FIRST REIGN: “AS THE DEAD LEAVE THE DEAD”

 Album Reviews  No Responses »
Nov 172011
 

(TheMadIsraeli reviews an EP by a band from the frozen north of Canada who surprised him with their music.)

I did a review a while back for the new release by a Christian progressive tech death band by the name of Deus Invictus (here).  Shortly thereafter, another Christian band contacted Islander, apparently having enjoyed my review of Deus Invictus.  That band was First Reign, a Christian progressive melodeath band that unexpectedly impressed me.

I say “unexpectedly” because I really thought this was going to be generic Christian metalcore or something similarly un-distinctive, an experience I’m pretty familiar with.  When I wrote for my previous gig at now-defunct The Metal Register, it was an all too common experience for Christian bands to hit me up requesting a review after I had expressed the fact that I was a Christian and wished out loud that there were more good Christian metal to go around.  Unfortunately, the music I received always sucked.  ALWAYS SUCKED.

So, when First Reign surfaced, I’ll admit I was making a judgment call before I even gave them a listen.  But I did listen to the band’s debut EP As The Dead Lead The Dead, released in 2007.  It’s all they have out right now until they finish their debut album (which they are currently recording) — which I will definitely be reviewing as well.

First Reign are a band for which you can’t really make valid comparisons without running the risk of giving people the totally wrong impression.  This is indeed melodeath, channeling vibes of The Gallery-era Dark Tranquility, but beyond that lies a Protest The Hero sense of composition, full of jarring tempo changes and odd “hiccups” in the time signatures, as well as an absolutely profound and undeniable Into Eternity influence also contained within both the constantly transitioning song structures and also the vocal department. Continue reading »

THE SYNN REPORT, PART 19: WAR OF AGES

 THE SYNN REPORT  No Responses »
Nov 162011
 

(Andy Synn returns with another SYNN REPORT, comprehensively reviewing the discography of Pennsylvania’s War of Ages.)

Recommended For Fans Of: Unearth, Nightrage, Protest The Hero

Metalcore really has become a dirty word in these uncertain times. Although we’ve seen a whole host of new pseudo-sub-genres appear out of the woodwork to take the (often well deserved) hatred of the metal people, there are those who continue to use the word “metalcore” as an insult. So what exactly is it that War Of Ages, undeniably a metalcore band in style if not always in substance, have to offer that makes it worth giving them a shot?

Well, primarily the sheer love of excessive fret-board twisting guitar work is the primary argument for their continued relevance and for my own continued enjoyment of their well-refined formula. Indeed, the group seem keen on raising the art of the impromptu and improbably epic solo to new heights of excess and emotion.

However, the self-belief and honest expression of this band also shines out like a beacon of integrity in a sea of populist, lowest-common-denominator swill, striking a chord with their direct and passionate approach. It does help, though, that the group can also all play their instruments to an impressive level, particularly the band’s two guitarists, who peel off an array of stunning riffs and shining solos with recognisable passion and fury. In addition, for all their metalcore fire and fury, the group remain pleasingly trend-free, continuing to play a stripped-down and aggressive form of the style in which the focus is clearly on the guitarists and their fleet-fingered playing, rather than attention-grabbing gimmicks or pseudo-brutality. Continue reading »

THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT – ADDICTED! LIVE AT ULU – 11/11/11

 Concert Reviews  2 Responses »
Nov 162011
 

(Andy Synn was on hand when Devin Townsend played ULU in London on November 11, and he provides this report of the show. This was one of four DT shows in London last week, each one devoted to the performance of a single Devin Townsend Project album from start to finish.)

Surprisingly, the venue for tonight’s epic extravaganza (epstravaganza?) was smaller than I would have anticipated, however still a decent size, with a large stage, high ceiling and spacious standing room for the sold-out capacity crowd. With more than a few Ziltoid puppets (mine remained behind to guard my car against interlopers) already waving in the air, it fell to Manchester prog-rock quartet Amplifier to warm up the already very receptive crowd with their brand of Brit-rock Tool-esque musical expressionism. Indeed, the band clearly had a reasonable fan-base of their own in attendance, judging by the impressively loud and clear response they received from those gathered in the front rows.

However, tonight was really about one man, or one band, depending on where one draws the already blurred lines between the two entities. As the crowd finally swelled to its full, massive throng, we were treated to an array of comical images and video stills superimposing Devin’s distorted face onto a series of film posters and movie montages, which kept everyone entertained during the inevitable lull in musical activity as the stage was torn down and set back up again for the night’s headline act. As things began to take shape we were “treated” (inverted commas to imply sarcasm there folks) to the joys of Ziltoid Radio, playing all the most terrifying and chipmunk-esque pop trash that could be mustered to prime the already expectant crowd. Continue reading »

HIT AND RUN

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  4 Responses »
Nov 152011
 

My blogging time still being restricted, I’m just gonna hit you quickly with the following three items and then run away back to cloudland. What I have are new songs from Coldworker (Sweden), Mordbrand (Sweden again), and Zillah (Scotland).

COLDWORKER

I’ve been a fan of Coldworker since their early days. Both albums they’ve released to date — The Contaminated Void (2006) and Rotting Paradise (2008) — are worth your time if you like extreme trauma in your music. Featuring former members of Nasum, Relentless, Ruin, and Phobos, they play a violent amalgamation of grind and death metal.

In August, they signed with Listenable Records, which will be releasing their third album, The Doomsayer’s Call, on February 13, 2012. The cover art, which you can see above, is by the masterful Pär Olofsson (not his usual style, but still quite cool). Yesterday, they released the first song from the album. It’s called “Violent Society”. It will tear you a new one but leave you smiling as you bleed out. Give it a listen after the jump. Continue reading »

POWERWOLF: “BLOOD OF THE SAINTS”

 Album Reviews  7 Responses »
Nov 152011
 

Record Label: Metal Blade | Year: 2011 | Genre: Power Metal

By Willard Shrapnelspear

Germany. Romania.

Werewolves. Religious satire.

Electric guitars. Pipe organ.

Power Metal. Corpse Paint.

There you go. This 29-word review is all you need to know about this must-buy record.

Just kidding. Jokes aside, that was real helpful in highlighting the contrasting aspects of this disc, eh? The epic, non-LOTR-worshipping (Wow!) quartet behind this masterpiece have been very consistent in putting out quality, unconventional power metal every 2 years, and this fourth record sees them not mellowing down one bit in the uplifting prowess of the power metal sound while maintaining their idiosyncratic image and lyrical theme. I pretty much think they are geniuses, seriously. If you want to sing power metal without sounding clichéd, you gotta avoid fantasizing about damn dragons, elves, dwarves and everything else that appears in Dragon Age or Legend of Zelda. So what do you do? You sing about WEREWOLVES of course! Continue reading »

UNDERGROUND METAL FOR THE TRVE CURMUDGEON

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  8 Responses »
Nov 152011
 

(Our brutish friend SurgicalBrute, a source of many musical recommendations that unfailingly please the reptile part of my brain, contributes this guest post featuring Hot Graves (U.S.), Sacriphyx (Australia), Purtenance (Finland), and Venenum (Germany).)

We’ve arrived, once again, at that time of year where Islander slacks off and expects us to entertain ourselves. So, I’ve offered to try my hand at this article thing again. Besides…how many chances am I going to get to act like an elitist snob and get thanked for it?

My goal with this article is to turn people onto some young bands that are up and coming and some forgotten gems that deserve notice. These aren’t the most obscure bands in the underground, but it may take some effort to track down their music. I’ll try and provide links to various distros or labels whenever possible.

Anyway, if you like what I’m doing, leave me some feedback. If enough people enjoy this, maybe Islander will let me make it a semi-regular thing …enjoy the music \m/ \m/

HOT GRAVES

Coming out of Gainsville, Florida, Hot Graves is a side project of Myk Colby from the melodic death metal band By the Horns. Their most recent release (August 2011) is Knights In White Phosphorus. Playing music that would best be described as crusty blackened thrash, they would fit perfectly well into any metal collection from the 80’s. For fans of Possessed, Hell Hammer, and Sodom. (Hot Graves music after the jump . . .) Continue reading »

TODAY’S WTF? MOMENT: LINGERIE ADS + DEATH METAL

 Uncategorized  9 Responses »
Nov 152011
 

Are you like me? When you watch lingerie ads, do you wish there were a death metal sound track? I thought so. I mean, doesn’t everyone wish for that? Well, Agent Provocateur has made your fondest dreams come true.

Agent Provocateur is a UK-based maker of high-end lingerie. And by high-end, I don’t mean the kind of butts that defy gravity. I mean the kind of lingerie made for people with more money than sense. Agent Provocateur’s latest line of undergarments, with an S&M flair, is called Soiree. To promote these look-good, feel-good undergarments, the company made a promotional video that’s kind of a horror-movie take-off, that is, if you find supermodels feasting on each other scary.

The video was directed by a guy named Justin Anderson, working with Agent Provocateur’s Creative Director, Sarah Shotton. According to Justin, “Putting Agent Provocateur and horror together seemed the natural direction for the collection, but we needed a music track that would add a layer of humour.  Sarah came up with the idea of using a Death Metal track which would be perfect for the brief, and I promised her I would make a film that would be like listening to Slayer whilst reading Italian Vogue.”

Wow. It’s like Justin has been stalking and surveilling me. How did he know that I like nothing better than listening to Slayer while reading Italian Vogue? I mean, it’s like having bacon with your cheeseburger. In this case, Justin went with a Parisian-based band called Omaha Bitch. Watch the ad after the jump (for those watching this in a public place, there’s bare boobage in the vid . . .). Continue reading »

MAUDLIN OF THE WELL TO RE-RELEASE “BATH/LEAVING YOUR BODY MAP”

 Metal News  6 Responses »
Nov 142011
 

(NCS writer BadWolf brings us a bit of intriguing news . . .)

This is incredible news.

maudlin of the Well [yes, it’s like that on purpose] are one of metal’s best-kept secrets. During a too-brief career, they created two of the best avant-garde/progressive metal albums of all time: My Fruit Psychobells and Bath/Leaving Your Body Map. Led by Toby Driver (who transformed the band into evil jazz/metallic ambient band Kayo Dot), motW were blending jazz and metal nearly a decade before Shining and Ihsahn made it cool again.

In 2009 they reformed and released their third album, Part the Second, independently via free download.

Enough history, let’s talk music and news. maudlin of the Well made music of incredible quality that was likewise next to impossible to listen to. In that way I would call them the only true contemporary of Blut Aus Nord. While all of mauldin’s (and Kayo Dot’s) albums are worth listening to, 2001’s Bath/Leaving Your Body Map is their opus. I can only describe it as two hours of pure mania, at times mellow and at times invigorating. They have a unique talent for unnerving listeners and making gorgeous sounds at the same time –especially on Bath/Leaving Your Body Map. Sadly it’s been out of print for a very, VERY long time.

Fortunately for us, Driver and Co are reissuing this masterpiece on vinyl. Unfortunately, it’s limited to 300 copies. In any event, this is a great opportunity to re-discover the bad acid amazing that was(is?) maudlin of the Well. (details about the re-issue are after the jump, along with motW music . . .) Continue reading »

ANOTHER FUCKING CHRISTMAS STORY

 Phro's Posts  7 Responses »
Nov 142011
 

(Posting Phro’s Christmas hallucinations is becoming an annual tradition, it seems.  What?  You think it’s too early?  Do you really want to be reading this during the holidays?  Just take a guess what Phro is describing here:  “It arched through the air in a sparkling, rainbow stream of a million pearls.  Each drop glittered in the pale light, reflecting and refracting like snowflakes shining in headlights.  It was like watching the Milky Way being born.”)

“Jingle bells, jingle bells…”

The song echoed through the chilly night air like hyenas’ cackles slowly raping quiet desert serenity.  I could tell from the puddle of bloody vomit that I was lying in that tonight had not been a good night.  And I could also tell from the riot police beating my head that it probably wouldn’t end well either.

The Tokyo riot police are specially trained to deal with large groups like demonstrations or what have you.  Luckily for me, they don’t carry guns.  Unluckily for me, they’re pretty fucking tough and very well trained.  They’re not supposed to go ape shit and just beat the fuck outta offenders—but I guess I just bring out the best in people.  (If you’re interested in some of the training they undergo, check out Angry White Pajamas about an American poet’s adventures in their year-long Aikido course.)

Through swollen eyes,  just before passing out, I admired the cum-covered glory that I had spread about the Ueno Park Christmas illumination display.

Now, you’re probably thinking this was just another boring Phro-got-drunk-on-whiskey-and-rubbing-alcohol adventure.  But you’re wrong!  Well, okay, a little wrong.  First off, I hadn’t had any rubbing alcohol, and I was only slightly buzzed.  Second, it wasn’t my fault.  Really!!!  It was…

The Fucktopus. Continue reading »

DOUBLE FIST FOLK: SVARTBY / LESHAK

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  14 Responses »
Nov 142011
 

(Our folk-metal-inclined friend Trollfiend lays a guest post on us. Prepare to get double-fisted.)

That’s right, my little chickadees, today I am going to ram a double fistful of folk metal so far up your ass you’re going to spit out my Freemason’s ring.  Don’t pretend like you don’t like it.

The two bands in question both hail from Russia; Svartby is from St. Petersburg and Leshak is from Moscow.  Both are heathen purveyors of what I can only call “folk death”.  Both bands rely more on folk melodies and rhythms than coming over to your house and punching you in the neck with their trve kvlt traditional instruments.  I’m not saying you won’t hear a zhaleika here or there in either band’s songs, but they are less concerned with being ‘proper folk’ than creating a mood… and I’m not talking about a hippie patchouli incense and tie-dye kind of mood either.  I’m talking about evoking, here: the secret dark places in the cold Northern forests where spirits, monsters, and various members of Immortal still lurk.

And there is a reason I am doing a double review beyond the fact that the bands share a similar sound.  They often trade members as well; it’s almost a folk death collective in a weird way.  I like this kind of shit; see my comments on the Korpiklaani/Troll Gnet El collaboration if you don’t believe me.  It seems like folk metal bands are more into this sense of community than other genres.  If you follow the photography of Audrey DuJardin (and you really should), she has some recent shots she took while on the road with Heidenfest.  Watching Finntroll voxmaster Mathias Lillmåns shriek out the breakdown of Alestorm’s “Death Throes of the Terrorsquid” is pure masturbatory musical fetishism for me.  But I digress. Continue reading »

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