Factory Of Art restart activities after 20 years

It's great to hear a band is coming back you didn't even knew before. This is what happened to me as I was introduced to the progressive Power Metal music of the german band Factory Of Art.

Factory Of Art bandshot taken at a liveshow.

Having sent me a Email with two linked YouTube videos I was blown away by "No tears" taken of the 2002 output "The Tempter".

It's music performed and composed like I had wished for in my mind. The riffs go a straight way and some keyboards in a lighter way set the basic for the mood of the song.

The drums powerfull and hard keep it straight forward so the progressive style never becomes too complicated and unstructured also this is surely not a easy pattern to perform. The drum sound is also great - it's held in a more dry tonality so it's good to follow.  

But most of all the vocals left a lasting impression on me. They haunt you with it's spoken und darker tone and totally leave a emotional expression left behind in me. it's going under the skin as we are here in Germany going to say.

Happily it's not all past as the band is going to perform the next show in 2022 on the 10. December 2022 at Tonelli's in Leipzig (Germany).

In addition to that the guys are working on new material and the first four songs are said to be already finished with some guests who aren't revealed any closer yet. 

In the meantime they are occasionally going to publish live videos of Factory of Art concerts from the past year to bridge the waiting time in an interesting way. 

Make sure to keep a eye further on this great band. I can't believe I should have missed them in all the years before.

Factory Of Art website

Factory Of Art Facebook

CD Review: Animae Silentes - Suffocated (Gothic Rock, 2017)

Fine gothic rock tracks that are playing with the heavyness of the music on the one side and laying it down softer on the vocal side.

The cover of Animae Silentes debut record "Suffocated", (c) by Animae Silentes, used with kind permission

Summary
The start is dark and strange with a classic intro. The first full song "Burning in silence" kicks in straight and I love the way it does. It lifts the mood and gives room to for the ears to find into the band's sound. The next track "Purgatorium" pushed me straight in. It's such a riff hacker it gave me no chance to stop listening to this silver disc anymore.

It's a album full of straight rocking gothic numbers. It's this mixture of the silk voice dancing on the rough riffs and the more melodic parts giving it a slightly mysterious touch. The band gives the listener a explosive experience with the dry heavvness of the album's sound. Happily it never feels cold or mechanical because of the warmth of the voice and it's melodic variations in them.

"Eville" track number four manages to show a uptempo number that fit's to the band's sound but you won't expect on such a album. "Nothing else to remind" stands out of the pack having a creeping slowness in it. It stays in my mind. A sign that the band has the power to make a lasting impression to the listener.

The only negative point to me was the end of the album. The last two track feel a bit lengthy to me at times but maybe it's only my attention being limited at this point.

CD-Packing and Booklet
The packing is great. It's kept all in black with the bird being the point of attention. He's boldly sitting there at the front cover, missing in the insert of the jewel case and flying majestically a the backside of the record. A cool optical gimmick in my eyes. The booklet features the lyrics and fine band member pictures at various locations. You'll get a feeling of the people behind the music this way.

Purchase-Link, Conatct and Preview-Stream
Pick up the record of the webshop of Sliptrick Records. The band has a webpresence
at Instagram and Facebook so you can contact them easily for show offers etc.

CD Review: September Mourning - Volume II (Dark female fronted Rock/Metal 2016)

A smashing piece of female fronted rock/metal music taking you deep into the world of dark and grown-up comic characters without losing the sense for the real world.

The front cover of September Mourning's Volume II, (c) by September Mourning, used with kind permission

Summary

Some albums take you into another world. This particular one is a fine example for this. Besides the heavy and diverse rocking music tracks that invite you to have a good time and rock out to them this release contains far more.

It let's you sink in deep into a realm of comic characters that could be easily transfered from the real world. While the characters for sure are fictional you can easily connect with them if you look upon the story with adult eyes. It's like in the real world we are living in. The actions they do for sure aren't real but like in a fairytale you can see all the relations have a consequence and you may be able to learn something of the plot in the end.

It's for sure a album that aim's at the grown-up audience. Much to much of the story is based upon hard facts but if you like to take a brief time of your own life without going into a unrealistic realm this album is for you. The music screams out for a proper show on stage and I think the band should be worth a visit. Just look at the end of this review for US dates starting End of Feburary 2017. I hope they'll come to Europe/Germany some other day, too.

The music itself comes around hard and heavy. Often there are haunting moments inside of them - the vocals give express so much of what the topic of the song is all about. The guitars and drums push you constantly but also leave room to breathe every here and there. It's a thin line between heavyness and melody but this band has the ability it takes to provide songs that are authentic and lighter at the same time.

Preview-Track

The album has been released via Sumerian Records.. Music is always worth it so please support those that provide us with such a great treat. I've added the video for "20 Below" to give you a quick first insight into the band's sound.


 
Tour Dates

Be sure to see the band live in the United States starting in February 2017 alongside Dope, Combichrist and Davey Suicide. Dates are given below:

02/27 @ Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
02/28 @ Studio Seven - Seattle, WA
03/02 @ Liquid Joe's - Salt Lake City, UT
03/03 @ Sunshine Studios - Colorado Springs, CO
03/04 @ Aftershock - Merriam, KS
03/05 @ Outland Ballroom - Springfield, MO
03/06 @ Underground - Omaha, NE
03/07 @ Gabe's Oasis - Iowa City, IA
03/08 @ Amsterdam Bar & Hall - St Paul, MN
03/09 @ Courtside - Dubuque, IA
03/10 @ Q&Z Expo Center - Ringle, WI
03/11 @ The Sandlot - Green Bay, WI
03/12 @ The Annex - Madison, WI
03/13 @ The Metal Grill - Cudahy, WI
03/14 @ The Agora - Cleveland, OH
03/15 @ HOME Bar - Arlington Heights, IL
03/16 @ Big Shots - Valparaiso, IN
03/17 @ The Apollo Theatre - Belvedere, IL
03/18 @ The Machine Shop - Flint, MI
03/19 @ The Music Factory - Battle Creek, MI
03/20 @ Trixie's Ent. Complex - Louisville, KY
03/21 @ Diesel - Pittsburgh, PA
03/22 @ Reverb - Reading, PA

The band September Mourning, (c) by September Mourning, used with kind permission

03/23 @ Highline Ballroom - New York, NY
03/24 @ Palladium - Worcester, MA
03/25 @ Fish Head Cantina - Halethorpe, MD
03/26 @ Arizona Pete's -Greensboro, NC
03/28 @ The Haven - Winter Park, FL
03/29 @ The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
03/30 @ O'Malley's Sports Bar - Fort Lauderdale, FL
04/02 @ Southport Music Hall - New Orleans, LA
04/03 @ Grizzly Hall - Austin, TX
04/04 @ Scout Bar - Houston, TX
04/05 @ Fitzgerald's - San Antonio, TX
04/06 @ Trees - Dallas, TX
04/08 @ Club Red - Mesa, AZ
04/09 @ The Regent Theater - Los Angeles, CA