CD Review: The Tronautas - Olovörgo (Doom, 2018)

Is it all just doom and gloom in this world? At least when it comes to the music of The Tronautas I feel a ray of light shining into my flat.

The cover of the EP shows that a band with own ideas is going to blast your ears. (c) The Tronautas

These three guys come from the far away country of Mexico. What they share with us is a bold and impressive pack of doom metal in various tempos. What stands out are the vocals that come around a bit broken like those Ozzy Osbourne presents to the audience.

The bass guitar also shines bright with it's constant ripping. These bass sounds stand out a bit and there are many times you'll spot them. Not too many bands do it this way. The dark tonality of the drums fits properly forming the shell for the music with a good groove.

From all of the tracks "Eternal Gloom" got me quickly with it's constant re-calling refrain. I thought more than just once that it fits so well to the world we're living in these days. Happily it made me feel comfortable knowing that I'm not the only one out there feeling this way.

The other offerings from this EP are differently. The last track "To destroy a beautiful thing" stands out with it's bold sound and it's two big parts each forming a different atmosphere. The opener "Last days" is hard to get by through it's slow and dark woven riffs. Few melodic guitar glimpses show up every here and there. This may need more rounds to come to fruition in your mind.

"My god" goes all the way up and down with it's constant riffing guitar. The spoken sample surprised me while the overall sound is bright and pushing.

Finally if you're after classic doom songs filled with slightly modern effects rounded out with parts needing closer re-listening this EP is it. Just hand some bucks to the band on Bandcamp and you're having great new noise. Plus like 'em on Facebook to stay up to date for further updates.

CD Review: Midnight Blackout - Hangover (Post Hardcore, 2018)

Heavy to the brim. But still slightly melodic so it remains tasty enough to listen to it.

The cover says it all what the topic of the EP talks about.

Post Hardcore seems to be a style many bands aim at these days. The only downside in my eyes is that the overall heavyness often tends to make the music less enjoyable. Happily Midnight Blackout have not chosen to go this way.

Instead they composed their music to be more melodic and most of all straight forwards. That's also a point I love. Whilst other Post Hardcore tunes are a bit complicated when it comes to song structures this french based formation keep all the power going directly from the mind to the music without fiddeling all around. This means that you can easily headbang to the stuff like you used to do in the older days of metal.

The only weaker aspect for me was the overall too loud mastering of this record. Sure listening the loud way helps to push the mood but here the guitars scream it out a bit for me. Less of the high notes would make listening a more silk and less rough experience. 

My personal favorite is the song "In Sheep's Clothing" that the band also picked as a single for the promotional music video.

Also this one comes around as a EP the duration feels like it's goin forever. You get a good bunch of music for your money served directly onto your favorite device through the band's Bandcamp page. But listen here for yourselves.

Make sure to create a account on Bandcamp before purchasing. The excellent plattform for up and coming bands let's you re-download music you once bought there. This means that as long as the service is up and running you can always download a copy if you lost your old one or changed your device (e.g. bought a new smartphone and forgot to transfer the tunes to the memory card before the old device broke down).

Finally check out Midnight Blackout's Facebook page and give 'em a supporting like on over there.

Movie Review: Caller ID Entity (2018, Dark Sci-Fi)

The film starts with a ghostly scene with someone behaving strange in public. You can see that the person suffers from something mentally but no one can say or help because it's out of reach to anyone.

It's the opening scene of Eric Zimmerman'f first feature film. In the past he has been responsible for some of the most iconic rock, metal, and industrial videos in history, including Nine Inch Nails' "Down in It" and "Head Like a Hole," and Soundgarden’s “Jesus Christ Pose” and “Rusty Cage".

The intro grabs the attention and motivates to stay on the screen further. It follows more stuff in the sort of testimonials which are anonymzed to help keep victims unknown. What they say and talk about surely gives everybody some feelings of fears.

The poster for Caller ID Entity already gives a little taste of what to expect of the movie.

More scary are facts that are coming up on display in the first half of the movie. They show how far the research for mind control has already come to fruition. Those facts are presented as written down patents that have been registered to official sources. They make clear that the film isn't just talking about horror scenarios based on imagination.

There are some tools and research results that show that there is a lot of force out there that already aims to grab into our heads. Is that stuff already in use ? No further information is provided but everybody can easily count one and one. There is for sure someone out there trying to make profit out of this stuff and no one can say who may buy it...

Anyway the movie builds a little story out of these basics. It comes around a little trivial since it aims at control and sex used in exeriments on people that have shown themselves to be open to such tests.
I can understand it's been done this way. Those aspects are the most interesting one's to most viewers for sure. Plus they leave space for some screenplay and that's why people want to see the movie - to be entertained. 

The story unfolds in quick steps based on good, bad and characters between those borders in a grey zone. It's those characters that aren't set in one of those two fields that bring in some fresh air to a story that may seem predictable on the first look. What they do is surely also questionable but some of their motives don't shine through too quickly. You need to think again having seen it.

The whole duration of the film ain't too long with 87 minutes. That's a pro in my eyes. It's enough for a evening but not too long to make it boring. It's good to follow since the spoken english is not spoken fast. I won't spoiler anything here just saying that it's worth to watch the whole Caller ID Entity movie. Maybe you'll be surprised of the ending. It's good entertaining stuff with slightly scary emotions mixed in. Check the trailer for a quick overview.

CALLER ID Entity - Trailer from Eric A Zimmerman on Vimeo.

Make sure to watch it through streaming services like Amazon Prime and Google Play or get a copy on DVD at Family Video. It's surely also a good selection for a movie evening with friends. Let's see what they think of the facts presented. You may end up discussing several things having seen the motion picture.

CD Review: Reclvse - Restless One's (Doom Split-EP with Lucifer's Fall, 2018)

Directly from the instruments to the tape - that's how the newest Reclvse effort sounds like. Having checked out the two previous records of the doom band I can say that this one is the most ambitious and technical one to date.

The cover of the split release of Reclvse and Lucifer's Fall

Reclvse contribution
Released as a split single with Lucifer's Fall the song starts out slow just to move up to a more riff-ripping tune. It comes out clearly but the sound remains as direct as on the other band's releases so you'll be able to capture the music as if the band is standing in front of you performing the music. It forms out as one piece making it a more dynamic track.

The new more compact form of the drums adds along with the riffs the basic for this. I would go as far to say that the band put together a new dynamic form of their sound that has been enriched with few new elements. If you loved the previous Reclvse releases you should love this one, too.

Lucifer's Fall contribution is a more agressive and uptempo piece of sound. They keep it faster on their side while the sound recordingwise goes a similar direction like Reclvse. The mix is louder but sadly the drums miss the clearness. It would have been great to have that changed along with a overall less pushing sound. The vocals stand out a bit. They feel like expressing how it is to be "Trapped in Satan's Chains" and wanting to escape this.

Pick the digital split single release from Bandcamp page of Reclvse and have a listen directly in the player below. Join Reclvse on Facebook for further updates.

CD Review: Corners Of Sanctuary - The Galloping Hordes (Traditional Metal, 2018)

How can a band being rooted in the traditional metal sounds move further? Corners Of Sanctuary have proven that this is possible with the newest output "The Galloping Hordes".

Corners of Sanctuary - The Galloping Hordes cover

 I remember being positively surprised when I first heard "The Metal Machine" album back in 2015. This band woke lots of great memories of how everything started with metal music for me. Corners Of Sanctuary always pushed on forwards in the meantime with further releases and extensive tours.

"The Galloping Hordes" album marks a turning point for me. The band sticks to it's roots but has heavily worked on their sound. It's now cleared up and pushes the listener heavier. The bass comes more to the front but only on a real stereo not on smartphone or laptop speakers. This surely is one of the effects working with a legend like Bill Metoyer for mixing the record.

The music on this disc remains quickly recognizable as typical COS music but in addition to that the US band worked closely on the details of the sound (e.g. more outworked refrains with multiple layers and backing vocals this time). The tunes are riff driven, they feature lots of fun like riding the rollercoaster riffs ("A soldiers last (a drunken battle hymm)"). The rhythm has become faster on some tunes like the title track, comes around dirty and direct and sometimes slightly slowed down. ("Cloak Of Fear").

Most tracks center around the vocals but "Vengeance Of The Warrior" sets a focus on the guitars. The only weaker number for me was "The Lies In Your Eyes" because that felt a bit "simple" compared to the other songs. The last track rounds out the package and feels like a encore bringing you home. 

If you like it old school but look forward instead of living in the past this album is for you-

Purchase-Link
Remember the smell of opening a sealed CD with a printed booklet inside? Do yourselves a favour and get the silver disc through the band's website.

German readers can also order through the Mediamarkt retail chain website and pick up the Compact Disc a few days later from their local store. Maybe they even have it in stock, use the media station in the CD section of your store to search quickly. 

For fans of the digital music: you can pick the mp3 files from Amazon, too.

Preview-Video
Have a taste with the video of the track "Hail, Hail". It was filmed while the traditional metallers toured Germany this summer.

CD Review: Dawn Ahead - A Trip Of Violence (Thrash, 2018)

A blasting pack of classic thrash mixed up with slightly modern touches.

The cover of the "A trip of violence" EP, (c) by Dawn Ahead

This mini album is a display of potential. You can feel at every corner that the band is giving full gas. Just do yourselves a favor and skip track one. It's the only weak track on here because it's simply to trivial and usual. As of track two and onwards the real journey begins.

It's a feast of classic pounding thrash numbers most of the time. Two songs also go the more midtempo direction something warmly welcomed to add some change. It's those numbers that the band shows that they can do more than thrash all on it.

From all the noise the vocals stand out. They go through the full range that a vocalist can do. It's this what I would describe as slightly modern in here. So you'll get it all from clear to grunty from loud to silent notes.

The other musicians do well, too. They add the classic thrash formula to the tunes. Think of old Testament in the style of the track "Apocalptic City" from the first effort of the Bay Area veterans ("The Legacy") and you'll quickly know what I'm writing about.

If you're in a agressive mood this one perfectly fits in. Pick up your copy for only 5 Euro plus shipping and handling from the band's homepage directly. I've been told that more is in the makings so keep some eye on Facebook. Dawn Ahead are surely a pack to see live. I hope I can check them on stage some other day.  As a teaser listen to the title track below.

Single Review: Skin For A Canvas - Autumn fireflies (Ambient Acoustic, 2018)

The atmospheric time of change has arrived. We turn from summer to winter. Skin For A Canvas provide the proper soundtrack to this time of the year.

This summer has been long and heated. Slowly we go to the colder days so it's time for some softer stuff. The cover alone already speaks out what the music inside is all about. It's a catchy tune full of touching moments. Close your eyes and let it fully sink in. Time to relax for a while...

The beautiful cover gives a hint of what to expect of the music

One of the creators behind this single is Ian Mortimer. Readers of this blog may remember his name for his work on his other project Drop Oblivion, a much heavier Death 'n' thrash metal offering. But this man also has a tatste for softer tunes. This reviews looks into what is about to come out soon.

"Autumn fireflies" fades in slowly a classic acoutic way but some percussive elements add in every here and there already. It combines the soft glimpse of fine guitars and harmonic vocals along with surprisingly rougher notes coming later in. The first section is based on clearer parts with some tasteful rhythm. "Autumn fireflies" builds up with more keyboards and dual vocals further to rush up towards a outgoing point marking the end of the track with a climax.  

You can pre-order this release through the Distrokid service. It will be added automatically on 2nd of November 2018 to your Spotify library. There's also a link on the page to pre-save the track on Apple music. Below is a little sneak peak of the single.

The artist Ian Mortimer already works on more stuff together with Dani Burnett. It's a limited album that's in the works based on music written in different time periods.

Some of the songs of this album are brand new songs, some written before Dani was planned to be on this album and some songs Ian Mortimer and Dani wrote back in 2006 but were not recorded or released but now this album will finally see the day of light. Be sure to follow the both further through the Facebook account of the Skin For A Canvas to know how the story goes on.

Single Review: Zarthas - 4 Letter Word (Alternative Metal, 2018)

Are electronics to be tolerated in our music ? I think we should be to open to going new ways. I am glad I did check the new single of Zarthas out. It gave so much so I felt the need to share the word.

The cover of Zarthas new single "4 Letter Word"

This single proves why this can have advantages. While the overall sounding is sharp and going in straight it's those little electronical effects that have been cleverly placed all over the durartion that makes the track stand out a bit. It gives it a exciting kick and prevents the music from becoming monotone.

Don't worry anyway Zarthas make sure the music remains kicking in forward with
lot's of heavyness so the music never loses itself in all the effects. Besides that there are also clear parts to be found which bring in a calming note to the overall riffhacked tonality of the single. The vocals change all the while which also adds to the fun of listening and discovering.

I hope this will be the beginning of something new in the release circle of the band. No one know's for sure yet so it's safe to keep a eye on the homepage or socials of Zarthas to stay up to date.

Homepage
Facebook
Twitter

You can check the video below or listen to the track on Spotify. The song has been released through Inverse Records so I think it should also be available for streaming and purchase through most of the other common plattforms.

Black JuJu Inc. offer new album on green vinyl

There are still wonders happening in this digital age... The coldwave metal band Black JuJu Inc. is currently taking pre-orders for a limited run of their album "Crosses and Crossroads" on green vinyl!

This fits perfectly to the optic of the album cover. The vinyl on demand service Diggers Factory gives the band the chance to release this edition. You can order here. Only if 100 pre-orders are reached the vinyl can be produced, otherwise you will be re-funded. There's a time frame ending in 29 days for the chance of placing your pre-order.

A look on the pre-order website for the green vinyl edition of "Crosses and Crossroads"

The vinyl will be numbered. Compared to the tracklist of the album, there is a song that changes on the vinyl. The song "Don’t Fear" will be in the tracklist of the vinyl and will replace the song "Rude Awakening". So you'll get a song that's not to be heard on the standard edition of the record if you decide to pick this rare item up!

If you've not heard the band before here's a track to check out. It has a cool riff and rhythm with it also the atmosphere remains tight with the ongoing guitarwork. The vocals give it a roasty note rounding out the package perfectly. It's for fans of Alice in Chains & Prong.


You can listen to more songs of the album on the vinyl pre-order campaign page.
Also check out the Facebook page of the band.

CD Review: Reternity - Demo 2018 (Metal, 2018)

Big refrains that invite to scream along to at the first listen already. Direct riffs and extended solos - all this can be found on Reternity's first two track offer.

The coverartwork was created by T. Bernhardt

It's not so often that demos come to knock on my door. In fact this one was created by people that readers of this blog may have heard of already. The vocals were done by Stefan Zoerner who left SpiteFuel earlier this year. On his side his longtime companion bass guitar player Finn Janetzky who was also active in Strangelet and SpiteFuel. Plus the addition of Carsten Sauter on guitars and Carmine Jaucci on the drums round out the new band.

So what's on the disc? "Down.Not.Broken" comes out straight as a compact riffrocker with it's bold opening section and the bass going all on it. I can already see the hands going up in the concerts to this. The refrain is formed as a fighting outcall pushing through a longer set of text lines saying that rumors may see you all at the end while in fact you're just a bit tired and going through a time of rebuilding. That's at least how it feels for me without having read the lyrics.

The second tune "Suicide Butterflies" goes in a similar way with a short intro. Afterwards it explodes into a even more direct and uptempo song. It feels like a rush of feelings was in need of finding redemption. This time the refrain is bigger and sung of a huge chorus. It sticks in my mind. I'm sure readers of this blog will love this number, too. The guitars take a bigger and rougher place in here with it's extended solo sections. The overall structure is slightly complexer and outworked compared to Down.Not.Broken.

The two track disc will be up for purchase via MDD Records soon. Back in the day demos were also sold so I think it's allright to ask for a somthing in return. The sound is solid. Just listen to the snippets in the trailer.

Finally taking a look at Reternity's Facebook page and Instagram account work perfect to keep a eye on future updates and to be notified when the demo single is up for purchase.

David Ellefson to tell his Basstory on upcoming clinics

Do you remember the bass riff that opens the song "Peace sells but who's buying"? I've heard it many times and sure as that it is one of the many great one's that can beard in the music of Megadeth. Just think of "Architecture of Agression" of the Countdown to Extinction album.

So how are these riffs played and how did they came to life? David Ellefson himself is going to give some insight into his playing techniques as well as he will tell background stories that have not been shared before in the string of upcoming clinics.

The flyer for the Basstory clinic sessions, many more dates can be found below

Be sure to visit his bass clinics entitled "Basstory" already starting this week in the US and continuing over the next couple of weeks further to Europe.

There will be opening acts on many nights so be sure to show up early - you will not want to miss the opportunity to warm up with some music. Those special guests vary from date to date. So far Bumblefoot (ex-Guns N’ Roses, Sons of Apollo), Dead By Wednesday as well as Green Death and Wrath have been confirmed. Please check the list for all the details.

BASSTORY will also include special VIP meet and greets, exclusive merchandise, and more.

Tickets and limited VIPS are available for purchase at davidellefsonbasstory.com

BASSTORY US:
9/20 Portland, OR - Dante's
9/21 Spokane Valley, WA - The Roadhouse
9/22 Fife, WA - Louie G's
9/28 San Antonio, TX - Fitzgerald's
9/29 Houston, TX - BFE Rock Club
10/3 Bradley, IL – The Looney Bin (w/ Green Death)
10/4 Lombard, IL - Brauer House (w/ Green Death, WRATH)
10/5 Sturtevant, WI - Route 20 Outhouse(w/ Green Death, WRATH)
10/6 Ringle, WI - Q and Z Expo Center (w/ Green Death, WRATH)
10/7 Mankato, MN – What’s Up Lounge (w/ Green Death, WRATH, Kublai Khan)

NEWLY ADDED
11/16 Manchester, NH - Jewel Nightclub (w/ BUMBLEFOOT, Dead By Wednesday)
11/18 Holyoke, MA - Waterfront Tavern (w/ BUMBLEFOOT, Dead By Wednesday)
11/20 NYC - The Iridium (w/ BUMBLEFOOT, Dead By Wednesday)
11/21 Albany, NY – Chrome (w/ BUMBLEFOOT, Dead By Wednesday)
11/23 Niagara Falls, NY – Evening Star Concert Hall (w/ BUMBLEFOOT, Dead By Wednesday)
11/25 Waterbury, CT - Shamrock Pub (w/ BUMBLEFOOT, Dead By Wednesday)

BASSTORY EUROPE:
(Presented by Metal Casino)
15 October: BIMM-Bristol/UK+
16 October: ACM-Guildford/UK+
17 October: Rockhal-Esch Sur Alzette/Luxemburg (https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/5750754/david-ellefson-basstory-eschalzette-rockhal-luxembourg)
18 October: 013-Tilburg/Netherlands (https://www.ticketmaster.nl/event/225801?CAMEFROM=013&brand=nl_013web)
21 October: Le Relais des artistes-Les Bioux/Switzerland (Reservations via email only valprod.management@gmail.com
22 October: Riff Megastore-Warsaw/Poland
23October: Private Club-Berlin/Germany+

+Private events. No public ticketing available.

For more information:

Davidellefson.com

Davidellefsonbasstory.com

Facebook.com/davidellefson

Facebook.com/ellefsontouringagency

The W.A.B. keep it short and heavy on new clip

Does a good song need to be long? I don't think so. This particular one of the brutal Punkband W.A.B. is just round 1 minute and 51 seconds in duration and kicks it heavy and straight. It reminds me of old Motörhead tracks that also got straight to the meat.

Anyway, it still has it's fine notes worked in every here and there so it's not only a brutal whirlwind all the way. There's also a surprising part coming in at the end. I love that - it freshes the whole song up and shows what the band is able to do in songwriting.

  This is already the third single the band has put out. It's taken of the record "...and kill the worms" available from Suburban Attack Records. The cool thing is that this band only consists of two people and the drummer also does the vocals. That's something I rarely came along. If you happen to know of other sticksmen that also serve the words - please let me know.

Follow The W.A.B. further with a liker on Facebook or show them your support on Bandcamp. 

P.S. Also make sure to listen to the other singles on Bandcamp, you won't be disappointed if you already liked this heavy 'n' quick introduction into the band's sound.

Single Review: Drop Oblivion - Damaged Goods Reworked (Thrash, 2018)

I reviewed and introduced this track already some time ago. Ian Mortimer, the man behind the project has constantly worked on the song since then. Can a good piece of music still be upgraded?

The cover for Damaged Goods, artwork created by Barnaby Oakley Crossfade Productions, (c) by Drop Oblivion

Reworked for the better
The answer is: yes it can! It is nearly unbelieveable how different the new version sounds compared to the previous version. It feels as if a new song comes out of the speakers right now.

In detail "Damaged Goods" sounds much sharper and clearer now. Most of all the different parts and sections come out to the front. Now it's clear how many riffs and finer undertoned effects this track has in it. The guitars are much louder on this version.

A new drum sound also supports the easier understanding of the track - it's like it's putting marks and properly pointing parts into their direction now. It feels easier to get a fast grip of what the song is all about now.

The guitars got some new riffs in them I think. One section is brand new - the one where the guitars are quite for a few seconds.

The vocals have been completly re-done. They have a more constant line in them now. The overall tonality of the demonicness feels like one layer being constant through the whole duration now.

It's fascinating to hear how much one track can change with such a overhaul. Very well done!

Purchase-Link & Album Crowdfunding
Pick up a copy from the digital plattform Bandcamp. It costs 2 GBP. More platforms will follow in the coming days. I'll add them as them come in.

Currently a full album is in it's finishing stages. Please help to cover the expenses for mixing, mastering and worldwide release with pre-ordering a digital copy of "Narcissistic Councilor" for 10 GBP via Crowdfunder.

Contact Data
Be sure to follow this project further through the Facebook band page of Drop Oblivion.

Over Nemesis take a catseye look across the stars

Album covers can be something that catches your attention. Some of them may call a emotion or a memory in your heart or your mind.

This time around the cover of Sludge metallers "Over Nemesis" packed me with it's mysterious and big eyes on it looking into a misty surrounding, maybe into a sky or something. It reminded me of the eyes of a cat. I love cats and their eyes share a beauty and look into a different world.

A look at the cover of "Wink". It has been integrated into a nice full background picture that could be a cotinuation of the initial print. (c) by Over Nemesis, used with kind permission

That's maybe something that connects to the music of the band that also leads into another place. Fans of the Black Label Society should feel home very quickly. So don't hesitate and have your own look "Across the stars". The use of "yeah" at the vocals reminded me of older days and was a warmly welcomed cheer up on this very Monday. Thanks for that!

This one is a teaser for the full album "Wink" coming August 31st 2018. The album is available for presale on the webstore of Music-Records.
Alternatively you can also pick it up once it's out from

► the stand of the band as a digipack CD

► On 150 digital platforms for download

► Distribued in Europe, USA, Asia & Oceania as physical edition

Tracklist :
1 - Saint Bâle
2 - Vault of Blindness
3 - Mario and Sergio
4 - Across The Stars
5 - She Become Calypso
6 - Inside
7 - This Man
8 - Tears
9 - Light Of Hopes
10 - Until The End

Keep a eye on the band through Facebook.

Corners Of Sanctuary push harder on "Finding Sanctuary"

What I like so much is to see bands evolving. It's always great to have a ear and eye at the start and to see what happens next. Corners Of Sanctuary have developed a lot throughout the time that lays beyond.

Having always been a solid metal band that kept it mostly mid-tempo the band has revamped it's sound with much more power (lot's of double bass drum attacks on this one) and extended work on the vocal side. Their newest track "Finding Sanctuary" taken of the best of compilation album of the same name displays that perfectly for me.

Would like to have and keep that song? Now problem, it's currently up for free download from the band's homepage.

The complete “Finding Sanctuary” album can also be downloaded for free when fans purchase a limited-edition “Kiss Your Ass Goodbye” tour shirt exclusively designed and distributed by LA’s rock fashion guru Metal Babe Mayhem. To receive a 15% discount, use promo code COSMBM15 at checkout by visiting the official Corners of Sanctuarty website by July 10th. 

Update 2018/07/13: The deadline has been extended 'til July 21st. This means the shirt is still available with the same discount code from the link above. Every order also comes with a free download of the "Finding Sanctuary" album.

The new collection, which was mastered by legendary LA producer Bill Metoyer (Slayer, W.A.S.P., Armored Saint), contains 11 tracks, including four completely re-envisioned songs: “Unsung Hero,” “Ready for Battle,” “Eighty-sixed,” and the titled track “Finding Sanctuary”. The physical version of the album is only available at the band’s live shows in either CD or cassette format.

The cover for Corners Of Sanctuary's release "Finding Sanctuary", (c) by Corners Of Sanctuary, used with kind permission

Speaking of live shows: the band will tour Germany in a few weeks plus do more gigs in the US in 2018. Here are the full dates:

July 13th - Hanover, PA
July 20th - Ardmore, PA
August 10th - Frankfurt, Germany
August 11th - Uelsen, Germany
August 13th - Genk, Belgium
August 15th - Hanover, Germany
August 17th - Oldenburg, Germany
August 18th - Lingen, Germany
September 2nd - Long Branch. NJ
October 14th - Baltimore, MD
November 4th Santa Ana, CA.
November 7th - North Hollywood, CA
November 9th - West Hollywood, CA
November 10th - San Diego, CA

A brand new studio album has also been put out in the meantime. Corners of Sanctuary’s fifth album, “The Galloping Hordes,” released on Killer Metal Records, is now available digitally and will be released on CD in the beginning of August.

Arte Concert streams With Full Force 2018

Just got the info that this weekend's With Full Force Festival will be livestreamed through the internet by Arte Concert. Here's is the schedule for the stream of  the festival featuring mostly bands from the heavier side of metal:

Friday 14th June 2018 (all times CEST)

  Stray From The Path 18:00 h
  Kataklysm 18:40 h
  Stick To Your Guns 19:30 h
  Lionheart 20:15h
  Body Count feat. Ice-T 21:00 h
  Caliban 21:50 h
  Tbc 22:45 h
  Belphegor 00:00 h

Best of all you can watch it straight here, thanks to the kind embed option on the Arte Concert livestream page.

A full schedule of all the bands performing at the festival can be found on the official festival homepage.
Check the Arte Concert streaming page for updates on the livestream schedule as well as for info which bands they will show in the coming two days.

CD Review: Graveshadow - Ambition's Price (Symphonic Metal, 2018)

Everything comes at a price in life. What is the price you pay for your ambitions?

The cover of Graveshadow's album "Price Of Ambition", (c) by Graveshadow, used with kind permission

Summary
On the first look you may think of this band as one of the many out there playing the all so well known symphonic genre. But taking a real ear reveals that there is not only the standard sounds to be heard.

In fact this one goes a bit more of the darker way. The voice is very present and it changes often from one verse just to another. So in one second you'll catch some lightweight and silk sound and will be confronted with the dark and rough tonality at the very next just around the corner. This may sound impossible but this is possible to fit into the song structures and Graveshadow form it to be a enjoyable experience.

It still remains to be headbangable stuff but it offers stuff with more depth. The songs vary and every one of them expresses something of it's own. It's like stations on a journey - every station comes with it's own colour, sound and content.

Darkness is to be found often but it comes in many different contrasts. There's light as well - you can party to most of the tracks of the second half of the record. All in all it's a solid album and the more progressive elements surely will find it's way into close analysis of any musician of the genre out there.

If you want to know straight away if this record is for you try the preview track below. It expresses what I've written above.

Preview Track & Purchase-Link and Contact-Links
You can pick up a physical copy of "Ambition's Price" straight out of the webshop of M-Theory Audio or get it from Graveshadow's Bandcamp site. You can also buy your package of songs digitally from the common retailers such as iTunes, Amazon or Spotify.

Follow them via Instagram or Facebook.

CD Review: A Light Within - Epilogue (Post Metal, 2018)

A far more accessable record compared to the both previous releases. Yet it's far from being mainstream.

A Light Within Epilogue EP cover, (c) by A Light Within, used with kind permissio

A Light Within are a band with a own sound. Their music comes around more centered of feelings than of planed structures. It's all about the message and the expression. The music takes you to other places no question.

Summary
This EP has put a heavy eye on loud and more direct sounds. The tunes put the sound more to the front of the listener. You don't need to dig that deep anymore to get to the point. Anyway there's still room for a lot of sounds in the silence. Working for the first time with producer Paul Malinowski (Season to Risk, Shiner, The Life & Times)  and directing mastering duties to Acle Kahney (TesseracT) surely helped to develop the band's sound further.

The best example as for me is the opening number "Shells". It's loud and rough but taking a close ear to the vocals touching in to the sounds they give a deep message with it leaving a aftertaste of feelings in the broad waves of music. It's those moments that you'll soak up what makes A Light Within so special and stand out.

"Chemical Drive" invites to enjoy the moment and let yourselves drift. The melody and main-theme comes around relaxed. Maybe the most beautiful track that builds up slowly piece by piece to end in much rougher spheres. The drums are coming clearer and the bass on "An Educated Gentleman" surprises with raw attacking. It's a unusual tempo the band presents on this one. Compared to the older material songs like this one come quicker to the point plus there's more feeling of movement in them.

"Surrounded By Astronauts" is the most complex song of the package. It's sound feels like the elements are fighting a bit against each other. It makes it hard to get to the core with the massivity of the sounds reaching your ears.

Purchase-Link and EP-Stream
"Epilogue" comes in three formats. The download in a format of your choice from Bandcamp or a handy Digipack CD are a good pick to every lover of music. They come for the fair pice of 4 or 7 US Dollar.

But the best is the limited tin case. Having checked out the quality of it from "Body Matter" (the previous EP) with my own hands and eyes I can say it's handmade but professionell and with high quality materials. Be quick those gems are going fast and these one's are limited with handwritten numbers on the backside. It's also available from the band's Bandcamp store.


Finally follow the band with Facebook to see how the journey will go on.

Single-Preview: The Lazlo Device - You stumble, I Fall (Post Rock, 2018)

This beautiful piece of Post Rock packs all the facettes such music is able to show into one compact track.

The cover of the new The Lazlo Device single "You stumble, I Fall". (c) by The Lazlo Device, used with kind permission

This new track of London-based post-rockers The Lazlo Device is going to be released this very friday 27th April 2018. It's the title tracks of the upcoming album of the same name. Heavy Metal Underdogs had a pre-listen to the new single and here's what came around:

Out of a misty intro the song beginns. "You stumble, I Fall" starts out as a harmonic, clear track. Everything is set in a balanced mood with straight vocals, drums and guitars. But as time goes by the song changes. The cymbals announce the change with their constant ringing. More rougher guitars slowly begin to fade in adding a more ghosty and moving note to the tune. Finally the rough notes start to take over bringing in a more harsh sound with distorted experimental sounds. The end comes shortly - a mixture of the more melodic and the rough parts melting together and bringing the single to an end.

I can share a little snippet of what's to come with all of you.

'You Stumble, I Fall' is set to drop on 27th April, with two more singles to follow before the release of the album later in the year.

You Stumble, I Fall album tracklisting:

1. These Eyes

2. Change

3. Sleep Till Summer

4. Beetle

5. Known To You

6. Blanket

7. Alderon

8. Mt Songo

9. I Don't Know

10. Fleeting Seconds

11. Fix Your Sights

12. You Stumble, I Fall

Keep a eye on the band through Twitter, Facebook or their Homepage. That's also the places where you'll surely will be notified of where to purchase the track once it's released. 

SpiteFuel Interview Dreamworld Collapse album (2018)

The german heavy rockers SpiteFuel are pushing on forwards. Having completed a massive string of live dates in support of the first full length "Second To None" the five-pack didn't hesitate to prepare new material. They announced early that they had plans in mind to do a classic concept record in the style of the big releases of the past. Few snippets surfaced speaking of a Science Fiction like story along with first text sketches plus a vocalwork preview on Facebook.

Finally more concrete "Dreamworld Collapse" was announced to feature elements of female vocals, classic arrangements and a massive sound package telling a tale of rebellion and courage set in a dytopian future of mankind.

This teased Heavy Metal Underdogs more than enough so we asked Stefan Zörner, vocalist of the band and Tobias Eurich, guitarist of SpiteFuel to give us some more insights into this promising record. Dreamworld Collapse is set for release on 27nd April 2018 via MDD Records. Be sure to pre-order the Digipack at the Online-Shop of the label or secure a copy at Amazon.

Heavy Metal Underdogs: The album artwork is very impressive and shows a main scene of the story. Did you have already an own idea of this or did Kris Verwimp come around with this scene?

The cover of the upcoming SpiteFuel record "Dreamworld Collapse" drawn by Kris Verwimp, (c) by SpiteFuel, used with kind permission

Stefan: Kris did a FANTASTIC job. He is a great artist and I am very impressed by his art! Oh, and I gave him the storyline and some thoughts. Then he started do draw his sketches and we had a good exchange of ideas during the process.

- Which part did you work on first: the story concept or the music?

Tobi: The album itself consists of the story concept written and elaborated by Stefan and the musical concept by me. So Stefan had this idea of the present story years ago for his second novel “Die Stadt am Ende der Zeit” which means town at the end of time and will probably be released in 2019. Independently I’ve started to compose the main songs “Brilliant White Lies” and “The Dreamworld Suite”. After talking a lot about our wishes of a concept album and realizing it, the musical concept grew. Of course with the help of our axeman Timo(Iconic Failure, Under Fire) and Mastermind Micha Fiedler who did the orchestration. Simultaneously Stefan finished the story concept.

- The introduction of the world has a little of a political system with it. Did you had real scenarios of our current situation in mind when writing this?

Stefan: Hm, I´m influenced by life itself. My writing is a kind of reflection on what I see. Always. On the other hand I really love to be ambiguous, hahaha! You can also “just” enjoy a cool SciFi story! So… feel free to interpret and speculate. 

 

- Do you think that your work on the vocals and guitars were the hardest to do to date? Was there a time you thought one track or section would be impossible to complete?

Stefan: Not really! The practical approach was different, but I think every particular song, I sing is the hardest one, and the next one will be the next hardest one and so on. That´s my aim! “Stillstand ist der Tod”, as we Germans say!

Tobi: It was definitely more complicated than the “Second to None”-Sessions. The songs are more complex but there is progress every day and I totally agree with Stefan we never thought we can’t handle it.

- How do you prepare for laying down vocal tracks? Do you try to get inside the mood or situation of the track you want to perform? The story changes many times during the album duration.

Stefan: Jah, it really depends on moods and true feelings. To perform a concept album is more like to act in a movie or to recite a poem in many ways. It was a big challenge for me, but it also was total fun and something “new” for me to sing. And I really LOVE new experiences, man!

- Do you read Science Fiction stories in your free time?

Stefan: Of course I do! I used to read hundreds of SciFi books, have visited thousands of planets, civilisations and cosmic wonders, yeah! I love the golden era of SciFi and Asimov, Edmond Hamilton, Leigh Brackett or Jack Vance had a major influence, I think! 

A promoshot of the band SpiteFuel done in 2018, Photo Credit: SpiteFuel

 

- Do you think that the creation of Dreamworld Collapse brought the band members closer to each other?

Tobi: YEPP!! Everyone is a part of this incredible journey and every member did a great job. We all love the concept and made our own ideas about it and so all in all we are even stronger than before. One for all and all for one!

- Did you come around points where you wanted to give up on the concept and record a "normal" album instead?

Tobi: No! It is our dream to do this. Stefan and I are a bit freaky and megalomaniac –HAHA -but we like the challenge. We knew it will be hard to do it but giving up is not an option.

- Finally: do you believe in love on first sight? 

Stefan: No. But I believe in love. And love is an growing thing, the more you know, the deeper it gets. Love is everything!

Tobi: I don’t believe in love it’s never worth the pain that you feeeeel…. Thanks Stefan for reminding me the next two days of this masterpiece of music. HAHA.

But yes I do. Well, especially I believe in falling in love at sight. Love needs work, trust and time …but it’s the most beautiful thing we all can feel.

Make sure to connect with the band on Facebook to get further hints of how "Dreamworld Collapse" will sound like. 

SpiteFuel also has a compact website placed on the web that has a good overview on the upcoming shows that have been confirmed for the album release plus the time afterwards.