CD Review: Chemical Wedding - Don't Look Back (2015)

A massive hardrock metal album showing that good and clear riffs are not of out of date these days. The wonderfull production comes with much heavyness but it never misses out warmth and a little smile.

Introduction

A lonely man stands at the end of a road. The path is small and some vegetation can be seen at the right side. Where does he go? Well, I think you need to take a look for yourselves to find out. Just one thing is clear: he doesn't look back, all of his action takes place in front of him. So, let's follow the story on how we came here told by the french band Chemical Wedding...

The album cover of Chemical Weddings "Don't Look Back", (c) by Chemical Wedding, used with kind permission

Summary

This is a beautiful example of what a band is able to accomplish if they put all of their strenghth into one album. They are making it clear from the beginning that this band knows what they want. Massive, powerfull yet catchy riffs burst into your ears when you start the CD player. The constant pushing rhythm comes all along and it comes to the burst when the vocals come pushing in.

The song structures are kept clear on forward and heavy on most of the tracks. It's the driving power that brings on the fun when listening to the twelve tracks of the record. On some points you'll witness intermissions that bring in a fresh breeze. The track "Dead Man Walkin'" is a good example for that. It contrasts the other songs with a more complex build structure and a bit unusual drum pattern towards the end of the song.

But it's not all just guitar riffs. "Don't Look Back" also lives off the beauty of the slow and silent tracks. It's as strange as it is but many records that roar it out heavy are the most intensive in their slowest and soft moments. It's like this with songs such as "A poor toy in your hands" and "Bereaved Soul" that you realise how much deep emotions this band breathes. It's these breathtaking moments that make you aware how much the musicians give you that you realize the worth of all the work they spent on this album.

All in all this album made me feel good. It comes around with a smile and also doesn't miss some fun every here and there when the tracks begin or end in a unusual way with just screaming the song name.

Purchase-Link and Player

The album comes around as a digipack. It is wrapped in a case of outstanding artwork. This goes for the front as well as for the back cover and also inlay and CD have their own artwork with them. The band sells the album for twelve euro online in their online shop. This is a bit more than you may pay for other albums but keep in mind that you'll also get twelve instead of eight or ten tracks that are up on most records of today. You won't regret purchasing this one.

As a example here's the track "Dead Man Walkin'" of the album.


Contact Link and Tourdates

Chemical Wedding have a own Facebook page where you can get in touch with them.
Also make sure to see them live this summer/fall:

24/09/2016 Brin de Zinc (tribute Lemmy et Camille Marquet)
04/09/2016 Leyment Fest (01)
07/10/2016 Décines Warmaudio

CD Review: Pander - Fierce Self (2015)

A stonerrock album for all those of you who like their music raw, hard, dirty and direct. A excellent package of heavy riffs, great rhythm and diverse songwriting. Come inside for some live sounding pounding music.

Band Introduction

Pander is a stonermetal band from the norther region of the Netherlands. In 2012 they released their first record "Go". In Oktocber 2014 the band started the work on "Fierce Self" and signed with Stichting Metalization who have taken over duties for the album release and distribution.
In July 2015 the band had to face the death of guitarist and founder Andre Boumer who passed away at the age of 40 as the result of cancer. The band happily didn't gave up and completed the new album which saw the light of day on 24th december 2015. It is dedicated to the memory of their bandmate who can be heard on some of the nine tracks of "Fierce Self".

The frontcover of Panders "Fierce Self", (c) by Pander, used with kind permission

Summary

The album is like a answer to one of my wishes. I always wanted to hear a record that really comes close to the feeling of being in a rehearsal room with that feeling of the pressure the sound creates only at those places. "Fierce Self" is one of the few records I found that has this feeling to it. The tracks are also connected to each other so you have the impression that the band is doing the final rehearsal just before the tour or the next show is coming up and is playing all the tracks in a row.

Musically it's a heavy riffing album with softer vocals and a good potion of groove with it. It has a fat sounding rhythm section with it that you'll remember having listened to the music. The songs all come along differently so it'll take some replays to get all the details that can be heard on the album. As well as sounding live it's also a CD that comes with a quality at the recording technique so it's well worth giving some money away for it.

You'll receive a fine digipack CD package with a dark and gloomy artwork but if you keep the circumstances in mind that happened during the album creation it's only understandable that the artwork couldn't show up in a happier way. Even if you look at the backside of the Compact Disc itself you'll see a mention the band left for Andre Bouma. Far too many great musicians leave us these days but we can only hope that this band will push on forward no matter what comes next.

Player

The whole album can be heard from the Soundcloud widget below.


Purchase-Link

You can purchase the download directly at the Bandcamp page of Pander for 4,50 Euro or order a fine CD copy from Stichting Metalization for 5 Euro plus shipping and handling. If you prefer iTunes you might be happy to see that the album is up for purchase their as well.

Also make sure to connect to Pander using Facebook.

CD Review: Fallen Angels - World In Decay (2015)

A superb thrash metal album mixing up the heavyness of the old days while adding a lot of today's songwriting techniques to it. The feast is rounded out with catchy hooks and lasting melodies all packed in a modern production without sounding overloaded with too much noise or uncapeable song structures.

Short Introduction

Seattle, WA thrashers Fallen Angels, return in 2015 with their third studio release 'World In Decay' produced by Grammy winning metal producer/engineer Michael Rosen (Forbidden, Testament, Death Angel, Flotsam and Jetsam, Tesla, Vicious Rumors) to follow 2011's 'Engines of Oppression' and 2008 debut 'Rise From Ashes'. 

The cover for World In Decay, (c) by Fallen Angels, used with kind permission

Summary

A hammer of a album is coming down with this one. I've loved thrash for a long time now but never thought that something like this would come around to me one day. This album is for sure what you would would have expected to sound a record like back at the end of the 80s. But to me it's far more.

It's a album that is setting the mark for thrash in the years to come. Why? Simply because nearly all the boundaries of this genre have been set and explored to the full in my eyes. This band has a different way to attempt things. They don't just look back to the old times with respect but move on forwards from there adding modern production and catchy song structures but in a way that you won't recognize it on the first listen.

These elements are worked in so clever that you'll just come around this some time after the first listen. It's outworked very well and what I like most of all is the fact that it's not overproduced. Sure it's like people expect metal to sound like these days. But it doesn't distort just everything to the max and leave you in a haze of confusion about the all and everything what's coming there but makes sure that it's still possible to realize the song structures and techniques the band used to write the album. If you're into thrash do yourselves a favour and buy this record. You won't be able to spend the money on a better one.

Album overview

The album opens up typically fast with a neckbreaker like "The Hammers blow" with a catchy as hell chorus. Classic formula's dominate the next two tracks as well. The real uniqueness of World in decay comes into play starting from track four onwards. "Leading the blind" for example comes as a midtempo number which spreads a lot of fun while listening.

"Fire At Eden's Gate" is a cool number going straight forward yet has a kicking effect of the listener. "Into The Abyss" goes back to a classic format with it's typical thrash riffer but offering a wide range of variations in them. A great tune! "The Hour Of The Time" is a riff shooter with midtempo rhythm to it before a short instrumental leaves us with a big smile behind.


Player and purchase link

There are four full songs out there up for listening. They give a good insight into the album.
The full CD is available for 10 Dollar plus shipping and handling from the band's own webshop or make sure to pick up a digital copy from the same location for 7 Dollar. You can also pick up single songs there if you prefer to have selected tracks of the record.


Contact data

Finally make sure to keep a eye on all the further activities of the band checking regulary in to their website or marking their Facebook or Twitter account with your follow signature.

Band looking for vocalist

Fallen Angels are currently looking for a new singer. Brad Kennaugh who performed on the "World In Decay" album will stay until the band has found a new one. The band describes the conditions the new vocalist should be able to meet with these words on Facebook:

"(...) Looking for someone in the vein of Symphony X's Russell Allen / Testament's Chuck Billy. Someone who can do that Hetfield growl, YELL IN KEY and hopefully can sing in key as well.(...)"

You can use the links from above mentioned in the Contact data section to get in touch with the band if you think you've got what it takes.

GC Project Album shows drummers part in music

How much a drummer contributes to the music of a band? A lot I think. But I would agree to say it with Mike Portnoy's words that the stuff the drummer adds to a bands sound has to come at the decent time. He or she should know when to play more in the front row or better to stay in the back.

Here's one recording I came along that reminded me of what Portnoy said. It features Giacomo Calabria who's vita is quite impressive. But before going into the details just let the music speak and listen to one of the tracks of his recent progressive and diverse output "Face the odds" that covers many genres of music.It's this mixture of so many playing techniques in Calabria's drumming that make this music so exciting. It feels as if it is changing all the way through the song.

Giacomo Calabria has been on the scene since 1992. Once graduated at University of Music in Rome, he played live and recorded demos with several bands from the Naples rock/metal scene. He played on the album "A New Day" from Silent Field, for Nocturnal Music label, followed by a live tour. After moving to Ferrara, he recorded "Rock, Groove, Sexy & Funky" (2004) with Alias, "Misteriosevoci" (2005) and "Rebus" (2008) with Barock Project, for the french Musea Records label. He recorded two songs with GOS (Ivano Zanotti, Vince Pastano, Giorgio Santis) in 2006. Official drummer for Rain from 2011 to 2014, he played in "XXX" tour, "Mexican Way" album and the following 9-months tour. Member of Ypnos (actually in studio recording their first album) and Coda (Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin tribute).

Giacomo Calabria, (c) by Giacomo Calabria, used with kind permission

On September 2014 he started writing songs for his solo project, the GC Project, the Giacomo Calabria's solo project. After three years on tour in Italy and Europe, studio recording and many sessions, his desire is to play music that includes many genres, progressive, hard rock, heavy metal, blues, latin, and play with several artists who are friends too, to create an album with different kind of sounds, attitudes and interplay, All songs and lyrics are written by Giacomo Calabria.

The album is titled Face the Odds, released on december 7th 2015 by Sliptrick Records, and contains 11 original tracks and one ghost track, The Black Page #1, tribute to Frank Zappa, and it's available in stores, on Itunes, Deezer, Amazon music, Google play, Musimania, KKBox and others platforms.

Make sure to stay in connection with him via Facebook or follow him on YouTube.

CD Review: Running Death - Overdrive (2015)

Short Introduction

The thrash metal band Running Death is located in Kaufbeuren, Germany. In the year 2012 the band managed for the first time to be heard and saluted outside of the Thrash Metal underground, thanks to their EP titled "The Call Of Extinction". Their search for style, flow of ideas and songwriting started to become a trademark of Running Death.

The band constantly played shows ever since. The band took the experience they were able to gather and wrote the full length "Overdrive" which saw the light of day in early 2015.

(c) by Running Death, used with kind permission

Summary

This is Thrash 'n' Roll at it's very best! Just think of a combination of the classic Overkill Thrash metal style mixed up with a good potion of Rock 'n' Roll. The most outstanding elements are the bass guitar sound which will remind you a lot of D.D. Verni's sound and the vocals which are set a bit apart of the typical Thrash Metal sound with it's more own styled way of keeping it flat instead of screaming it out high pitched.

Besides being influenced a lot from the big names in Thrash the band breaks up with the standard songwriting formulas as often as possible. You can hear that the tracks are meant to sound direct and brutal but the band build's in changes on the tracks as often as possible. This gives the tracks a lot diversity and you can never be sure what may come around next.

Overall I like that the album has a hard sound but also leaves room for some coolness and most of all a lot of groove. It doesn't give you the feeling that it's all just bare heavyness but it's also catchy at some points (just think of the track "Mercenary" - the riff has stayed in my mind for quite some time). 

Album overview

While the first half of the album is more kept in the brutal and fast scheme of thrash metal it's mostly the second half which has picked up more of my attention and enjoyment.

The second half starts with the soft intermission of "Deludium" a much welcomed breaker with only silk guitar sounds. The next track "Mercenary" goes in heavy styled as the first five tracks of the package but has a breaking point in it where it goes over to a more rhythm oriented song structure that holds a lot of fun for the listener.

The same goes further on with "Pray for death" as well as on "Reduced" as well as on "Overdrive". The tracks simply have a heavier Rock 'n' Roll attitude with them compared to the first album half. If you like to listen to some thrash that comes along a bit different I suggest you to check the mentioned songs first. I think you'll be enjoy this fresh wind of thrash metal air.

Purchase-Link & Player

The album is up for purchase on the Bandcamp page of Running Death. A dowload of the twelve album tracks will cost you 10 Euro but the pressed CD comes for the same price plus shipping and handling. If you live in Germany you can get a CD copy without having to pay for shipping. The full album is up for listen on Bandcamp so I've included the stream below for you to check out.


Contact Data

Get in touch with the band using their Facebook page or follow them via Twitter to stay up to date for all the further updates.

CD Review: Heat Of Damage - Open Fire (2015)

Short Introduction

Heat of Damage writes and performs an edgy and eclectic mix of rock, metal, and alternative music. Their debut EP Orenda was self- produced in the drummer's garage and was released in 2013.

Since then, the band has performed at numerous venues in the Sacramento area. The group released their second EP, the Lifestyle EP, in September 2014. The title track was featured on Sacramento’s 98 Rock Local Licks show for three weeks running. Lifestyle's "Apocalypse" was released soon after and earned the 2nd spot on 98 Rock's Local Licks Most Liked Songs of 2014 Countdown Show.

Following the local success of the Lifestyle EP, including two 2015 Sacramento News & Review SAMMIE award nominations for best teen band and best hard rock band, the band entered the studio with with producer Matt Thomas in Sacramento to record their first full-length album, Open Fire, which was released in October of 2015.

(c) by Heat Of Damage, used with kind permission

Summary

This band introduces a great mixtures of elements of Metalcore (vocals on some points), classic 80's metal (guitars), alternative metal (production) and also a lot of atmosphere from American punk bands and lifestyle. In fact it is one of the biggest surprises that came my way in a long time. While listening to their material is sort of relaxed and uplifiting yet very powerful it also expresses a lot of aggression partly through the vocals, something that give's the listener and writer of these lines a redemption feeling.

It lives from the tension between the heavy riffs, hammering drums on the one hand and the easier feeling that comes along through the vocals in most of the vocals, except for most of the refrains (the mentioned Metalcore heavyness steps in at those parts).  Looking at the fact that this is their first full length release this seems to me one of the bands that could really contribute to the further development of Heavy Metal music without leaving all the roots behind.


Album Overview

If you wanna get quickly started I can suggest the first single "Judgment Day" to you (it's song number two in the album stream below). It's a blast with a lot of drumming that made me speechless. The drummer really hammers and nails down each and every single whole that ever was. Meanwhile the guitars maintain a sound with much volume and classic metal guitar songwriting. Overall you'll hear what the vocalist has to offer. Does this give you as much positive vibes as it does to me? Then don't move, just relax and listen further.

The next track "Accessory" keeps the pushing and heavy tonality up. It's maybe one of the roughest tracks of the package giving you the "let the pressure burn" feeling. After all you may want to relax a bit. The half ballad "Fade Away" will give you a moment to breathe. Happily it's not too flat, while the music is much softer than before it still has a lot of atmosphere in it. The feeling keeps authentic transporting a lot of emotion through the music.

The second batch of the album track offer more complex tracks. "Veil of Authority" stands out with it's diverse vocal performance. The motions change nearly with every single text line so does the music goes with it through all the up and downs until a blast scream sends some salvation at the end. "Osprey Drive" goes with a similar feeling but is parltl lighter than the previous number.

Katie Robinette contribute's some guest vocals to "Heaven", a slightly easier song before "The Greeding Party" gives you yet another kick in the face and the hymn "Any other way" with a typical earcatching hookline marks a proper closing line to a great album.

Player and Purchase-Link

Thankfully the band offers a full album stream via YouTube giving everyone the fair chance of listening to the whole album without any risk in advance. Hit the play button and enjoy listening to a great new band you don't want to miss anymore once heard.

The album is up for purchase as download on sites such as  iTunes, CDBaby or Amazon.




Contact Data

Also make sure to see the band's social domains of sites such as Facebook, Twitter or check in to their homepage since the band has some shows coming. Here are the next one's that have been announced so far:

Jan 30th
Saturday at 7:00 PM
The Boardwalk
Orangevale, CA

Feb 3rd
Wednesday at 6:00 PM
Ace of spades
Sacramento, CA

X-Mas-Gift 2015: 50 Track sampler from Asher Media

Happy X-Mas everybody! We've finally reached the end of the year so it's time to unwrap all the christmas packages that (hopefully) come along your way.

(c) Asher Media Relations, used with kind permission

We here at Metal Underdogs can also hand one big package over to you. This one comes from Asher Media who have put out a band sampler counting 50 Bands with a playing time just under four hours for your enjoyment.

It features a lot of great bands I already had the pleasure to listen to. Be happy and prepare for some fine thrash from Fallen Angels as well as some Melodic Death Metal from Silent Line or enjoy more relaxed and fun metal stuff from Psychostick. It's all inside this big pack! Just head over to Bandcamp to start downloading your free goodie or stream it directly here from the page.


About: Asher Media Relations is PR company based in Montreal, QC that aids bands both well known and independent getting heard and read about in rock and metal media around the globe for nearly a decade. For more info, please visit the following links.

Website: www.AsherMediaRelations.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsherMedia

Twitter: @AsherMusicPRGuy

CD Review: Addiction - Addiction (2015)

Short Introduction

Addiction are a Classic Hardrock / Glam formation that is based in Athens, Greece. If you like 80's / 90's bands from that era you'll love them. They're one of the biggest surprises for me this year. They came out of nowhere and immediately struck me like heavy metal thunder with a lot of  positive power. :-)

(c) Addiction, used with kind permission

Summary

Let's have a party - let's have a good time! That's what the tunes on the Addiction album seemed to call at me when I turned on the music. While most of the metal music out there seems to talk about the darker aspects of life and seems to express all the hardships we face this album pushes you up. It's a good dose of positive power and wants to engage the listener to take his life up in a positive attempt.

It comes around with a lot of positive vibes and good feelings, sometimes more sometimes less heavy when it comes to the musical view but always with "Keep pushing forward" attitude. Most of the tracks are set in midtempo format so they can easily used to sing along to them. There also a ballad that made it's way on the album. That one is for the times when you think a lot or just need to relax a bit. It's a fitting difference on the record, a moment to stop from the pumping heavyness for a while. For a quick start and overview on the bands sound I'd suggest you to go with the video for "Bad Addiction". If you liked that make sure to check the samples in the Soundcloud player, "Saturday Night" and Paradise" are good picks.

If you dig Classic Hardrock and Glam Rock from the 80's or 90's you should definitely check this release out. This goes especially if you've been one of those individuals that used to see the german TV show "Hard 'n' Heavy" on Tele5 back in the 90's. I was one of them and I remember that a lot of these bands were shown off back in those days. There was a lot of good feelings hanging in the air which was often was caused by videos of bands like this. Hit the play button and enjoy being in those moments again - also if it's only for one videoclip. Enjoy it anyway - you can never know what comes next in life. 

Player 




 
Purchase Link and Contact Data

You can purchase the CD or a download in high quality wave format directly from the homepage of the band so you're going to support the artist directly if you decide to pick up a copy.

You can follow the band through Facebook or check in to their homepage from time to time to stay up to date about the band's activities.

Corners Of Sanctuary giving away free christmas album

It's christmas time again. While the days are getting shorter and the heaven darker with every day it starts to get more comfortable inside. I like to watch those strings of lights at houses and have one in my flat, too.

Many years ago there was a compilation called "Banging 'round the X-MAS tree". Does anybody of you guys out there remember this? It was a EP on vinyl that included four christmas tunes in metal versions performed by Axel Rudi Pell, Jörg Michael and even more musicians from underground acts such as Steeler, Lions Breed or Living Death. I liked that stuff, finally some metal tunes for the silent time of the year.

My copy of the Banging 'round the X-MAS tree vinyl EP

But what about these days? Corners Of Sanctuary, a traditional metal band from Philadelphia, PA has taken up this path and compiled a album full of Christmas music. Entitled "Driven Snow", A Merry Metal Xmas III" this 10 track Holiday album will be available as a free download during the entire month of December in mp3 or wave format! Besides christmas classics such as "Silent Night" or "Jingle Bells" it also includes four brand new tracks that were written from the band themselves.

Update 10.12.2015: If you'd like to give a little bit back to the band and / or would love to support them here's your chance: the band is currently running a little Crowdfunding campaign on their website.

Corners Of Sanctuary ask you for a little bit of support so they'll have the chance of making a Tour in 2016.  In return for your money you can receive a mention on the website, MP3 downloads, CDs, patches, T-shirts and autographed photos depending upon the level of support. The tour kicks off on January 2, 2016 in Providence, RI. Dates for Rhode Island, New York, Ohio, Virginia, California, Arizona, Canada and Europe are currently being worked on.

(c) by Corners of Sanctuary, used with kind permission

Corners of Sanctuary guitarist Mick Michaels has checked in with the following comment:

"We are excited to release our new Holiday bum "Driven Snow" for 2015. This album marks the fourth installment of this seasonal release. It is a great mixture of traditional favorites and modern arrangements capturing the metal style of COS. The album includes four all new, all original tracks. Driven Snow will definitely make your merry metal!"

Have a Merry Metal Xmas - COSnROLL!

For the latest band news and show dates, visit their official Facebook page

CD Review: Atropos Project - Towards Firmament

Short Introduction

Atropos Project plays instrumental music with a lot of progressive and metal elements in them. The band started out as a one man project and saw it's first release with the full length album "Equator" in 2013. In the meatime John Quarles, who writes and plays nearly all the music has created a follow up record called "Towards Firmament" in his studio in New York. The new album will see the light of day on December 1st 2015.

(c) by Atropos Project, used with kind permission

Summary / Player / Purchase-Link

I am very glad that this outstanding project survived the tides of time. In the two years since the first album Atropos Project developed the song-structures quite a lot. I mean the first album was great but this one shows a bit more precisely that John Quarles has learned a lot when it comes to writing songs. The new tracks that will be released soon have more structure, often follow more a main theme or topic as the songs on "Equator" did.

Still the great thing is that it doesn't miss the fun aspect of music. You can hear a lot of parts on the album where especially all the musicians amongst you out there can nearly re-feel the positive vibes and emotions that John might have been in when writing, producing and recording these songs. You can feel a lot of jazz vibe in the music and that's what makes this recording sound so different from other's that go into the same direction. It comes out with a jam-feeling to it, a great emotion to me. This feeling when everything seem's to come together in a good mood and everyone involved throw's in his power and talent to it.

It sounds very powerfull and hard but also melodic and very versatile when it comes to the playing techniques and styles of the various tracks. One can quickly point out that it's a typically Atropos Project recording you're listening to.

The first half of the album comes more direct while the second one needs more time to fully sink in. Don't let this stop you from buying. I would like to encourage everyone out there dedicated with the full heart and soul to music to buy this diamond. It's always surprising to see how intensive a record can be - this one will be a journey you'll love and enjoy. Just give it a try.

It's also a great idea for a christmas gift if you know someone out there that has this dedication towards music. It will be a great surprise and I think a album one will enjoy even more with every listen. Remember that Bandcamp also offers the possibility to gift someone with a download code directly through the plattform's shop system.

"Towards Firmament" will be available through the Bandcamp page of Atropos Project starting December 1st 2015. It will also be available through other digital merchants such as CDBaby, Itunes, including streaming at Spotify, Google Play, etc. There are no physical copies planned unless demand warrants it this time around.
Note:  I'll add the exact links to the purchase and streaming plattforms once they've been released so please check back if you're interested in buying or listening to the album. The same goes for the album stream. If it should go online I'll add it here, too.

Currently a preview can be accessed through YouTube that gives a good overview on the album with excerpts of each and every track. Just click on the player below, it only takes a few minutes to listen to it.


Update 01.12.2015: The full album stream is online so I've added it here as promised.  
Album Overview (Track-by-track review)

The Slide: The tracks starts with a few broken notes at the beginning and then goes over to a midtempo slower stomping track with full distortion. Sounds very powerfull and heavy. A keyboard intermission lights up the dark feeling of the track with a lighter melody. The track becomes faster and takes up some tempo. A intensive shred section dominates the last third of this opening song before it finally ends on some strange noise. A great opener!

Bent Crown: A rough and compact but also short intro section kicks us into the second number. It finally let's us fall onto some softer notes that finally form the main theme for this song. The rhythm changed to fit to the guitars. A lot of jazzy feelings in here. This is one of my absolte favorites of the album. The jam feeling comes a lot into play on this one. A new melody abruptly comes in giving it a dreaming theme in between just to be followed on a new part that wraps the melody into a rougher noise guitar vibe and rhythm. The melody continues to shine through. Beautiful part! Finally the rougher part get's more intensive and starts to dominate the track giving it a blistering intermission with a fitting rhythm section. The song goes back to the starting theme to start a little play-around with it before climating into going faster with every round further. I love this!

Block No Light: The opening riff makes it already clear that this track comes around a lot sharper and heavier than the previous one. The main theme morphs and forms a lot as the track progresses even further maintaining all the while it's rough style. Finally a new melody comes up giving it a more melodic and mysteric touch. A ghostly feeling comes up before a sharper midtempo riffer rushes in that opens up the way for some keyboard elements which give it a epic theme. The end comes fast and abrupt but also very fitting to the track.

Alchemist: The fifth album track starts out with some soft introduction notes before heading on to a straight rocking number. The short break with silence comes as a surprise but the melody rushes in even better afterwards. Throughout all the changes the song always remains heading straight on forward in a faster mood. The end presents a lot of distortion and drums playing along to it. It plugs out quickly but all of this feels as if it should be this way.

Expeller: This one opens up quite epic with walls of sound of guitar and keyboards. It transforms further into a midtempo number with heavily distorted guitars and a lot of shred formed into the sound. Finally clear guitars softly come in just to leave as fast as they came. The walls of guitars seem to reflect into the music once again before a string of clear guitar melodies form a soft touching outro to this outstanding track. You'll remember it often afterwards.

Towards Firmament: A rather unusual beginning for this Atropos Project tune with a soft arrangement of guitar strings along with few percussive elements at the start. Rough and dry guitars come in forming a pulsating noise gate that along with the constant rhythm sharps the heaviest track of this second album. It's a big surprise even if you're familar with the sound of this instrumental project. The end gives in some more relaxed parts that form a contrast to the first section that is overwhelming with it's sheer intensive power. Surely a track that set's a mark in the world of heavy instrumental music.

Sistine: This one starts out softly. It has overall a lighter feeling to it with percusson adding to it. Thoughout all the variations a main theme runs through all the parts giving this a heavy jamming attitude. It has a attempt like "Bent Crown" in it. The drumming is more versatile and faster but the guitars go more directly on it. A overall straighter number but with the slight progressive elements I like in this music so much.

Red Roads: We reach the final track of this album. It welcomes us with soft keyboards. The eight song plays around a bit before it comes to the next section - a riff hacking heavy track that has a epic keyboard theme with it that seems to form a echo for the guitars. The hacked notes come back in with much jamming added to it. It plays around a lot with the variations that can be made of it and John Quarles knows how to use them. It's great to see what can be made of single elements and this track shows the variations you can make of it. I hope the journey this album provides can be continued one day. I would love to go on. As for the first I'll put it on repeat and enjoy it a second time that's for sure.

Interview with Eternal Voyager (2015)

Introduction

Eternal Voyager came to me as a sort of good surprise. Being someone who grew up with the old classic bands from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal I always loved the old style that these bands represent with their classic songs. Just think of Judas Priest with their Screaming for Vengeance album or Iron Maiden's Piece of mind.

Of course times have changed ever since. It's good to see things evolve - these days productions sound very different, much brighter, heavier and often brutal. But it's always running through my head that I still love the old way of doing records.

Eternal Voyager seems to be the answer to what I am longing for. They keep their traditionell Power Metal in the old fashioned way of songwriting and production. For example there are songs on their album "The Battle of Eternity" that repeat the theme that is presented at the beginning of the track at the very end of it again. I instantly had to think of the old Omen albums again.

Eternal Voyager 2015, (c) by Eternal Voyager used with kind permission

I gave the album some spins and was so curious to find out more about them that I asked the band for a interview. I am glad guitarist and vocalist Brian Blake took the time to answer my questions in a very extended way. Get to know more about how the album came together, the myterious man on the front cover of the album and what they are going to do next.

The Interview

Heavy Metal Underdogs: 
The production on the CD sounds very oldschool. I love this, today's albums are often overproduced in my eyes/ears. I grew up with the old sound so I prefer it. Was the old-school production form something you had clearly on your mind as you went into the studio or how did it all come together?

Brian Blake:
It was a natural thing that happened it wasn’t really planned but it came out that way because of the producer’s style. I too enjoy the old school sound and production to albums. But this time around it was not planned out this way. Of course there are a lot things I would like to change but it captured the songs well enough.

The band underwent a lot of line-up changes and is already around since 1998. How did you manage to keep up the motivation?

It went through a lot of lineup changes for various reasons mostly because many people just didn’t make the cut or ended up with life and musical differences, which is a natural thing that happens. It has never been easy because I have been the original member having to carry the weight of the band through all of it and it was very hard; there were many times that I wanted to give up but I kept going. This new lineup has given me a newfound hope and positive outlook on the future of this band. The album itself finally getting recorded was very motivating and gave me more confidence because prior to that we never had the right people all of those years and I was never successful in getting a good professional recording done.

Did the fans maybe also took part in this by constantly requesting new shows or recordings?

Yes there were a few that followed us somewhat distantly through the years but we made a lot more new fans when the album came out because it was a solid recording . For about 4 years before the making of the album we had a big gap of silence due to lineup complications and member issues.

As for the lyrics of "The Battle of Eternity" - does it have a concept behind it? Is there also a relation to the cover artwork?