Kezia-The Dirty Affair

Logic(Il)Logic Records/Andromeda Dischi
2015

Kezia is an Italian five-piece that was formed in September of 2013 by long-time friends/seasoned musicians Pierlorenzo Molinari (vocals), Antonio Manenti (guitars) and Alberto Armanini (keyboards). The band's current line-up is rounded out by the pair of Fabio Bellini and Michele Longhena (bass and drums respectively) with the 8-track "The Dirty Affair" serving as the group's official debut. This extended EP was recorded, mixed & mastered by Riccardi Frigoni at Studio 57 in Brescia, Italy and it should be noted that the bass parts on the "The Dirty Affair" were performed by Andrea Piovani while the drums were played by Matteo Viganiand. It's also worth noting how quirky Kezia is, but what else would you expect from a band that self-describes it's style as prop-metal? "What exactly is prop-metal?" I hear you asking. Apparently it's whatever this Italian band wants it to be! And that would be (up to and including) a odd combination of "rock, progressive, swing, electro and pop". Or as Kezia puts it "The structure is prog, expanding its melodic variations with pop freshness". Got that? I hope so. Especially seeing as there is going to be a quiz later! In all seriousness, "The Dirty Affair" is more in line with avant-garde rock and the EP likely reflects the distinct tastes and styles of it's band-founders. With Pierlorenzo, Antonio, and Alberto all coming from different (musical) backgrounds the sound of Kezia is every bit as all-encompassing as the various projects and bands that these three were previously involved with! Most of the time this collaboration works out just fine. The fluid chemistry of Pierlorenzo, Antonio, and Alberto is as undeniable as the metallic undercurrent of this 8-track album is. When this trio is in-sync there's a damn nice spark of fire. But when they're not? On those rare occasion it all becomes too much. It's kind of like having the perfect stew and then going out of your way to add in all these exotic ingredients. You may think that these additions will spice up your meal, but in reality you've just ruined a perfectly fine dish. Thankfully the trio behind Kezia know when to pull in the reins and when it let go. In the case of Kezia's debut release there are more good times than bad times which goes a long ways towards making "The Dirty Affair" a recommend pick-up. For more information on this interesting band be sure to check out Kezia's Facebook page or their official website. 

Interview with Echelon

Recently I tossed a few questions towards Austrian avantgarde black metal act Echelon. Having previously (and also just recently) reviewed their first full-length album, "Vivito! Creato! Moritor!" (link provided below of course!), I had hoped to be able to gather more insight into the strange and compelling mindset that lies at the core of this deeply-philosophical collective. Of course nothing is that simple when you're talking about an act as complex as this one! Read on to see what I mean!  

Andy-How did Echelon come about?

Echelon-Scene: A smoky room somewhere at the city limits of Vienna. There is a laptop on a huge wooden desk and its light glimmers through the thick smoke.

Time: 19:11

Person: M.X.: Guitar, Backing Vocals, Programming

*The light of the laptop gets brighter, you can hear the clicking of the mouse and soon you can hear the high pitched clattering of a keyboard*

About ten years ago I had my first guitar and by hitting the pick harsh on the strings, uncoordinated, with full distortion, I tried to create something that sounded like Transilvanian Hunger. I wanted to make music to replay the stuff I liked. The seasons passed and I found myself playing in a band with my friends, who also play on ECHELON today. The longer you keep playing with others the greater the need gets, the need for creating something on your own, something which is more like yourself. And that is how ECHELON works. It is a distillate of our creativity.

Andy-How would you describe the band's sound for someone who has never had the pleasure of hearing you guys?


Echelon-Time: 19:18

*Another cigarette emits the strong odor of tobacco and burned paper. Now there is a mug on the desk and M.X. takes a sip, only to lay his hands on the keyboard again shortly after*

How do we sound? 

*He is looking in the air and takes a puff, his left leg is hammering on the floor* 

How do I describe our music to someone who has not heard it yet? 

*Another puff from the cigarette, the leg is shaking up and down erratically* 

Our music is definitely rooted in Black Metal, it contains various stylistic elements of this genre. Most likely it is the vocals which are harsh and restless alt-hough they remain clear. The drums have a slight tendency to blast beats and are mostly playful and jazzy. The guitars indulge in melodies which are rhythmically interrupted by the bass. Sometimes they are in the background to give space to the bass and to portrait acoustic patterns into the minds. Sometimes we charge forward, sometimes we stop abruptly to immerse into a state of deep mental reflection only to charge forward again moments later to lead the listener into a direction he would not have dreamed about.

Andy-For those of us who might be "philosophically challenged" could you explain the lyrical-content of "Vivito! Creato! Moritor!"?


Echelon-Time: 19:40

*The cigarette has followed its predecessors into the ashtray, the smoke gets lesser and exits the room through the open window where simultaneously the sounds of a city at eve enter the scenery*

*Clicking, typing, hammering of the leg* 

Another question arouses my attention, namely, which topic we should use for our LP. A painter, not as impressive as his work, crossed my path. His portrayal of war caught me. How does war look like? What is war actually? 

* The hands get of the keyboard, the legs stop...* 

Is there a picture which catches war as he actually is? The idea in a platonically way? The archetype of war? This abstract thing which is contained in every war? Let us take a look on this ex-ample: think of a picture of a thing, anything. Now start to dissect the picture layer by layer, reduce it to details. 

*Halt, The view seems to penetrate the display. The roaring of a truck breaks the silence and the fingers start typing again* 

Do you still recognize the thing? is the image of this thing created in your mind although the real picture does not show it anymore? Is maybe the color or geometry alone which can create the thing in your mind? This is the idea, the archetype and is there an artwork of war which is capable of doing such? 

*The mug converges to the mouth, another sip, thinking* 

We focused on this question together with the artists Callot, de Goya, Manet and Dix and described how they tried to display war. Beginning with the harsh realism of Callot up to the subtle, judgmental style of Manet. Dix follows on a parallel way and evolves nearly as the other three to create his triptych War, his masterpiece.

Andy-Please give us an idea of what a live show would be like with  Echelon?


Echelon-Time: 20:11

*The window is closed, only a dull traffic sound can be heard, mixed with the sounds of a train*

A concert has to have three columns (1) we only have one color for the light, mostly blue (2) we have interludes with parts of Dix diary entries (3) we do not make any announcements. This is how the concert becomes one single unit and it makes it possible for the audience to concentrate only on the music. 

*M.X. stands up and looks across the room. After he sat down again he continues to write* 

For me it is essential to convey the concept of the LP live as well and I think we can achieve this via this three columns.

Andy-What's next for the band in 2014?

Echelon-Time: 20:25

*M.X. is again sitting in front of the laptop, smoking. The coldness is fighting an ongoing battle with the heater and the left leg is again hammering a rhythm, copied by the right one.*

Right now we are trying to play live as often as possible and we are looking forward for the release date of our LP and the Special Edition on 24.01. We hope that we can provide something unique for everyone with this Special Edition We also started working on new songs and get slowly to the point...

*again the view across the room, smoke comes out of the nose and the mug wanders to the mouth* 

...where we can talk about acoustic patterns and ideas. But who knows where the journey is leading us?

Time: 20:32

*The mouse wanders across the display, opens the program, closes another one. One minute later M.X. is sitting on his chair with his eyes focusing the display. A nod with the head later, the mail is heading through the binary stream* 

And there you have it! "Interesting" to say the least right? But that makes sense (kind of) when you're talking about a interesting band like this one. And since I'm always going on and one...no, make that PREACHING, about the virtues of marching to the beat of your own drummer "interesting" is essential if we are to continue to evolve (music-wise) as a species and fully-expand the concept of experimental black metal. If you find yourself in need of something new, more creative and yes, a release that will help flex those brain muscles (so to speak), then be sure to check out "Vivito! Creato! Moritor!". 

Review of  "Vivito! Creato! Moritor!":
http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Echelon-Vivito!+Creato!+Moritor! 

Stellar Master Elite-II: Destructive Interference Generator

Exciter Records
2013

Commercialized blackened doom? Is there really such a thing? Before listening to Stellar Master Elite's new album I would have said no. Or at least I think I would have said no. Maybe I would have just said that yes, it could be possible, but what would be the appeal? As it turns out there is more then enough here to appeal to heavy metal fanatics or, better yet, those who have always thought that what the world needs more then anything right now is a blackened, sample-filled and slowed down to a Black Sabbath-lie crawl, hard as a rock metal album. If that's a need then you just might want to consider this Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) based band. Formed in 2010, the band is technically just Dave (Crucifixion, Massacre The Wasteland, Rostnagle) on guitars, bass and synthesizers and Marco (Wintermoon, ex-Necroccult) on drums and vocals. That said, it appears as if more then half of the vocals on this album were provided by Benjamin Borucki of the black metal band Sonic Reign. Stellar Master Elite (or SME for short) released their well-received debut album, "I", back in 2011 and, from all accounts, it also displayed signs that the band was more then willing to paint outside the lines. But that was only one album. To carve out a career of playing music that falls outside of the norm though is something else all together. Even in something as nonconforming as black metal it takes skill and a huge set of balls to stand up and dare to stand out. Avantgarde metal has certainly been creeping about in the black metal scene for sometime now so that might not be so shocking in and of itself. But taking it to such an extreme as this? Yeah, it's a whole new world. But, we need to turn back around and see what exactly it is we have here right? Now, while "I" was a self-released album and all, and reportedly a damn fine sounding one at that, the band is now signed on to Exciter Records which should help break this band into new markets. I do have to admit something funny though before I go on any further with this review. I was all set to criticize the band for their self-absorbed and pompous name (Stellar Master Elite? Really? It's just like how it was pointed out in Robot Chicken where you have the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, who had to have a name that said "Yeah, I'm the boss so I need a name that spells that out in bold letters!!!" Arrogant much?) when I saw that the band was actually named after a song by Thorn. You see, it does pay to read any/all of promo material/information that comes (often times packed in like sardines) with new albums! Anyway, I'm getting off track (yet again) so let's get back to this album and it's (give or take) 45 minutes worth of simply lovely metal. For these guys the bottom line seems to be blackish doom metal although, seeing as the vocals are actually somewhat clear for this sort of genre, it might actually lean closer to death-like doom. The usual, run-of-the-mill, raspy black metal rasps you'd normally expect to hear are not as present here and, when you add to that things like thrash rock ("Pattern of Perception") and even groove-happy, spaced out, Rob Zombie-like rock (about 1:40 into "Empty Shells of Being" things get downright wicked!), then you end up with a near-perfect example of how to keep even the darkest of genres interesting! I'd have never guessed it myself (that an album like this, from it's album artwork to the song titles, would be so adventurous and down-right interesting!), but just when you begin to think that you've seen and heard it all along comes another "new" band like this to shake things up and offer up a freaking cool alternative to the usually humdrum you're exposed to on a daily basis! If I had a dollar for EVERY black metal release that ends up in my email or (physical) mailbox I'd be pretty well-off! What's more, if I went and listed all of the black metal releases that sound spot-on identical (black metal needs a major shake up in my opinion) you would quickly get a sense of how boring it can and often times does get reviewing this form of metal. But, if you go looking for a reason why black metal can and will survive (and along the way natural evolve into something seldom seen but gloriously embraced) then you might end up stumbling across a release like this. Germany's Stellar Master Elite might not be a well-known band yet, but releases like this should open new doors for them and bring in new fans. So, why not get in on the ground floor so you can boldly proclaim how you were a fan before they became huge and famous?

Hesus Attor-Pardon

Geenger Records
2013

Every now and then, if life is to remain fair and the universe is to remain balanced, a band like Croatia's Hesus Attor will fall out of the woodwork and be so bold as to lay down a challenge to you. The challenge is daring as it asks, or more like it demands, you to not only expand (and possibly redefine) your horizons, but also your own definition as to what is or is not "heavy metal". Such is the case with Hesus Attor and their upcoming new album "Pardon". I ask just one request though before you read on. Please do not fear such a daring proposition (redefining what constitutes a heavy metal album) as the answer to that question is a resounding yes! Yes, at their inner core (after you've stripped away the many different layers of brightly colored material) Hesus Attor are a HEAVY metal band. No matter how much this music is twisted and turned or how far it is stretched out into the realms of absurdity (and it is often stretched out FAR!) it still maintains a healthy undercurrent that is filled to the brim with metallic elements. The band, which first sprung to life back in 2003, started out as an instrumental unit featuring guitarist Juan Pablo Pe De Rigad, bassist Senor José and drummer Manolo mago Porco. It was during this time that the band founded their own label, Izdali Smo Metal (We Betrayed Metal), so that they could self-release their material without having to answer to anyone but themselves. In 2005 though they decided to finally enlist the services of a singer with El Cathedralico answering the call. Since that time the band has released more then their fair share of albums. They have also seen the addition of a second guitarist (Gorgonzol Matadores) and have replaced drummers (Pedro De Carbon now sits behind the drum kit). Now, if you were to go to the Facebook page of this Croatian band (link below) you would find yourself greeted by this description: "Hesus Attor is a band recognizable for its unpretentious and wild, dadaistic approach to musical genres". OK, but what does that mean in layman's terms? Avant-garde metal would be one description of this 5-piece band or, if you will, this is one of those bands where the phrase "everything but the kitchen sink" would come into play! It's all here on "Pardon" folks. Sure there's punk, rock and roll and of course heavy metal. But, in standing with their own long-standing belief that music should be fun and spontaneous, there's also pop, surf, world music, 70's glam rock, opera, cabaret and about a million other different sounds/genres thrown about on their upcoming album! And when you've got a lead vocalist who can go from sounding like Serj Tankian (System of a Down) one minute to sounding like Fred Schneider (The B-52's) at the next (El Cathedralico covers so much ground on "Pardon" that you'd swear that Hesus Attor had an army of singers just waiting at their fingertips!) you have the perfect front-man to tackle such wide and varied styles! Trying to keep track of all the twists and turns of "Pardon" proved damn near impossible as I could have sworn I picked up on bits of jazz, country and western and funk as well! But, it all moves so fast as if the band spontaneously just played whatever popped into their head at that given moment. It's rather like loading up multiple stereos with mixed genre CD compilations and playing them all at the same time while you drop acid! Not that I would suggest doing such a thing (the dropping acid part as I personally love making up random genre compilations), but hopefully you get a general idea of how different "Pardon" is from even your typical mixed-genre metal bands. Lyrically it's much more of the same as the band takes aim at the listener with material that is wildly weird and steeped with their own twisted sense of humor! But, while you might be picturing a band that is somewhat Mr. Bungle and somewhat Primus, which would be interesting to a point, this humorous and adventurous bunch is much more fun and exciting then mere words can summarize! Granted you will need to have an open-mind with a release like "Pardon", but if you can muster as much you'll be treated to one of the more interesting experimental albums to drop in some time. Be warned though that "Pardon" can go from being sublime to savage at the drop of a dime and when it wildly swings back towards heavy metal it gets LOUD and AGGRESSIVE! As unorthodox as this album might sound on paper it all works when experienced live and it color. Given how talented the individual members of Hesus Attor are (and how dedicated they are to making sure that such different genres all sound as perfect as possible) an album like "Pardon" is a easy recommendation. So live a little and take a chance on this Croatian band. And that's a suggestion that's especially warranted if you find yourself stuck in a rut with the same old music collection staring back at you or if you need to learn to be more open-minded when it comes to heavy metal. You can find out more about the band below as well as how to pick up a copy of "Pardon" for your own.


https://www.facebook.com/hesusattor 

http://music.geengerrecords.com/album/pardon 

Orbweaver-Strange Transmissions from the Neuralnomicon

Primitive Violence
2013

 
Words escape me when it comes to this Miami-based 4-piece. Formed in 2010 by guitarist/vocalist Randy Piro (ex-Hate Eternal, ex-Gigan, ex-Kult ov Azazel)) and drummer Mike Pena (Nuclear Infantry) the pair recorded a self-titled, three-song demo sometime thereafter. At that point it was just the two of them before lead guitarist Sally Gates (ex-Gigan) and bassist Jason Ledgard joined the party for some merry fun. As of 2013, and the mouthful of a title, "Strange Transmissions from the Neuralnomicon", the band is still the same group of metallic misfits with the sole exception of  Scott Spasiano (drummer/percussionist). Scott took over Mike Pena, who left sometime this past year. Taking a look at this five-track album, and having listened to it in a dimly lit basement, this is the sound of one band hell set on doing it their own way. Avant-garde metal is certainly not new to these ears of my and yet, when it came right down to it, this listening experience left me locked in a mild state of confusion. Weirdly mixing death metal with psychedelia rock the band's album spends a lot of time on the go as it boldly moves about between noble heavy metal and noise. Frantic is a good word to use when it comes to this 5-track experiment in mood-altering death metal even though Randy Piro (vocals/guitars/effects) and company do keep everything in check...for the most part. Recorded at Pinecrust Studios in Miami, with Jonathan Nunez of Torche at the helm, the album sounds good even if it comes off as a bit of a mad-cap adventure in all things space and time. As well it was Brian Elliot who mixed and mastered the oddly named "Strange Transmissions from the Neuralnomicon" at Mana Recording Studios (Hate Eternal, Cannibal Corpse, Goatwhore, Exhumed) so between Brian Elliot and Johnathan Nunez this recording does do a good job at portraying this Miami band in just the right light. In the end this was an album that intrigued me as much as it left me reason to pause and scratch my head. I give credit to Orbweaver for doing their own thing though so while this might just be a strange band and a stranger reason it at least stands out from the rest of the pact of death metal albums that flood my inbox.

Sein Zum Tode-Beeep!

Fork & Spoon Records
2013

Where oh where do I begin with this one? What do you suppose this would sound like if you were to only go by the album's art? Chances are that even the weirdest thing you could envision wouldn't even begin to compare with this odd concoction. We have stumbled upon a creature of mysterious origins if you will.Where's our good friend, Mr. Cryptozoology himself, Loren Coleman when we need him? For the record we have here in front of us (figuratively folks!) a Columbia, South Carolina record-label releasing the debut-recording from a Columbia, South Carolina act by the name of Sein Zum Tode. Other then this album and the band's birthplace/habitat I've got nothing to go by when it comes to this wild one. The easiest description would probably be "Avant-garde extreme heavy metal", but folks, listen, that doesn't even begin to cover this one. Trust me, Frank Zappa has got nothing on this trio! "Beeep!", which is 11-tracks in all, was mastered by Colin Marston (Behold the Arctopus, Krallice, Dysrhythmia) and sounds unlike NOTHING I've ever heard. These guys are weirdos in the truest form of the word! Imagine if you will you have one bus filled with Primus, Frank Zappa, Butthole Surfers, Fantômas and Mr. Bungle speeding down the highway at 100 MPH. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a garage, Black-Sabbath loving, death metal band hits them head on! It's a bloody mess of course and the only option on the table is to have some monkeys (who are freaked out on LSD!) put all the pieces back together with the help of a Speak and Spell that's being haunted by the ghost of Vincent van Gogh! That is about how you can sum up the trio that is called Sein Zum Tode. Below I've provided a link to their song "Worse Than Catholic" which, incidentally, is chillingly one of the more normal "songs" on "Beeep!". One last word before we go. I'd like to give a shout out to Fork and Spoon Records. It's not easy to be an up and coming independent record label. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication with the outcome often being a case of barely breaking even. Fork & Spoon Records, which was formed in 2010 by a few friends, saw a need and filled it. They obviously believe in the bands they've signed and have made an effort to do right by everyone involved. Kudos for that. The label "strives to maintain a community mentality. It is our desire to continue our family-like relationship with all whom we collaborate." Sounds good to me. Of course every family has that one odd relative whose really off their rocker (ie: flat out bonkers!) so I suspect Sein Zum Tode are like the crazy uncle we all know and love! Find out more below!

https://soundcloud.com/fork-and-spoon-records/sein-zum-tode-worse-than

http://www.forkandspoonrecords.net//bands/profile/?id=41

Trillion Red-Metaphere

badGod Music
2012


It was a bit of a surprise to see that this one had managed to slip by me unnoticed. Yet there it was with about a month's worth of dust and clutter on top. Why the fuss? If that name doesn't ring any bells shake then a quick glance at my review of the band's "Two Tongues" EP is in order. You'll find that below. What I said then (June 9th of 2011) still rings out loud and true today. Only difference is that here Trillion Red has a whole album's worth of experimental material. For the uninformed this is "Dark Progressive Avant-Garde metal" a tag which, though not entirely clear, does at least begin to describe the incredibly interesting sound that is Trillion Red. It isn't expressly stated, but on Trillion Red's debut full-length album one would assume, whether fairly or not is open to debate, that this is a two-man project with Patrick Brown clearly in charge. Is it at all accessible for your everyday heavy metal listener? That is a very good question. It's metal without boundaries which makes it likely to appeal to those inclined to live life more on the edge and in the shadows. Musically it might not easily be defined (not that that is a bad thing as each listen leaves room for another interpretation) however it is noted that the album deals with "the struggle between darkness and light" which is something that we, as fellow humans sharing one tiny world, are faced with daily. "Metaphere" is a different album then what would normally pass for "top notch metal" and it's highly likely that most traditional heavy metal/hard rock fans would be put off by the occasional slow pace. Given time to indulge this album though (best achieved in an alone setting) I'd wager that more then a few "true blue heavy metal fanatics" would be pleasantly surprised at the unique beauty of this journey. 

 










http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=trillion+red