EP Review: Corners Of Sanctuary - For COS and Country (Traditional American Metal, 2020)

The newest output introduces a new vocalist. Did that change the band's well known sound formula?

War is a topic that is covered through many songs of Corners Of Sanctuary.

Well, it all start's suprisingly with a fast paced track. "Victoria" holds a strong riff from start to finish with a short but in-the-ear biting refrain. The new frontman introduces a traditional organ with classic metal characteristics. It's a short track but gives a good kickstart to get into the mood.

Track 2 "The Raid (For God and Country)" reduces the speed to midtempo. This piece of music shows more diversity added in terms of riff variation, drum pattern as well as vocal presentation. It's warmly welcomed by the reviewer. There's so much saturation of the sound that stems from the vocalist that it may feel overwhelming on the start. Sure a track worth many rounds of listening - so many details to discover in here.

The "Desert Angel" is a even more complex thing. Once more the tempo is set slow and the intensity of the vocal work goes a heavier route. It partly makes use of more modern vocal touches - the longer hold of higher parts for instance. The many guitar splitters and effects worked in here make it a special one. It all made me push the repeat button - I needed to find out how all of this comes together.

The next one comes around faster. "Sandstorm Salvation" is a more straight forward number with powerful shout out refrain. It's all built to let some energy fly around - short in duration and guitars and drums all set a more easier way. Warmly welcomed after a potion of complexity.

A instrumental closes the EP. It's a short collage of guitar sounds. It would be great to know how this is can be played on the guitar properly.

Finally to answer the question from the start I'd dare to say the band has put more eye to detal on "For COS and Country". Most of the package needs a closer listen and the vocals contribute a even deeper part as ever before.

For all of you guys out there with a faible of traditional material that like to re-listen with a close ear a strong recommendation.

Here's the opener of the EP "Victoria".

Purchase the music as Compact Disc through the band's own webpage with a paypal payment.

The Nightstalker - a mysterious project living in books, movie and music

In these times we're living in we need something that takes us away from the everyday troubles. You know like using the spare time before going to bed. Some time to come down.

The cover for the movie already gives a little glimpse that something strange is about to knock on our door.

But what can be seen and heard that's not so well known already but could be worth it? Something new and exciting. I like mysterious stories and this particular one got me in quickly. It's taken of the story description for the movie "The Nightstalker Case: Found Footage".

All begins with the discovery of the corpse of a young man in the city of Natural City. Sergeant Patrick Matennen arrives first at the scene of the crime. He picks up a camera near the body. He decides to watch everything that the camera has recorded in order to understand what happened. 

Michel Garsou buys an action-camera and is witnessing a strange murder. The latter contacts one of his friends who has been investigating for some time the mysterious appearance of a nocturnal protector in their hometown. They will exploit all possible tracks to find information. 

From there,events follow each other quickly. Michel finds himself in spite   
of himself dragged into this dangerous investigation. 

I like that The Nightstalker project is something like a a story that lives in many ways  through music, a movie and books (in french language).

The music side stems of two projects - Sercati and The Nightstalker. Both are held in a rougher style combining rough dark metal but with lot's of atmospheric elements in it. The songs include spoken passages and strong sung parts. It's
not of the usual kind but makes it overall more attractive. It feels more like a narrative that are transported through heavy sounds based on riffs and sounds but with slower rhythm.

I picked this one track to give you a overview on the mood of the music.

You can download the movie called "The Nightstalker Case: Found Footage" and also buy books in french language that spin the story further.

Keep a eye on the Facebook page so you won't miss out how the story evolves further both musically and storywise. Or check the Sercati homepage for detailed information and links to purchase the music.

Single Review: Moonscape - The Throes Of Desperation (Atmospheric Prog Metal, 2020)

It's distressing music that features many relaxing moments in it. The new single output gave me medieval thoughts and imagination on many parts of it's duration. In the beginning it feels slow and less moving but please give it some time to unfold it's effect on your ears.

"In The Throes Of Desperation" slowly unfolds it's possessions and leaves a little film soundtrack feeling behind in me.

The cover gives a nice idea of the sound inside, Cover artwork by Dark Days Design.

The guitars are cleverly mixed under a dark atmospheric soundpackage at the start. They give room for a faster solo section that surprisingly fit's into the otherwise slow formula of the single release. The end is the fastest part with drums coming in. It all comes to a abrupt end that is a good teaser like in a TV series when it comes to a solution.

"The Throes of Desperation" is an excerpt from a longer piece of music that will be released on the next Moonscape album, hopefully later in 2020.  I'm looking forward to what hopefully is about to show up in the coming time. Until then mak sure to connect to the project on plattforms like Facebook https://www.facebook.com/moonscapenorway/ or take a look at the homepage. http://www.moonscapenorway.com/

David Ellefson donates income of new single to Italian COVID victims

It's drastic to see what a virus can do with the world we're living in. Everything seem's to be upside down.

The world of music is afflicted by this in many ways. No shows anymore and many record retailers having to close their shops. But there's also hope out there that this event will let us get closer together as humans.

Megadeth bassist David Ellefson is going to throw out a brand new single called "Simple Truth" on all digital outlets on 4/17, with a direct BANDCAMP release on 4/10, via Ellefson's COMBAT RECORDS,  with all profits from downloads and streams donated to the CROCE ROSSA ITALIANA, the Italian Red Cross, who are at the frontlines of the war on Covid-19, coordinating the nation's pandemic response with Italy’s Ministry of Health.

David Ellefson donates all proceeds of the new single to the Italian Red Cross. Photo Credit: Melody Myers.

This is also the first sign that a follow up album to the 2019 release "Sleeping Giants" has been worked on in the recent time with the line-up of vocalist Thom Hazaert, with Italian guitarist and drummer Andy Martongelli and Paolo Caridi. 

The group have worked on the album remotely recording tracks in Italy, London, Phoenix, and Wisconsin during quarantine.

Says Ellefson, “We actually wrote the song in Milan during a tour rehearsal, and a lot of it was recorded there. We’ve gone back and forth with Andy in Italy, from the Platinum Underground in Phoenix, and with our mixer and co-engineer Alessio Garavello in London. While we’re all staying positive and just keeping busy, it’s heartbreaking to see what’s going on over there with the death toll climbing every day."
He adds, "We played several shows in Italy on our European 'MORE LIVE WITH DETH' tour last year, and I was just there with Megadeth back in February. It’s absolutely devastating to see what the country is going through right now.  The people, and it's culture, have been so welcoming to me over the years, that i’m honored to do anything I can to give something back to them during this time of need"

Thom Hazaert explains the special meaning of the new track: "Lyrically, the song is really about not giving up, and not taking any shit. Tuning out the noise and going after your dreams no matter what, and not letting anyone tell you can’t do something.”

More information can be found in the meantime at:

combatrecs.com
davidellefson.com

Donate to the Italian Red Cross here: https://www.cri.it/home