporated even more horrific elements into stage show as the 70's went on. Blood, pythons and the guillotine became fixtures of his stage show.
KISS were a bit more glitter and glam, but hey Gene Simmons spit blood and he sure tried to look scary. Plus dressing as KISS soon became a Halloween costume favorite.


The 1980's saw more horror elements in lyrics here and there. Iron Maiden of course had a monster as their mascot. They had some horror lyrics here and there too. Other acts like Grim Reaper, Hallow's Eve, Halloween, Impaler and lots of others drew on horror influences as well to varying degrees. WASP started out very much relying on stage theatrics like skulls, blood and the rack. Blackie Lawless wearing chaps and letting his butt hang out was terrifying as well, but I guess that wasn't his original intention.



Mercyful Fate were using some stage theatrics and talking about some dark topics. They soon split and King Diamond went solo. He also begin churning more horror tinged lyrics often in the concept album format. Okay, some of his albums came across as having the same themes as some cheesey horror movies. He also took to increasing the use of props and stage theatrics as well. Many of these bands broke up, dropped or decreased the use of horror elements.



Horror movies were huge throughout much of the 80's and metal musicians such as Ozzy, Alice Cooper and Gene Simmons even found their way into parts in horror films.

Of course many other bands grew up seeing and hearing the above bands so they drew some influence from them as well. So it's no surprise that some metal fans like myself and other get very excited when Halloween rolls around because there is something about the holiday that lends itself to metal.

***What are some of your favorite metal albums to listen to around Halloween?

What's coming up?

Well, Halloween is over, but it was a great one this year for my kids. We did several activities yesterday and they had a blast. I am probably to cut down on interviews from now until the end of the year. The reasons being that I have a lot of review that I need to write and I found out last year that it's almost impossible to get e-mail interviews back from people from about late November and all through December. So I currently have about half a dozen out to bands and one more to write, but after that I won't be sending out any more until the new year. This week I hope to have out the following...

Santana-Multi-dimensional warrior
Glamnation 4
Beehoover-Heavy zooo
Cotton Soeterboek band-Twisted
Benediction-Killing Music
Beneath the massacre-Dystopia
Pro-pain-No end in sight
Beneath the massacre-Dystopia

and maybe a Lesser of two evils and one other topic as well if I can get to them.

I am gradually working on my top 25 albums of 2008 list as well because I will do a countdown for them around the third or fourth week of December. I think that many of the spots are beginning to fall into place, but some have yet to be determined and there still may be a few good releases yet to come out in the final weeks of the year.

***Have a good week!

Six albums for Halloween

I actually took off from work today so I could do stuff with my kids. However if I could dedicate my Halloween to just listening to music and needed six albums to make up my day then here are the ones I would choose and the playing order.

1)Iron Maiden-The number of the beast
My favorite Maiden album and one of their darker albums as well.

2)Black Sabbath-Vol. 4
Any of the first six Sabbath albums would work here, but for today I'll go with this one. One of if not their heaviest.

3)Electric Wizard-Come my fanatics
A big does of crazy slow, fuzzed out doom.

4)Misfits-Walk among us
A fun blast and I think it was the Misfits at their peak.

5)King Diamond-The Eye
Any of the King's first five might do, but I always took to this one a lot.

6)Slayer-Reign in blood
I would end the Halloween on a strong blast from Slayer.

***Feel free to add your own picks.

Clash of the album covers

Here you go, it is...



Halloween's Horror Fire

vs.



Hallows Eve-Tales of terror

***So which cover do you prefer?

Halloween album covers

To celebrate the upcoming holiday we will be posting Halloween and horror related album covers over at "Whole lotta album covers".
http://albumcovers.toomanyvoices.com/blog.html
It actually started yesterday and there will be a post per day through to Halloween. So hop over there and take a look.