Free Metal Monday: Wizard Bloody Wizard-Wizard Bloody Wizard

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Wizard Bloody Wizard (who were formed in 2013 and arguably sport one of the coolest monikers out there!) is a underground stoner rock/doom metal band that hails from Dubuque, Iowa and has at least one release to it's credit thanks to this freshly-delivered EP. The name-your-price "Wizard Bloody Wizard" features three somewhat ghoulish songs that are solid-enough even if they do sound as if they were recorded in a old decaying crypt somewhere in Transylvania! Sandwiched in-between slow and thick guitar riffs and some barely-audible vocals you'll witness this EPs inspired use of samples and it's all from a band whose lyrics focus on "the occult, witchcraft, H.P. Lovecraft, horror films and cannabis". This slightly-rough around the edges EP from Wizard Bloody Wizard should appeal to anyone who is into (garage worthy) sludgy doom metal and/or doom-infused underground stoner rock. 

Defyance-Amaranthine (2014 Re-Release)

Minotauro Records
2014

For Defyance, whose "Voices Within" had been released in 1992 (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Defyance-Voices+Within+%282014+Re-Release%29+), it would prove to to be quite the journey to get to the full-length "Amaranthine". Essentially their debut-album, what with the originally version of "Voices Within" being a mere five tracks and (more or less) a demo recording, "Amaranthine" was a l-o-n-g four years in the making! Between financial issues (the band recorded the songs on "Amaranthine" one at a time as funding became available!), line-up problems (then vocalist Brian Harrington had joined the military and the bass position on album number one was filled out by three separate players-(original) bassist John Parrish, Brent Wagner and Rodey Stanton!) and the issue of consistency (this album was after all recorder over the course of four years!!!!) one would be justified in assuming that such an undertaking would be nothing short of a royal mess! Despite these various problems and the patch-work way in which "Amaranthine" was laid to tape the debut full-length from this Knoxville, Iowa act, which also saw the addition of keyboard elements thanks to the contribution of Matt Bell, is remarkable solid and downright enjoyable! Between those four years the band's style took on a much-improved melodic essence and the band's progressive-leanings were starting to become much more noticeable. Lyric-wise the new approach seemed to favor spirituality and the inclusion of "Invention #4 In D Minor" (J.S. Bach) really showed off the overall excellent musicianship that this U.S. metal band was capable of! Opening up things is the superb "Without Your Love" and with the strength of not only ballads like "Coming Home" and "Where Are You Now", but more metal numbers like "Seize The Day", "Freedom Forever" and "Running Free" it's hard not to get caught up in a release like "Amaranthine". This 2014 re-release does Defyance justice as this (original self-release!) album is presented in fine form and (whether the sound has been touched up or not I cannot honestly recall as it has been some time since I first heard the original tracks!) everything sounds as mint and fresh as if it just came rolling out of the studio! While the band's next album, 1999's "Time Lost", is the one that I always identified Deyance most for there' no denying the staying power and respectably of "Amaranthine"! You can find this re-release as well as the group's other two ("Voices Within" and "Time Lost") over at Minotauro Records main web page where they are each reasonably priced as individual units or as part of a special three pack deal!

http://www.minotaurorecords.com/#!cds/cnec

Defyance-Voices Within (2014 Re-Release)

Minotauro Records
2014

Originally self-released in 1992, with a 4-track self-recorded/self-titled (as Defiance, the first spelling before the apparent switch) demo having proceeded it by three or so years, "Voices Within" was the first "full-length" recording from Knoxville, Iowa-based Defyance. It's also the first of three new Defyance re-releases from the fine folks at Minotauro Records that I plan to cover (the other two being 1996's "Amaranthine" and 1999's (quite-brilliant) "Time Lost"). Formed by three teenagers in 1985 (guitarists Brent Scott & Marcus Peterson and drummer Doug Beary) and initially going by the (rather unfitting) name Fallen Angel, Defyance found two like-minded individuals to fill out their ranks in vocalist Brian Harrington and bassist John Parrish. Before long the group recorded their first demo, off of which three tracks ("Gypsy", which was an early favorite on local rock radio, "Love's a Bitch", and "Rebel Without a Cause") have been plundered for this collection. The forth track off of said demo was "Second Death", but seeing as the song was included on "Voices Within" we are treated to that version instead. And speaking of which, this is the first time that "Voices Within" has been made available to the public on CD! While there was 300 copies of "Voices Within" released on cassette and 30 copies did show up on CD in 1993 (as special gifts to a select number of people who requested them-both the original cassette and original CD are no doubt highly sought-after collector's items!) this really is the first time that the majority of Defyance fans will get the pleasure of hearing both the demo and "Voices Within". Considering the fact that both sets of recordings were made on a shoestring budget it is all the more impressive how well these songs have held up! Especially seeing as it is the 25th anniversary since this Iowa band first released a self-financed tape back in 1989! Since I'm approaching this first Defyance review of three from the view-point of someone previously familiar with their work (or at least the recordings after "Voices Within"!) it's easy-enough (especially in hindsight!) to hear this band's roots and then envision how this band was able to (naturally) evolve. While I don't want to give away too many spoilers here, let's just say that this young band would eventually reach the stand-point in it's (as far as I'm concerned far-too short!) career where all that was righteous about progressive metal came poring out of their hands! On these tracks the foundation is there although (enjoyably enough!) most of these tracks come across more like straight-ahead hard & heavy metal like the (early) Mötley Crüe-infused rocker "Devil's Daughter", "Goodbye" (with it's simply enjoyable Randy Rhodes' inspired guitar playing this one is nice even for a slower cut!), "Rebel Without a Cause" (solo Ozzy influence?) and "Gypsy" (more Rhodes' like guitar playing!). The power ballad "To Your Heart" actually recalls Queensrÿche at times while both "I Burn for You" and the excellent (religious-themed) "Second Death" sound as if they come from the all things loud & proud (Fifth Angel, Ozzy, Judas Priest, Accept, Iron Maiden and Grim Reaper) school of rock! All of these tracks, yes, even the early demo cut of (raw-rocker) "Love's a Bitch", show the promise of what's to come from this one-time heavy/power metal act that (like fine wine) simply got better with age! You can find out more about this re-release at Minotauro Record's website below or at the official website of Defyance right here: http://www.defyance.com/

http://www.minotaurorecords.com/