SEEN AND HEARD: SCAR SYMMETRY, THE STONE, SANCTUARY

 Exceptions to the Rule, Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  7 Responses »
Aug 222014
 

 

Here are a trio of new songs that I heard this morning that I enjoyed. Perhaps you will enjoy them, too. Obviously, I couldn’t resist grouping these three S bands together. Cool album covers for all of them, too.

SCAR SYMMETRY

Scar Symmetry’s sixth album is on the way. The title is Singularity (Phase I: Neohumanity). It has a cool album cover, don’t you think? Today the band released a lyric video for a single from the album named “Limits To Infinity”. The announcement came with these quotes from band members:

Per Nilsson: “I thought to myself… am I allowed to fuse death metal with AOR, and go extreme in both directions? I didn’t ask for permission, I just went and did it, and I’m pretty excited to hear what people are gonna think about it.”

Henrik Ohlsson: “‘Limits to Infinity’” unveils the malevolent plan of the elite, the hidden hand, and their discoveries regarding the secrets of the universe. The lyric elaborates on the decision makers’ long-term plan to merge with machines and colonize other planets.”

The music is a high-powered combination of jolting riffs/rhythms and catchy melody, deliciously ugly growls and soaring cleans, tumbling drums and a flickering solo. It hammers and it glides and I don’t think you’ll be able to remain still while it does its thing. Continue reading »

RESURRECTIONS: SOULBURN AND SANCTUARY

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  6 Responses »
Jun 112014
 

Soulburn 2014

This morning brought news of new albums on the way from two bands whose last recorded efforts date back many years. I’m intrigued by both announcements, and thought you might be, too.

SOULBURN

Soulburn are a Dutch band formed in the mid-90’s by original Asphyx drummer Bob Bagchus and his former Asphyx bandmate, guitarist Eric Daniels, with Wannes Gubbels from Pentacle on bass and vocals. Century Media released their well-regarded debut album Feeding on Angels in 1998 (reissued in 2009) — and there has been no recorded music from Soulburn since then. But that’s about to change.

According to an interview with Bob Bagchus published today by Terrorizer, a revived Soulburn will finish recording a new album in July, with the working title of In Suffocating Darkness. Bagchus says it will be released by Century Media and he describes the music as “our darkest one since Asphyx’s Embrace The Death, with lots of old Bathory/Venom/Celtic Frost love in it”. The new vocalist/bassist is Twan van Geel (Bunkur), and Bagchus says, “Instead of the typical deathgrunt he sings in the more aggressive way like Dissection/Watain kind of vocals which fit our music 100% perfectly.” The current band also includes guitarist Remco Kreft (Grand Supreme Blood Court). Continue reading »