Single Review: The Outsider - Suicide Is Progress (Advant-Garde Metal, 2019)

From Symphonic Death Metal to Advant-Garde Metal? This sounds like a transition of a longer road. But one to be worth giving a listen.

The cover introduces a new logo and a "sigil" of The Outsider.

This one man project is called "The Outsider". It started out with several releases on the Symphonic Death Metal sector. Those included guest appeareances and this tradition is kept up in the newest single that should work as a teaser to the new direction the project is going to take on the upcoming yet untitled album.

The song starts with a unusual drum pattern and lot's of spoken words. Such song structures remind me of the 90s metal where spoken samples were built into songs to underline the statement the lyrics should send out.
Agressive drum fills and heavier vocals come in that show that this stems indeed of older Death Metal roots. They've not been forgotten but work now a different way.

"Suicide Is Progess" takes the next step with a Saxophone solo performed by Jørgen Munkeby. Once again something raising the attention of the listener. It comes out like Jazz music but surely is a warmly welcomed idea to the reviewer.

The agressive drum pattern und vocals come in once more to bridge to a finally Rock guitar section. It shines beautifully but also raw and marks the burning end of a release that made me curious on more to (hopefully) come.

Unusual from start to finish but a wave of fresh air in todays music scene I would like to invite you all to listen.
Finally grab a copy at Spotify or iTunes / Apple Music and follow the next steps of The Outsider on 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.

CD Review: Metalsteel - Beyond The Stars (Clasic Heavy Metal, 2017)

A concept record taking things back to basics. No heavyweight production, no special effects overload. Just pure music crafted directly of the instruments of those loving Heavy Metal music

The wonderful frontcover artwork for Metalsteel's "Beyond the Stars" album, (c) by Metalsteel, used with kind permission

Summary
This album has set a view on the power of the songs alone. You can feel that the composers of the slowenian band Metalsteel prefer their art to be pure and to be delivered this way to the listener.

Thus said the songs need to stand stronger than ever to reach the audience and they do with much ideas, variations and sing-along choruses. The last element like all the music stems from the musicians themselves. There are no choirs pushed up to sound big on this record but the backing vocals introduce the message with such emotion that they will adress you instantly and invite to sing along. Think of being at a show and you just can't help but need to add the choir all around you.

The songs span a wide sort of feelings, from softer half-ballads (End of the World) to straight midtempo tracks but most of the duration the double bass power set's the motor for the music and keeps it coming fast. The lead vocals change on some parts to the more rough direction, something warmly welcomed because it brings in a fresh touch.

My favorites are the title song making me imagine being on a journey beyond the stars myselves and the track "Materialist No More" with it's more edgy guitars and hard riffing mixed up with variations ranging from fast to midtempo and even soft parts.

Purchase-Link & Preview-Track
Fans that love the pure but also modern sound will welcome this silver disc the same way I do. Let's have some good feelings and rock out to this straight. The hardcopy in a beautiful digipack package comes around for ten Euros directly out of the band's hands at www.metalsteel.net

Listen to one track with the video below to get a idea of Metalsteel's sound.

Contact and Tour Dates
Make sure to see them live starting end of February 2018 in their homecountry Slowenia. All dates are up on their homepage or tune in to the social world of Facebook to be notified of a show near you.

CD Review: Third Voice - A Day Like Today (Progmetal/2016)

Classic prog rock for fans of the genre. The tunes are kept in a sound format like in the early 90s.

Introduction

Prog rock can be a satisfying music if you can relate to the music and the way the songs are written. I had a period in my life when Dream Theater dominated my CD player and few other bands had the chance to be heard at that time. Like ever so often this time passed me by. But the thougts of back in the day are still there so it was a pleasure when this Third Voice album arrived at my inbox.

The cover of the "A Day Like Today" album by Third Voice, (c) by Third Voice, used with kind permission

Summary

This band surely doesn't have much in common with today's trends soundwise and songwriting like.The album feels like a expedition back to the feel of times long ago. This starts already when you listen to the music. It's kept in a softer production than today's majority of output. That means the guitars are much less rough, synths shine through and the drums are kept in a natural sound without all the soundstyling that is possible these days. The vocals follow the concept and keep it in a similar form, his voice is very present and constant yet there are highs and lows in it.

The songwriting also comes out as a one piece record. All the songs can easily be imagined to be written in one period of time with a certain focus. It feels like a puzzle - all tiles fit to each other to form one big picture. Most of the time the album has a midtempo rhythm with it, so it's enjoyable at a longer time. Few pieces come along faster or slower, it's all very one style.

Preview Track / Purchase-Link

Here's one song example to add some music to the words.

If you like progressive tunes in the way described above the album will give you a good time. Most fans of Fates Warning should find this something to share their time with.

You can purchase the tracks over at the homepage of the band (US only) or buy a copy at CDBaby.

Contact data
 
You can contact the band through their homepage.

Demo Review: Souldrown - Evil Of War (recorded 2000 / released 2016)

Sometimes things happen that seem to have been lost in time... A demo release in the style of early Helloween and Stratovarius but evolved further to a much more complex and diverse style.

Introduction

Souldrown has its origins back in 1993. They began as heavy-power band, mainly influenced by bands like Accept, Helloween, Stratovarius etc. As the years went on, they radically changed the style towars a darker, more complex and progressive direction, mainly influenced by Tool, Dream Theater etc.

Unfortunately, the band never gave themselves the chance to have an official release.

Souldrown recorded some stuff in the late 90's-early 00's, for a demo release, from which some rough mixes have survived. This is what can be heard on the "Evil Of War" demo right here which finally sees the light of day in 2016...

The cover of Souldrown's "Evil Of War" demo, (c) by Souldrown, used with kind permission

Summary

This is a demo with two sides of the story. The first two tracks are clear in the structure, high vocals and dominant bass guitars. Tracks 3-5 are a bit different. Those are much more complex in the structure and sound and it needs some time to get to the point of them. I see some potential in this band since they have not only sticked to the sound of their favorites but dared to evolve it further. I think this kind of music needs some fresh kick and this band could provide it. It would be great to know what this band has on their minds after all these years.

This goes especially for the vocals. The vocalist keep them in a high region but also makes sure to keep them a bit more in the middle peak which makes them enjoyable and keeps the voice authentic. This prevents the tracks from being destroyed by a too loud noise that would make the melodies not identifiable anymore.

In detail Evil of War is clear and round for me. A grooving rhythm pushes throughout the full track duration and makes it a lot of fun to listen to it. The vocals are high and the refrain comes with various layers something not many bands work with. The bass guitar sets apart in the sound straight from the start. Last Hours is my favorite on the tape. A double bass cracker with fine keyboard parts packed in a roundly sounded package. It's typical melodic power metal. It feels more as a story than a song but it's something I like.

Track 3 Talk Hard offers more variations in the rhythm section while the overall speed is set to midtempo. Melody is set on top again but it comes around differently when you look at the style of it. More keyboards to be found in this one. The fastest track on the digital tape is called Dragons Lair. It's the hardest to get by anyway. A complex song structure makes it hard to get a grip on the sound. The vocals form a guiding light through the whole song.

See The Signs closes the release. This one is more complex than the previous track and comes with a high-tempo format. We hear the typical high notes in the vocals that seem to be a trademark of Souldrown. Some vocal effects can be heard, too. Those give the vocal performance some more variation and will hark back. They sound unusual so you'll want to re-listen after a first round.

Player / Purchase Link

The whole tape can be streamed for free here in the player. You can download a digital copy for only one euro on Bandcamp so please give the artist a sign that they should continue.

Contact Data

You can keep in touch with Souldrown via Bandcamp.

CD Review: Van Halst - World of Make Believe (2016)

A album showing how it sounds if you put your whole heartblood, feelings and musical abilities on one disc.The female voice of Kami van Halst is going through all the various regions you could imagine. A symphonic metal album showing how different songs can be if you want them to be this way. Don't miss out this wonderfull recording.

Short Introduction

Edmonton, AB's Van Halst is a fierce, empowering force of hard rock fused with metal.  A project, which began as a solo artist for whom the band is named after -- Kami Van Halst, has since become a full group producing socially conscious, lyrical tracks that focus on disenfranchised and marginalized populations.

The band’s influences stay true to goth rock with Kami Van Halst demonstrating an agile vocal delivery in combination with pummeling growls. Lyrically, the band draws from black metal due to its focus on people suffering from isolation and rising to overcome the preconceptions of a judgmental society. In This Moment’s industrial fusion remains a primary influence for Van Halst, employing a sampler, synthesizer, and distorted vocals.

Their debut album 'World of Make Believe' is available as of March 4th 2016.

The front cover of "World of Make Believe", (c) by Van Halst, used with kind permission

Summary

This album is on my mind for some time now. Why? It's simply because you can feel so deep that it comes from musicians expressing their pure emotions and views of the world in such compositions that it's practically impossible to get them out of your heart. The album has this special something that only few recordings come with. It's symphonic metal in all it's variations and all it's beauty it can be.

It's like a ocean. Sometimes it's fast and wild like on the tracks "The End". On other times it's going up and down in itself just like on "Save Me" with it's variations between rougher and softer parts changing all the way through the track but never missing redemptive elements in them. It has epic, slower moments like with "Ryan's Song" as well as straight rockers like the title track that comes with a lot of pumping energy.

Finally there are also great balladesque songs on "World of Make Believe". "Questions" and "Denying eyes" are good example but "Plastic Smile" tops them all. A riffed melody that slowly builds up all the way through the song just to explode at the very end. What a outstanding song - it made me speechless.

Player / Purchase Link

The album is available as a digital download from Bandcamp and iTunes. It's priced at 10 Canadian Dollars on Bandcamp which is a bit more than 6 Euro. A download on iTunes comes around for 9,90 Dollar. Please take the time to prelisten to the album from the player below. I think you'll quickly re-feel what I've described in my summary.

I've seldomely heard a more diverse and intense album ever before. Since this is a self release you'll support the artist directly with your purchase. You have a mighty vote with what you buy - every time you open your pockets you'll set a sign that you want more of this. Artists will reward you with beautifull music taking you far away from your everyday worries and often help your to find the strength to overcome them. That's worth a lot in these troubled times in my eyes.


Upcoming gigs and Contact Data

Van Halst has two shows coming up on

Apr 29     Overtime Sports Bar     Calgary, Canada             
May 28    Hard Rock Cafe     Toronto, Canada

Keep in contact with the and using social tools such as Facebook, Twitter or make use of the good old traditional way visiting them on their own website.