Comrade Aleks Archives - Page 50 of 60

AN NCS INTERVIEW: CANDLEMASS

Jun 032016

(Comrade Aleks brings us this e-mail interview with Mats Levén, the new vocalist of the legendary Candlemass.)

Everyone knows Candlemass and I bet that all of you know that the band is returning with a new EP, Death Thy Lover. The date of this release is already set – it’s today, the 3rd of June. With Mats Levén on vocals, the band is active, now awakening from slumber and returning on the road. Well, I’d like to surprise you with the astonishing live interview which we planned to do with Mats, but he didn’t find the time for it in his tight schedule, so with all my respect this foreword is as brief as his blitz answers I received by email. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: MERLIN

Interviews No Responses »

Jun 012016

(Comrade Aleks interviews the frontman of Merlin from Kansas City, Missouri.)

Merlin is alive despite all efforts of that shameless woman to get rid of him… He travels in time and is tightly hooked to the psychedelic era of the ‘70s. Now he has taken the form of a heavy psych-doom band and just manipulates four talented gents, inspiring them with hallucinogenic visions of madness and sin.

Merlin has existed in the form of a quartet since 2012 and works well – their third album Electric Children was released about two months ago and it shows a new verge of their skills. Who are they? What are they? The man who introduced himself as Merlin’s vocalist Jordan appeared in coils of smoke and gave a séance of psycho doom witchery. Jordan, show thyself! Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: VOID MOON (PETER SVENSSON)

Interviews No Responses »

May 192016

(Comrade Aleks interviews Peter Svensson of the Swedish doom band Void Moon.)

Void Moon rises again, radiating its mournful and dark shine for those who prefer slow and low doom metal. Their second full-length Deathwatch released by Sun & Moon Records in March 2016 has a deeper concept behind it, so it’s not just a collection of true doom dirges but also the result of considered and rigorous work. Void Moon bass guitarist Peter Svensson was on tour with Goatess when I sent him the request about an interview, but answered pretty soon on my recall — much appreciated. Continue reading »

MESSA: “BELFRY”

Album Reviews, Interviews 2 Responses »

May 122016

(Our Russian correspondent Comrade Aleks, who usually furnishes us with interesting interviews, brings us a combined review and interview today.)

The Italian band Messa first saw the light of day in 2014, and I believe that this quartet will surprise you with their alchemical combination of doom, hard rock, drone, and prog music. The Aural Music label released Messa’s debut record Belfry on May 6, 2016; they promised obscure and evoking doom, “scarlet doom” as they say. Mark Sade (guitar, bass, ambient stuff), Sara (vocals), Mistyr (drums), and Albert (lead guitar) run this coven; all of them have different musical backgrounds and it directly reflects in their music.

The band’s name speaks for itself, and Marco tells why they picked up this one: “Basically we were looking for a name with a few characteristics: Italian, with a female touch and kind of gloomy. Messa in English means Mass and it means a lot for us and especially for our society around us”. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: HOLY GROVE (TRENT JACOBS)

Exceptions to the Rule, Interviews 2 Responses »

May 102016

(Comrade Aleks brings us his interview with Trent Jacobs, guitarist of Portland’s Holy Grove.)

Nowadays there are a lot of doom bands with female vocals and lyrics about all the mystic stuff you ever could imagine. It is harder and harder to sort out anything in this scene besides the big names that are on everyone’s lips. But here we are! Here we are to help you, and that’s why I want you to pay attention to Holy Grove, a really strong doom-quartet from blessed Portland.

They’ve been in the game for nearly four years, but their first self-titled album was released just five weeks ago. Why so long? That’s the question for Trent Jacobs, Holy Grove’s guitarist. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: ANCIENT SPELL (CONRAD VIZ)

Interviews No Responses »

May 022016

(Comrade Aleks conducted this interview with guitarist Conrad Viz of the L.A. band Ancient Spell.)

I had an idea to do an interview with Ancient Spell. It is a Los Angeles-based band that combines classic doom metal and aggressive thrash elements in their music. They were formed in August 2012 by the guitarist Conrad Viz and recorded two albums – a self-titled debut in 2013 and the sophomore Forever in Hell released by Minotauro Records in 2015. Well, you see – it’s interesting and, let’s say, an original mix, so it’s worthy of your attention.

Occasionally I’ve sent questions to the band, and at the same time received answers from both Conrad Viz and Donnie Marhefka, Ancient Spell’s frontman, so in the end I have two interviews with quite similar questions but with different answers. Here’s the interview with Conrad, you’ll be able to find our interview with Donnie a little bit later (during this or next week) on doom-metal.com. Enjoy the Ancient Spell. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: INDICA (JAYESH TALATI)

Interviews No Responses »

Apr 272016

(We present Comrade Aleks’ interview of Jayesh Talati, guitarist/vocalist of the Australian band Indica, whose new album Stone Future Hymns was released earlier this year.)

Indica is an experimental psychedelic doom outfit which incorporate influences of stoner and noise in its musical body. Being active since 2012, Indica has lived through necessary lineup changes, yet its core has remained the same – Jayesh Talati (guitars, vocals) leads his project deeper into his hazed trips, or rather real hallucinogenic adventures. The result of his collaboration with new members is the fresh full-length album Stone Future Hymns. Jayesh is here to share the news about Indica and its works. Continue reading »

CARDINALS FOLLY: “HOLOCAUST OF ECSTASY AND FREEDOM”

Album Reviews No Responses »

Apr 212016

(Comrade Aleks has interviewed Finland’s Cardinals Folly for us before (here), and now he provides some history of the band’s music along with comments about their forthcoming new album.)

This blasphemous cult was started in Helsinki in around 2004 under name The Coven. That title fits the band’s music, but there were just too many bands with the same name, so The Coven was dissolved and renamed Cardinals Folly after a place in a Dennis Wheatley black magic novel.

The head of this sect is Mikko Kääriäinen and he’s the only constant member of Cardinals Folly, as other musicians have come and gone after some number of occult sessions. Probably only drummer Sebastian Lindberg demonstrated perseverance as he accompanied Mikko from the first EP Heretic’s Hangover (2008) ’til the second full-length Our Cult Continues! (2014), but even he left the band a year later after the album was released… or probably Mikko just sacrificed him in a forest — who knows? Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: STANGALA

Interviews No Responses »

Apr 182016

(Comrade Aleks brings us another very entertaining and informative interview with the two core members of the unusual Breton band Stangala.)

That extravagant outfit from Brittany returns after three years of searches with a new refreshed sound and new avant-garde melodies which were formed under the name Klañv… Oh, well, let me introduce you to the Stangala band.

They started in far 2006 as a trio – Steven Le Moan (guitars, vocals), Thomas Coïc (drums), and Alexandre Miossec (bass). This lineup recorded the Boued Tousek Hag Traou Mat All debut in 2011, “drug-fueled” psychedelic doom rock with some Breton tunes and Breton lyrics. About two years later the band (without Alexandre this time) took part in split-record with the Stonebirds group; this work was named Kreizh Breizh Sessions – Vol.1. This time Stangala performed a highly eclectic mix of doom stoner with black metal, with some Breton colors as well.

And now? Their second full-length Klañv, released by Finisterian Dead End on the 24th of March, shows avant-garde Celtic doom black rock as it probably could be. It’s an imprecise term, but you can easily check it – there are a few necessary links down the text. Oh, and the text… It’s our interview with Steven and Thomas. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: TOMBSTONED

Interviews 2 Responses »

Apr 122016

(Comrade Aleks rejoins us with an interview of members of the Finnish band Tombstoned, whose new album II is set for release by Svart Records on April 22.)

I was lucky enough to get promo of new Tombstoned album II, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise as I had never heard about them before. Born in 2010, this doom metal outfit (some may add “psychedelic” to this definition) already had an EP Searching/ Let Go (2012) and a self-titled full-length record (2013). The band acts in the form of a power-trio, with Olavi on bass, Jussi on guitars and vocals, and Akke as the drummer.

Their classic doom metal shapes really have psychedelic nuances and a few recognizable features of ‘70s rock music, taking into account that all the instrumental parts are extremely catchy (taste “Pretending to Live” or “Haven’t We Seen All This Before” and you’ll have a general view what Tombstoned are about). Oh, one more thing – good news for those who secretly love The Cure, because sometimes the intonations of Jussi’s vocal parts remind me of Robert James Smith, and that sounds cool!

Enough talk from me! Let’s give space to Jussi and Olavi to tell us how to get Tombstoned. Continue reading »

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