Tulip add more groove to symphonic metal / US Tour Aug. 2019

Some bands add few but important elements to a existing sound. This time symphonic metallers Tulip got me. They add a fresh dose of dry and well thought-out groove to the well known and popular symphonic metal world.

This working style gives a more calming element into the sound. That's something I think postive of. It makes the music more actionable. Try it out for yourselves with the music video of "Total".

It's great to see that the band that isn't around for too long has secured a opening slot on a package with Evergrey and Shattered Sun starting end of August 2019 in the United States.

8/23/2019 Los Angeles, CA The Satellite

8/24/2019 San Jose, CA The Ritz

8/25/2019 Sacramento, CA Holy Diver

8/27/2019 Portland, OR Bossanova Ballroom - TBA

8/28/2019 Seattle, WA Club Sur

8/30/2019 Salt Lake City, UT Metro Music Hall

8/31/2019 Denver, CO Marquis Theater

9/2/2019 Dallas, TX Gas Monkey Bar & Grill

9/3/2019 Austin, TX Come and Take It Live

9/8/2019 Toronto, ON Velvet Underground

Pick the flyer for a reminder to the shows and visit Tulip's Facebook page for updates and more info.

Tulip will open up for swedish melodic metal band Evergrey.

Video Preview: Inoculum - Dissimulate (Alternative Groove Metal, 2018)

These days so many bad comments and hate floots the internet in my eyes.
The world badly needs some antidote. This band based from the Baltimore, MD (USA) area provides ripping out all these dark stuff and leaves behind some light with their upcoming new videosingle "Dissimulate".

The logo of the Alternative Groove Metal band Inoculum, (c) by Inoculum, used with kind permission

Heavy Metal Underdogs has been given the honour to check out the brand new Inoculum video in advance as a private screening. I was blown away by the sheer power and the will to create something that lasts as a piece of unique sound. That's why I would like to say that the guys play Dedicated Metal. It's comin' deeper from the heart than anything else out there.

The new track "Dissimulate" in detail
What got me so much about their sound is the combination of brutality and softer undernotes mixed  in. The song builds up softer, adds up with extra power and finally blows out the energy in one blast. It's not often coming along my way that the drummer takes over vocal duties. Here you can spot this rare ocassion and it's a fine contrast to the brutal assault of the main vocals. On other parts of the song both harmonize which adds a extra to the already excellent track.

The guitar riffs vary but give a more underlining note to the sound while the drums groove straight away something that's heavily supported through the use of a dark and deep toned bass sound. Inoculum doesn't just play the notes but lives them out with heartblood. The song feels nearly endlessly. I think a show of these guys must be a very intensive experience.

Video preview snippets
So far you can spot some scenes of the video on the start page of the band's world wide web presence.I think it will come with a deeper meaning. So far you can see some TV's that are destroyed and books burned by masked people taking people away from their places.

Well I think we need to wait until April 1st 2018 to know what the band exactly wants to express with this moving picture. The band has announced to premiere the video on their homepage.  

Social Contacts and Future plans
Make sure to have a eye on their socials on Facebook or Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date in the meantime on how things move on. The band also has plans to tour with their material so promoters out there looking for a good band to book in the upcoming months would make a good pick with booking Inoculum.

Ektomorf & Dead Horse Trauma on European tour March 2018

This package that startis to tour straight on March 2nd promises to be a cool package. While Ektomorf should be well known to metal maniacs with their classic and full blast thrash performance it's cool to see they give a unusual opening act a chance.

This time the slot is taken over by Dead Horse Trauma. The band surprised me with the vocal performance on the song "Left Unsaid". It's not too often to be found that the vocalist transport's the message with such great undertones that add his inner feelings to the sound. It sounds as if the performs more from the heart than from the strict formula. The other band members add a pounding and compact riffing sound to the package that make the whole song push straight forward. It feels round and moves me inside.

Come and give these two band's a loud and great welcome on their shows in Europe.
Tickets and more info can be found at http://DHTtour.com and http://DeadHorseTrauma.com

Update 09/03/2018: The show at Zollhaus Leer  / Germany on 22.03.18 has been cancelled. All purchased tickets will be refund at the place of purchase. A replacement show at a different location is in the makings. More info on this will hopefully be available at the event page on Facebook.

3/02 - Pitcher - Düsseldorf, Germany
3/03 - Markthalle - Hamburg, Germany
3/04 - Klub Muzyczny Liverpool - Wroclaw, Poland
3/05 - Aching - Colmar, France
3/07 - Altherax - Nice, France
3/08 - Palazzo Bowling & Beat Club - Chur, Switzerland
3/09 - Metbar - Lenzburg, Switzerland
3/10 - Woody's - Schleiz, Germany
3/11 - Viper Room - Vienna, Austria
3/13 - Barrák Music Club - Ostrava, Czech Republic
3/14 - Nuke - Berlin, Germany
3/15 - Rock Café - Prague, Czech Republic
3/16 - L.A. Cham - Cham, Germany
3/17 - Das Rind - Rüsselsheim, Germany
3/18 - De Verlichte Geest - Roeselare, Belgium
3/19 - From Hell - Erfurt, Germany
3/20 - Chemie Fabrik - Dresden, Germany
3/21 - Alte Zuckerfabrik - Rostock, Germany
3/22 - Kulturzentrum Zollhaus - Leer, Germany
3/23 - Factory Event Center - Magdeburg, Germany
3/24 - Baroeg - Rotterdam, Netherlands
3/25 - Rock Fabrik - Ludwigsburg, Germany
3/26 - Backstage - München, Germany
3/27 - Vègàllomàs Klub - Szombathely, Hungary
3/28 - Form Space - Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3/29 - Narancs Rock Cafe - Békéscsaba, Hungary
3/30 - Sypka - Morkovice, Czechia
3/31 - Hellraiser - Leipzig, Germany
4/01 - MC Fabrika - Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

Here's the flyer if you'd like to have a copy of it as quick reminder.

GerSwitzer Dead Horse Trauma’s new album, LIFE can be found here:

Physical: https://goo.gl/PlHJ4p
iTunes: https://goo.gl/k2kEko
Google Play: https://goo.gl/IL9lyC
Amazon: https://goo.gl/6FIuyv

Check the band's homepage or Facebook for constant updates.

http://deadhorsetrauma.com/

https://www.facebook.com/deadhorsetrauma

CD Review: Sweeping Death - Astoria (Modern Thrash, 2017)

Unusual is the main word that describes this silver round of thrash the best.

Cover: Jeff Carr, (c) by Sweeping Death, used with kind permission

Summary
If you think that there are way to many thrash bands out there that sound the same Sweeping Death may give you back fresh hope. While their overall attitude is based on the classic sound it's the experimentation that gives the meat to the bone. I think of the way of the production. It's easier to enjoy their tunes - they are hard produced but not that heavy to enjoy. It's the vocals. They are loud but their are never harsh or rude but always fit to the noise. You may wander around in wonder listening to them the first time. Is this really thrash?

Yes, it is but seen from a different point of view. I like those new attempts on a classic way of the metal music. It's band's like Sweeping Death that dare to go new ways even where tradition may say that it's forbidden to do this. They don't care and go their own way.

You can hear the fun the band spreads round playing tracks like "Devils's Dance" - the compact riffs played fast combined with the punchy drums and vocals shouting it out. You can't help but need to bang your head. It put's a big grin on your face. It's easier feeling all the way and doesn't give this pressed dark feeling but lift's you up from your everyday sorrows.

Purchase-Link & Stream
I think that's something worth your reward giving some coins for the record. You can purchase the album via Bandcamp. A deluxe edition of the record with new coverart and a bonus track is available, too. Best of all have a ear on their offers right here in the stream.

I'm looking forward to see where this band goes next. "Astoria" sounds promising and no one knows what's on the guys mind while typing these lines. Let's hope they'll continue their couragous path.

Contact-Data
Finally see the band's website for extended band info and updates such as tourdates.

CD Review: Brutai - Born (Modern Metal/2016)

Seldomely has a band impressed me the way Brutai did with their first album. Usually the first previews of many records sound good but the finished album later on may not be as fullfilling as you hoped for.

Introduction
Happily that's not the same with "Born". Having heard the first track "Deep" I was thrilled for more to come. Seeing that the band was very busy with playing gigs wherever they had the opportunity and other stuff they had to work around like a writing blockade I thought that a EP would wait around the corner. But what we have here is a full album and that's even more impressive if you keep in mind that all of this happened in a time of under one year!

The cover of Brutai's first full length "Born", (c) by Brutai, used with kind permission

Summary
So what's inside of the package? First of all it's a modern metal record but one with a special note. While most of the songs have a rough edge to the riffs and the pushing, uncompromising rhythm it's the vocal's core that always centers the music back to some melodic and softer tonality. It's great to hear that along with some catchy melodies the record always remains one you love to listen to. Most of all the sound remains natural and intact not letting the all too modern production ruin the product in the end. You never have the impression that it's overpolished or impossible to play this but instead always can imagine that this is handcrafted music of real humans.

The first three tracks are a good intro in a row. The album slowly takes you into the world of Brutai. With every step you sink in further. While "Relapse" is a rhythm-oriented opener to the album, "Deep" adds the progressive elements just to finally push you to the riffing monster "Of Ashes".

The absolute peak of the record is reached with the songs starting with "Lucidity" up to "Dear Emily" - all the tracks grow further from one song to each other. They're all heavy and will give you a great feeling through the whole duration. I simply had to headbang to these tunes.

The middle sees us taking a breath with the modern half ballad "Valediction", some pretty complex piece of music yet is has a infectious melody spreading all along the track. Just when you thought it's over after the eight track "Over now" the band returns for two more songs.

"Visitors" has some great keyboard melody going through the whole track - it touches you and has been circulating in my mind for a long time. "The Border" is the heaviest track and a full surprise to the package. It's a long pushing heavy crusher that never seems to end but it gives you this special feeling to it that the band has put out something great with the debut "Born" and that you definitely need to see them live.

Purchase Link
Make sure to pick your copy early. All CD and T-shirt bundles are £20 for a limited time only... Prices will increase after 'Born' is released on November 25th. You can place your pre-order here.

Album stream
I've picked the track "Of Ashes" as a quick check- in song for you. Besides the great music it comes with a nice animated album cover. If you'd like to listen to the full album, just check out the Facebook page for the Heavy Metal Underdogs Blog - at this direct link you can hear the whole album that the band has uploaded to YouTube.


Contact data
Make sure to keep a eye on the band through Facebook and mark your calenders when the band hit's the road in January 2017 with The Devil You Know in the UK. For detailed tourdates check my post.

Ways. portrait their musical contrasts in beautiful video

Ways. are a post hardcore formation from France that incorporates many different elements in their music. Some are of the traditional harsh and brutal nature, some have their origins in softer and melodic regions but this band has the ability to melt all of them into a sound that feels as if it has been always like this for them.

The newest video that comes fresh of the video cutting table of the band uses intensive and outstanding romantic as well as rough video recordings of nature phenomenons to express the varity in their musical spectrum. This video will give you a relaxed as well as kicking start into the new month.

The band will play a couple of shows in September 2016 in Spain (!) and France. Just check the flyer below if you can make it to one of their performances.

The tourposter of the upcoming Ways. shows in September 2016, (c) by Ways. , used with kind permission

A look on the bands internet plattforms such as Bandcamp or Facebook is a good idea if you'd like to find out if the other songs of their debut EP "Warching from afar" match your musical taste.

Senate Of Prevail explore the Hollow Ground

Sometimes it's cool to see how the songwriting in metal bands has evolved over the years.

Looking back to the classic days you could nearly always be sure that there was this verse - refrain way the lyrics were build upon. After that there was another verse and refrain followed by the guitar solo just to lead into the final repeat of the refrain again. The song finished some or other way and that was the way we knew and it and I think most of us loved it.

These days bands attempt it differently. Some tracks start for example straight away with the vocals coming straight in directly at the beginning. Sometimes the vocals are present all the time never giving a break for the solo that is missed out completly.

But most of all the refrains cannot be spotted immediately as such. In the old days it was always the peak of the music. These times the refrains are often build inside not leaving the overall song structure but keeping the structure intact. Nevertheless they can be something that burns down deep in your mind. Try this song below to hear what I'm talking about.


These were my thoughts when Sweden's Senate Of Prevail came around with a brandnew track called "Hollow Ground". Not only that the song kicks from start to finish but most of all it has this dominate vocals with it that rush through the full track duration making it a hell of a ride but with this refrain worked in that won't leave my mind now anymore. 

Check it out for yourselves and pick up the track as free download while it's still up. While you're waiting for the data transmission to finish see the band's social site on Facebook, Instagram and on Soundcloud. Be sure to mark those with a like or follow. We need to make this band coming back in my eyes. Maybe if we call loud enough for them they will come back? I hope for that and would like to ask you kindly to support me in this mission.

CD Review: Ways. - Watching From Afar EP (2016)

In short a hardcore EP with a clear aim: to bring in fresh elements to a well known genre. Ways. carefully thought out their songs and created a listening experience both being familar and surprising alltogether.

Short Introduction

Ways. are a rock / metal / alternative band from Paris, France. In April the band released their debut EP Watching From Afar. The band first came to my attention when I saw their video for the song "Misty Hope" which made me more than looking forward to their first record. A great track and teaser to this EP.

The cover of "Watching From Afar", (c) by Ways. , used with kind permission

Summary

Listening to this very first release of Ways. quickly will let you identify it has a music of the hardcore genre. The typical elements like the harsh vocals and the strong and strict song structures are easily identifiable.

But it's also clear after a short time that the band ever had the idea in their mind to give new impulses to this. There are hacked riffs in there as well as timing variations ("My Blue Stain"), you'll be confronted with silence packed in the loud message of "Misty Hope" just to reach a hardcore half-ballad with "Something to say..." and come to the end with "Twenty First Sectuary" which closes the release with the classic hardcore style but mixed up with a slight fun-riff. I think you'll be surprised to hear how this sounds but it will leave you with a smile and the good feeling behind.

If you still prefer to stick to some old hardcore sounds don't worry: the second track "As A Duty" offers this so the old core of the genre is not forgotten from this band at all.

Player / Purchase-Link


The EP comes around as a pay what you want offer on Bandcamp. Sure you can pick it up for free but please keep in mind that young bands need a push at the start so they can progress further. If you help them out with a few bucks who knows how their next release may sound like? Or how the tracks sound live? You can help to make this happen by giving a amount of your choice.

Other places such as Spotify, iTunes and Google Play can also be used to stream and buy the "Watching From Afar" EP.

Contact Data

Ways. have some nice social outlets up and running out there, you can choice between Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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: Suffer No Fools - Songs For The Restless Youth

Note:  If you have a own band or project that you think might fit in well here for a review or as a presentation / introduction please drop me a line or two in a E-Mail. Please see my profile for my E-Mail adress. I appreciate new suggestions very much so don't hesitate to contact me. I'm also interested in band news / updates / tourdates so keep the stuff coming. Thanks!

If you're having troubles writing in English please send me a E-Mail in your prefered language or use the free Google Translator to transfer your message to English. I also use that tool, it's of course not perfect but I think it will mostly likely work out for our purposes.

Short Introduction 

Suffer No Fools was formed in Ealing in 2015 and is comprised of Ali Khan on vocals, Jack Kirby and Jamie Newdeck on guitar, Alex Bain on bass, and Mike Taylor on drums. The band set out to combine the best of their influences in order to create something contemporary that also harked back to the last few decades of metal. This led to a band that had the speed and melody of Metallica, the groove of Rammstein and the crushing edge of Killswitch Engage.
This EP entiled "Songs For The Restless Youth" is the very first release of the band which saw the light of day in May 2015 on Bandcamp. 

(c) by Mesozord, used with kind permission

Summary / Purchase Links / Player

This record has hit me like a storm! Wow, for sure a real pure thrash album but also not just one of the many. What's so different here? It's first of all the little details the band worked in on the songs. Just for example there are all these melodic, relaxing guitar parts in "The Bombing Campaign" plus the very melodic chorus which set's deep in your mind once listened to it. Then we have the track "Prey" which has a very unusual clean guitar going with it in the songs refrain. It's otherwise a raw and typical thrash metal track but this little element harks back and makes you give it a re-listen.

Then there are the vocals that are held in a bit softer tonality than usual thrash vocalists keep them - but I like it that way. It gives a bit more relaxed feeling when listening to them - something that's a big pro in my eyes since some thrash records tend to be a bit exhausting while listening to them. Just hit the play button and start enjoying this cool record.


The EP has a good variation of songs on them, it's midtempo as well as tracks going straight to the meat with more speed. You can easily headbang along to them but also pick them up later to have a closer listen. Most of all the music never get's monotone and has many parts in them that invite you to re-listen to them. So it's well worth spending the 4 GBP on them for a download in various formats on Bandcamp. There's also a very limited edition run as a physical CD up for purchase for all those people living in the UK.

Please support the artist by buying this recording and go to their shows. We need such talented musicians putting out so diverse and fresh records much more in my ears. If you prefer to buy your music on other sites than Bandcamp you can pick up the digital release on itunes, Spotify as well as on Amazon MP3.

Also make sure to visit the band on Facebook since they are going to play some shows in support of the record, just check in to see a detailed list of dates. There's also the possibility to keep in touch with the band on their ReverbNation page or have a look on Youtube to keep a eye on them. Soundcloud users can also stream and connect with Suffer No Fools through their account on that service.

Track-by-Track Review

1.Acheron
The intro to the EP. A dark und mysterious theme comes close to the listener. You can feel that something is coming near, yet you don't know what it is. It feels like some powers above you choose your destiny in those moments - like putting it together on a big map. Finally the guitars come in with distortion so you know the band is setting up and the storm is about to come down...

2.The Bombing Campaign 
Rough guitars start this one out leading you in step by step. Slowly the pressure builds up to explode in a double axe heavy hitting attack with accompaining drums. The vocals step in giving it back a relaxter feeling and a bit more melody back into the song. A slow intermission leads over letting you miss the refrain and bringing you to verse two. More crushing guitars ripp up the track before some clear guitars form a softer breaker into the track. The refrain shows up for the first time and the whole structure is repeated afterwards. A extensive solo-parts comes in before the clean part returns. The end brings back the beginning theme so the circle is perfectly closed on this one.

3. Prey
A straight and direct riff opens this song up. A short shredding intermission leads over to the refrain which has this clear, high notes in them I mentioned at the summary section. Very unusual and not heard often such idea will you surely turn your head and wanting to have a replay. Maybe you'll like it as much as I do - a big contrast to the traditional thrash song structures but a idea that's highly welcomed. There's more of that towards the end in a own clear section of Prey.
   
4. Forgiven Or Forgotten 
It's time to headbang a lot if you've not already on the previous tracks already. The most straight forward track of the record going directly to your ears and wanna surely make you have a party with your friends. Just forget all the troubles with the world and enjoy this one! The song has some cool specials in them like the distorted vocals at the beginning or the double-bass drum attack at the last third of the song leading to a very blistering solo bursting out of the music. Love this one!

(c) by Carly Marson, used with kind permission

5. Abyss
A bit more epic intro opens up to a midtemo piece of music with fast drum-fills in them. The refrain comes more stretched yet as a very welcome diversity for the writer of these lines. It's a very atmospheric element the refrain creates. Once more something that goes out of the usual song structures and gives a feeling of freshness. Guitars and drums go in a very close hand-in-hand connection on Abyss. Details have been outworked very sharp, must have surely taken some time to get this on that level on tape.
  
6. Dirge Of The Old Gods 
A classic riff open this one up very shortly. Short and sharp riffs are fired out very well together with much diversity on the drums pushing it through various changes in speed. Reminds me a bit of the compact riff-hacker Testament sometimes composes yet vocals are formed much more around the songs structures to fit in with groove and riffing structures. 
     
7.Into The Breach
Some open riffs start this shotly before a massive double-bass drum patters puts in more pressure to the final song of the EP. The refrain is stretched a bit more out before a riff change leads in some distorted vocals and opens up the way for a very compact riff intermezzo in a sort like the old In Flames had them back in the day. The drummer puts in some very hard timing-critical parts in here, reminding me a bit of Slayer with Dave Lombardo. More sharp riffs make me feel so good, sounding like the guitars were directly fusioned with drums, a totally tight sound mixture comes your way. Great ending for a great EP!