Hypno5e - Acid Mist Tomorrow

A couple of years ago, this little art-y metal band from France called Hypno5e came along with an album entitled Des Deux L’une Est L’autre, that in the most complex manner ever, floored me. This album devastated my reality and all that I thought I knew about heavy music. It was an intense listen that scrambled the brains with its complicated time signatures and dramatic musical shifts.  An epiphany, of sorts.

Please welcome in the band’s long-awaited follow up album, Acid Mist Tomorrow. In a word . . . holy . . . yeah, that’s pretty much me sitting with my headphones on, spinning this disc over and over and over again, and with every subsequent spinning thinking to myself, ‘ This can’t be possible.’ My reality has, once again, be turned inside out, flipped upside down, positive made negative, cats and dogs living together, dark into light . . .

The last album from Hypno5e was a bludgeoning, highly involved listen. Basically, I felt one had to think too much while listening to it and was often left exhausted afterwards. At times, it had a jarring effect from song to song. Not a bad thing, necessarily, just noting how it was an album that could intimidate. Acid Mist Tomorrow has a far better fluidity to it. The songs are much more seamless, even as the band goes from the mellowed out, acoustic and soft passages into the heavily distorted walls of cacophony. Everything is executed with, if it were even possible, greater precision, and then tempered with an even softer touch. A contrast of tones.

The open forty seconds or so of the first song (also the title track) is enough for anyone to know that this album has the makings of something far beyond what we’ve come to know and love from this band. A subtle clean toned guitar with a somewhat tranquil and distorted sound bite of nature hauntingly humming away in the background starts the song. The production of this short bit is perfect, captured in what sounds like mono . . . giving the sounds an old transistor radio vibe . . . before the heavily distorted guitar chugs away at a mighty riff,  and then, BAM! The song goes to stereo, hitting us with this incredible sonic weight . . . and yet, the band gets this great stuttering effect to play for a second as the song is just about to take off, and this little effect, tiny and almost insignificant to most, adds all of this juice and gusto to introduce this song. Without that effect, sure, the song would be fine, but with it . . . added intensity and breaking of tension that makes the listener more vested in what’s going on. The rest of the song roils and tumbles all over itself, highlighting the musicianship of the band and the performer’s insane abilities to start and stop in a fraction of a second. Hypno5e bludgeons with the hardest of them, but the trait that separates these guys from the masses of hyper-intense, metal-core, math-core, progressive neophytes is their ability to bring everything crashing down to the most mesmerizingly melodic and mellow passages. Absolutely beautiful and brilliant moments of tranquility and serenity before they kick the music back into high gear.

The album is essentially five songs in length, however, three of those songs are multi-part passages. One of those multi-part tracks that requires multiple listens for sheer brilliance alone is “Gehenne (I – III)”. Part I is an almost tribal, throbbing and mesmerizing tune with lyrics that sound as if they’re being sung in Spanish rather than France. I could be completely wrong about that . . . the Romantic languages have a tendency to throw me from time to time. Suddenly, as if from out of nowhere, Part II kicks in and we are beaten senseless with the blastbeat that time forgot, and these manic harmonics mixed into the ferocious guitar riffs . . . and then these bizarre string sweeps that raise the hairs on the back of the neck . . . and then, almost as suddenly as when all hell broke loose, the music winds down, the tempo slows a bit, the noise abates, and Hypno5e serenade us with their elegant voices, harmonized just so. Part III picks up there the chaotic frenzy of Part II left off, and almost immediately drops into a chilled out passage that almost sounds like its being led by a mandolin. The remainder of the song is a topsy-turvy affair and ends with us listeners sitting back in our chairs with an audible sigh.

Hypno5e push their music further and further with every release, hell . . . practically with every song. They’re progressive in so many different aspects . . . with their virtuosic abilities, then with their conscious effort to shelve an idea if they’ve already used it, then again with the sonic exploration of heavy and light music, then with their use of samples to further a story along . . . these guys are fucking genius! Smarter than all of us combined! Acid Mist Tomorrow is an early favorite for my Best of 2012 list. I can’t stop listening to the album, probably because they add so many new wrinkles to their style, most notably the mellow melodic portions. These elements tug on the heart strings and are packed with so much raw emotion that I can’t help but go back again and again. This one is a stunner!

Pope

http://www.facebook.com/Hypno5e

Enslaved - Isa

I had a dream. Not quite what the good Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had in mind, I’m sure . . . but a dream nonetheless. This one, in particular, had me sitting in a wooden box positioned in the middle of a frozen lake. With nothing but a case of beer and my thoughts as my companions, I was alone in the middle of a frozen wasteland . . . alone. Then there was a knock at the door of my hut of solitude. Unnerving, to say the least, for who knew I was here . . . and how did anyone get out here? The door slowly opened and five long haired and imposing figures, draped in practically nothing, stood in the ice encrusted doorway and with one simple statement claimed, ‘It’s time.’

I awoke from my deep sleep and, rather than incur the wrath of these wraiths sent by Morpheus, I pushed play on my iPod (no sense incurring the wrath of the wife either . . . it was two o’clock in the morning) and, as if by the hands of fate, Enslaved’s Isa began its musical transcendence.

Released in 2004, Isa was the much anticipated follow up to one of my all-time favorite records, Below the Lights . . . an album that I once referred to as the musical equivalent of ice fishing, something not meant for everybody, but for those into such things, a short moment in time of sheer bliss. Blistering extreme metal that originated from a black metal core and wound up becoming one of the more intriguing progressive metallic sounds around, and Isa took that Below the Lights blueprint and propelled it through the stratosphere. To say that Isa was a grand leap in direction and sound for Enslaved would be a massive understatement. But, then again, there’s that unique back step that the band takes with their sound . . . incorporating a little of that 70’s prog-rock into their sound, as well. Isa is a fascinating amalgam of, then, current extreme metal mixed with the sounds of yesterday to create a sound all unto its own.

 This album starts off in sheer creepy fashion with the absolutely chilling “Intro: Green Reflection”. Put this song on while walking through a forest and you’ll be shitting ice cubes. If that doesn’t work, wait a few seconds because when “Lunar Force” drops in, the pulse rate will increase. Horrifying demonic vocal screeching complemented by a wall of guitars and wrecking ball of rhythms fill every crevice of space of sound, but this is where I first recognized that this wasn’t the black metal that I thought it was going to be. The guitars don’t have that piercing or grating quality that traditional black metal has. These guitars are cold and icy, but enveloping like an early morning frozen fog. The ambience that the music creates has a sinister organic vibe to it . . . almost like turning over a rock and seeing the creepy crawlies writhing over one another. Then the band takes a massive left turn and gets mighty progressive on us . . . instead of a wall of sound, Enslaved serve up a staccato guitar riff over an off time and complex rhythm. Listen close and absorb the brilliance of the musicianship as all of the players are meshed around each other with their performances, shifting from standard 4/4 to some wild double and triple time rhythms . . . and then feel it as the song begins to build with more and more tension . . . creeping along the forest floor, rummaging for sustenance, and then getting supremely psychedelic before exploding into the main theme again. This song gets better and better with every listen!

Follow that up with “Isa” and the musical journey through the heart of darkness continues. Heavy ass guitars and rhythms again pummel the listener, and the vocals of longtime vocal/bass stalwart, Grutle, assail us with so much venom and piss and bile that you can’t help but feel your skin crawl. But here’s the new wrinkle . . . Enslaved incorporate clean-ish vocal harmonies that further add a discordant chill to the music as they work in contrast to the hellish belch of Grutle. Hehe . . . the Hellish Belt of Grutle . . . my new band name. Keep trudging over the decaying leaves of the haunted forest and hear how the band drops in a little keyboard flourish to add another sinister element to the overall sound. Great use of instrumentation and composition to create a world of fantastic dimension!

For you fans of intricate patterns within music, “Ascension”, especially the first two minutes or so, will call for your love. And again, Enslaved inject clean vocals that add heft and weight to the already burdensome sounds of the band . . . not the type of weight that we dread trudging along with, but the kind of weight that actually feels welcome, gives us substance and the air of accomplishment. Sprawling and magnificent, this song is that song that takes us from wandering around the forest floor and puts us on the back of a soaring eagle, diving though the clouds, hugging the mountainous terrain as we ride the air currents that Mother Nature blows our way.

Something else to consider on Isa is that this is the first time that I really recognize the use of keyboards in the band’s sound. There were some on Below the Lights, but it seems that Enslaved made better use of them on Isa . . . or this album was better produced to better capture the keyboard sounds. I can only think that this is one of the reasons I find this album as compelling as I do. The added depth with the keyboard sounds mixed with the already established traditional metal sound creates a world of intrigue that always makes the music interesting, even if I’ve heard it a million times before.

The entire work of Isa is a fantastic voyage. “Bounded By Allegiance”, “Return To Yggdrasill”, and the near 12-minute epic, “Neogenesis” are further examples of the musical growth that Enslaved has shown over the course of their lengthy career. Where Below the Lights was a dark album with a constant flitting and flickering ray of light to guide us, Isa is a harsh and cold landscape that is showing a little color of Spring breaking through the winter frost. The musicianship throughout this album is top notch and always surprises. Extreme metal, indeed, but I love how the band starts to work in simple little elements of vocal harmony and haunting melody to greater effect. Still a band that won’t appeal to the masses or be everybody’s cup of tea, thankfully . . . sometimes, I don’t like to share . . . a little 70’s rock influence, a heavy dose of nuvo-prog, and a mean streak of extreme metal . . . Enslaved, a band that pays homage to their influences, but refuses to get pigeon-holed into one genre and continuously pushes the envelope on creative expression.

I’m going back to sleep now . . . hopefully I won’t have any more spectral visitors and can get some much needed rest!

Pope

www.enslaved.no

Monday Morning Metal Report Featuring Psycho and Horned Almighty

Gods . . . it seems like forever since I’ve had to use a seemingly lethal dose of heavy metal to get my ass roused out of bed, especially on a Monday morning (I love Mondays!) But nevertheless, this particular Monday morning, the bones were a little more stiff . . . the muscles that much more achier . . . the head crammed with more cobwebs than usual . . . it was a morning that just seemed best fit for the aggressive crunch of guitars set to hyper-distortion, drums cranked up to four times faster than the standard rock fair, and vocals so possessed by the devil that the smell of brimstone permeates from the speakers. Either album will get the blood flowing, and both played back to back is a concoction akin to a 5-hour energy, two tall cans of Monster, a case of Red Bull, and a venti latte with a couple of espresso shots. WHAM! See the colors rush back into your world!

Psycho – Pain Addict Pigs

With song titles like “Meat Slit Grinder”, “Dr. Satan”, and “Lords of Slaughter”, one would think I would have be better prepared for the aural assault that I was about to undergo. No . . . no . . . I casually pushed play on my listening device of choice without a care in the world, almost as if I was expecting silence to continue coming out of my speakers. The first sound that came seeping out, however, was creepy wind sound effects and a few backward voices uttering something incoherent, yet in tones that were undeniably dastardly and filled with ill will. In classic metal fashion, as soon as those voices faded back into the gloom, the music burst out and the bludgeoning began in earnest. But rather than casually stumbling into a crossfire of blastbeats, I found myself in the midst of a circle pit, elbows up to protect my fragile noggin from the miscellaneous haymakers and randomly hurtled shoes. The double bass drums were thumping like the heartbeat of America’s disenfranchised youth and the groove quickly had me rushing in time, high stepping my way to oblivion with my metal cohorts of destruction. The title track from this album has less to do with the black metal that we’ve all come to know and love/hate, but more to do with the crossover thrash of the mid to late 80’s. Yeah, it’s dark and fast and heavy and demonic, but the typical black metal elements are lacking . . . and honestly, I’m okay with that. I’ve always gravitated to the groove more than screeching hypersonic ministrations of Satan’s minions anyway, so Pain Addict Pigs is a welcome change of pace!

Most of the tracks on this album are mid-tempo moshers with bursts of speedy destruction, and the intensity that this Singapore outfits brings to the mix feels authentic enough and not like these guys are trying to fit into some scene that they read about in a local ‘zine. The dynamic shifts in the music are great, key into “All Are Dead” and bob along with me to the next track. Psycho are heavy and murderous, but inject just enough class that you are forced to take them more serious that you might have thought on the outset of this journey. Listen to the guitar work . . . great solos, not just in execution and production, but also in creativity. Yeah . . . the more I listen to this album, the more it sinks into my being.

Further highlights on this gem are the aforementioned “Meat Slit Grinder” and “Lords of Slaughter,” the former track with its diabolical intro and mid-tempo sludgery, outstanding guitar solo, and esophagus rupturing vocal attack, serves as notice to the metal world that there’s a new cast of bastards ready to bust skulls. The sinister “Lords of Slaughter” opens as an out of control rolling war machine bent on the destruction of all living beings and then shifts into a bouncing moshable ode to murder that will have you retching from the constant torque you’re putting your body through. Don’t even get me started on “Mater Lachrymarum . . . Mother of Tears.” Fucking brilliant! As I listen to this beast over and over again, I keep looking for similarities to others and I can only find a few . . . Lamb of God, Gollum, Lair of the Minotaur . . . all bands that I’ve come to adore for their complete and utter disregard for human safety in the creation of the music. High marks for Pain Addict Pigs!

http://www.myspace.com/psycho.official

Buy here: Pain Addict Pigs
Buy mp3Pain Addict Pigs

Horned Almighty – Necro Spirituals

Where Psycho comes across as a hyper, out of control adolescent simply reacting to the world in an organic and natural manner, Danish metal outfit Horned Almighty are more focused in their assault on our senses. Necro Spirituals is as irreverent an album (and Horned Almighty a band) that I’ve heard in awhile, incorporating thrash-y elements with big waves of blackened death. Again, no massive flurry of blastbeats, but dense walls of double bass drums, a steady barrage of guitars, and phlegm hurtling vocals . . . so, with all of that, I’m having a hard time resting these cats next to the black metal legends, but I’m okay with that. Horned Almighty immediately reminded me of Norway’s Khold because of the pure heaviness of the music and the mid-tempo pace they use opposed to the breakneck race so many seem to go through to get their message across.

“The Age of Scorn” is a great example of how Horned Almighty weave so many different elements from so many different sub-genres of metal . . . and this morsel is only three minutes long! It opens in a flurry of chaos, kinda’ blastbeat-ish, but more staggered and technical, the guitars shift from super speedy to monstrously chunky with every tempo shift . . . and then the song moves along in an up-tempo fashion, rolling along like a stampeding herd of cattle, decimating everything in its path . . . then breaking down to a heavily distorted bass groove before kicking into high gear again. Then, midway through the tune, they shift gears again, pushing the guitar more into the front of the mix to give the track a more death n’ roll vibe, and then back once again to the stampeding frenzy. Damn . . . steamroller!

There’s not a track on Necro Spirituals that lacks, the whole album is a high octane thrill ride of devastation.  The title track, “In Jubilation and Disgust”, “ Illuminated Void” and monolithic album closer “Absolved in the Sight of God” are the stand out tracks, though there really isn’t a song on this disc that I’d ever turn off if it came on. Though there isn’t much deviation stylistically, Horned Almighty have crafted a bludgeoning classic of deathly metal that flirts with accessibility despite its absolute irreverence. The sacrilegious aspects of the album will forever entrench Necro Spirituals in the darkest crevices notched within the abyss, and from time to time, one may even hear the faintest “Ooohh . . . Yeeeaahh!” from Tom G. Warrior. With an album like this, coffee is so passé!

http://www.myspace.com/hornedalmighty

--Pope

Buy hereNecro Spirituals
Buy Mp3 Necro Spirituals

Ektomorf – Redemption

Every barroom brawl should be so lucky.

When barstools go flying through the air, bodies topple over beer laden tables, and wild haymakers are thrown at lunkheads who think themselves man enough to take the eventual blow, one doesn’t want to hear the dreaded drawling croon of a country western singer. No . . . barroom brawlers don’t want to get down in their funky violent way with a soundtrack more suited for drinking whiskey, bedding livestock, or hanging oneself. Barroom brawlers want to break shit and break shit good! And what music is better fit for such revelry? Anything from the catalog of Ektomorf. Go back to my review from August of 2009 in regards to the bands album What Doesn’t Kill Me, get into some fisticuffs and tell me that didn’t feel right. Now, I have something possibly even better . . . the latest from Ektomorf, a sonic dance of malevolence called Redemption.

Folks, Redemption is one brutal piece of music. Sitting in a darkened office, brooding about a new diet fueled by lack of funds, spinning this new disc . . . I found by blood pressure build beat after beat, measure after measure, venom infused vocal line after another, until I was in the foulest of mood and ready to shut that kid up from across the street once and for all. I mentioned in a past review that I could feel this bands bitterness, their anger, their injustices as if they were my own, which is a truly rare quality in music. Nothing has changed in that regard. Redemption is jam packed with violent tones, dense guitars forming the walls to Farkas Zoltan’s foundation of pain and hatred. And within all of this bitterness, there’s a message of strength overcoming the bullshit and getting through life scarred, in multiple pieces, but still alive.

Naturally, the opening track acts as a lead track should. It gets the listeners attention by socking them in the face, and then once the listener is distracted by the circling birdies, the band socks them once again. “Last Fight” is a detuned beast that chugs and grooves its way into the blood stream, infecting the listener with its destructive disease, making said listener convulse with this otherworldly possession until they too become a being of ultra-violence. And here’s the wrinkle . . . Ektomorf slip in interesting little passages this time around to break up the one-dimensionality of the last record. Kudos on this point. No more a mindless beatdown, now things become more thought out and premeditated, which is always good for an extended stay in the local prison system.

The title track and “I’m In Hate” follow suit, throbbing, pulsating groove metal numbers that continue the barroom brawl to the point where the little fillies are busting glass mugs over the heads of the combatants. But it’s “God Will Cut You Down” that acts as the culmination of all the ill will that has been growing from the first three tracks. All of three minutes long and I feel like I’ve lived a full life of violence! This tune is flat out brutal . . . heavy as a Sherman tank, dense as a wall of lead, immediate and intense, I think I found the perfect track to usher in the apocalypse. And it’s not just all of these traits that make this song so absolute . . . it’s what Ektomorf do with the dynamics. A small break at the 1:24 mark where the instruments drop out of the mix and we’re left the chugging drive of the ultra-distorted guitars, and Zoltan’s “Ugh” propel this song through the air like a jet fueled warhead aimed for the soul.

And this intensity doesn’t stop as we drop directly into “Stay Away.” Redemption is brought to you by the letters F, U, C, and K as these letters in corresponding order happen to be used in every song, and generally multiple times in every song. Image if you will, being so angry that no other word will suffice. I’m sure Zoltan could have worked in words that had more poetry, more intellect to them, but no word conveys the emotion quite like “fuck”. We’ve all been fuckin’ pissed, wanted the world to fuck themselves, and to fuck shit up . . . see? Good word. There’s no question that there’s an emotion being conveyed here.

Ready for some more brutality? “The One” is an up tempo gem that barrels down a narrow street in Pamplona, sliding, skidding, and goring itself into red sashed wearing listeners. Warning though, we have another wrinkle from the band as they inject a healthy dose of melody in the chorus and it works perfectly to break up the sonic shellacking that we’ve undergone up to this point. Channeling some of that nu-metal sway and groove, using hefty doses of thrash and speed, and all held in place by the mortar of raw emotion, “The One” may be the song that defines Redemption as an album. Not to say that you don’t need to hear the rest of the album, just that if you only have time to hear one song and need to know what Redemption is all about “The One” is . . . er, the one.

Redemption has no crossover appeal to the mainstream and it’s not supposed. The album would suck ass if it did. This record is purely meant to be a cathartic exercise for both band and listener. What impresses me the most, besides the improved musical approach of the band, is that Ektomorf can retain this type of emotional intensity album after album. Most would have burned out after one. Even more would have collapsed or killed themselves after the second. Ektomorf? Nah, these cats have made a career of being pissed off at anyone who even thinks something partially negative about them. Rock it, brothers! Don’t change a thing. I need to know that in a year and half . . . maybe two years, a new Ektomorf album will keep me busy patching holes in my drywall and out of jail for moronicide (murder of morons  . . . for those who couldn’t figure that out).

--Pope

buy here: Redemption

http://www.myspace.com/ektomorf

http://www.ektomorf.com/

Celtic Frost - Into The Pandemonium

An album title should give the listener an idea of what they’re getting into and very few albums have as fitting a title as Celtic Frost’s second full length studio release from 1987, Into The Pandemonium. From the album cover and Hieronymus Bosch’s interpretation of Hell to the sonic mélange infused within the grooves, Into The Pandemonium is the full package of chaos, ominous despair, and overwhelming persecution of the senses. In the mid to late 80’s, metal bands simply weren’t supposed to incorporate anything other than guitars, bass, drums, and vocals to a mix. Eh, you might get away with a few sound effects, but no one . . . absolutely no one mixed in violins, operatic female vocals, techno beats, and electronica over the fundamental instruments, nor orchestrated all of the sounds to such epic proportions as Celtic Frost.

If you’re not familiar with Celtic Frost, you need to know that this Swiss outfit is viewed as one of the godfathers of the modern death metal/black metal circuit, so that should give you an idea of the extremity of the music. Though the band is traditionally metal, Into The Pandemonium crosses boundaries into various other genres. They use terrifying imagery and menacing tones to convey their messages of doom, but in the case of Into The Pandemonium, they pushed the experimental envelope and fused the aforementioned musical elements into their sound. Used as pieces of textural intrigue or sonic special effects, these added vocals and untraditional instruments are used tastefully to enhance the music and are not the true basis of the songs . . . the songs are still rooted in detuned, sludge-y, and dark heavy metal. The textural embellishments act more like visual effects to enhance the story of a movie like Star Wars rather than the sole purpose of the song. They’re the color of a spectacular painting.

The album opens with a monstrous and brutal rendition of Wall of Voodoo’s alt-pop classic, “Mexican Radio,” and we, as listeners, get that opportunity to both raise our eyebrows in surprise and smile in pure joy. Full of Tom G. Warrior’s classic oooh’s and grunts, the Celtic Frost signature guitar tones, and thundering metal attack, “Mexican Radio” takes on a whole new vibe. There’s still an air of fun to the song, but there’s something a little more sinister in the background vocals at the chorus and when Warrior makes mention of eating barbequed iguana. Celtic Frost’s interpretation of the song is downright cool and I’m a little surprised that there wasn’t a bit more use of this song in cinema or some other media outlet.

After the intro of “Mexican Radio,” things get dire. “Mesmerized” kicks in with its huge waves of sustained chords and Warrior’s vocal approach is haunting as he sounds like he’s suffering some mortal injury. Over the dense guitar tones, this vocal approach is the kind of shit that freaked me out the first time I heard it, and odds are, it freaked out a bunch of other kids too. In time though, I’ve grown to appreciate this atonal croon and feel that without it, the song would be rather humdrum. Now, take all of this menace and these sounds of suffering, and mix in a subtle operatic female voice in the background . . . damn. It’ll make your blood run cold. The band does a great job of mixing up the dynamics of this one, as well . . . shifting from the heavy sustained portions where the music has the air to breathe to tighter riffs and polyrhythmic drum patterns to create a greater element of chaos.

“Tristesses De La Lune” is more of an interlude, but it shows the band using a healthy dose of violin, female vocals, and understated guitar riffs. Within seconds of this haunting tune fading out, the Celtic Frost that has laid down the groundwork to sonic decimation returns with what is quite possibly my favorite song from the album. “Babylon Falls” is a full on thrashing Frost classic. The intensity of this song is one that’s best experienced, but until you get the chance to do so, I’ll touch on a few of my findings with it. The opening guitar riff pretty much sets the tone with its gritty and dirty distorted tones, acting as the foundation for the rest of the band to do what they do best. The bass and drums crash in at the perfect times for maximum effect, and Warrior’s vocals spit with the most potent of venoms. The beat on this track is insane, falling somewhere in that off time category of prog, but still driving at the same time. Note how the band drops to the overpowering mid tempo riff at the chorus . . . it’s great example of dynamic use. Though “Babylon Fell” stands well on its own as a metal song, the inclusion of the crooning and textural elements does that much more to enhance the listening experience.

“Caress Into Oblivion” is an immaculate musical journey across desert wastelands. Introduced by a Muslim call to prayer, the song pummels the listener into their own oblivion . . . one moment oppressed by the overwhelmingly heavy tones, the next moment jettisoned across time and space by an up tempo groove and interstellar guitar solo. I absolutely love the polyrhythmic drum patterns that they incorporate throughout this track. They add an exotic element to the music that, with the aid of swirling smoke, takes me to an island within myself. Amazing song!

 Celtic Frost then does the genre crossing thing with “One in Their Pride” and “I Won’t Dance.” The former is a drum driven techno/electronica tune that features samples from various NASA space missions. Definitely another one of those eyebrow raising moments as most people are expecting more metal and not some quasi-industrial dance track. “I Won’t Dance” is about as accessible or commercial that Celtic Frost ever got. Well . . . with the exception of the disastrous Cold Lake album. But we’re not talking about that one right now. “I Won’t Dance” has a great melody to it and a very memorable chorus, but the band never sacrifices their metal intensity on this one. The riffs are still heavy, the vocals are still laced with agony, and the drums are explosive. In truth, it’s pretty fascinating that they were able to mix in such a melodic chorus within all the rest of the chaos thrashing about.

Into the Pandemonium is far and away my favorite album from Celtic Frost. Having listened to this one over and over again for the past twenty years, it’s become part of my being and despite it’s avant moments, it feels like a natural progression for a band who was so rooted in traditional heavy metal. Definitely the bands high water mark, Pandemonium is one of those albums that gets better with each listen, mainly because there’s so much going on that it’s impossible to pick up all of the intricacies on the first run through. I also appreciate this album for the fact that the band stretched themselves to the point of collapse to create a work of art. Sonically detailed and extravagant, listening to Pandemonium is like staring at a painting for hours on end, adjusting your eyes to pick up the subtle use of brush stroke, color, and texture. In this case, we’re not adjusting our eyes so much as our ears, keying in on the background elements that inspire the foreground actions. I hope that in another twenty years that I’m still finding something new buried deep in the mix of this album.  -  Pope

buy here:  Into the Pandemonium

www.celticfrost.com

 

A Sunday Conversation with The March

If you've been reading The Ripple Effect for any amount of time, then you probably know that we have a love affair with the French underground. Over the years, we've talked with Hollow Corp., Hypno5e, Abysse, Mindslaved, and today, we have the gentlemen from the quasi-hardcore, post-punk-y, low end driven metallic masters, the March. Sit back and read up on how these guys came into being, their views on the French music scene, and how they create the oppressive sounds that only they can.

Every musician is influenced by those who came before them, but what were your major musical epiphanies that inspired you to create music? What major musical moments helped define you as musicians?

 JB: Well, how to start? It's quite particular for my case because my influences, the music I listen to most of the time and with the most pleasure, is not at all "metal" kind of music. I listen a lot to 60's-70's music (rock, folk, experimental ...) Then, I don't know if these influences are strongly present in the music I write ... I don't think I'm the best person to tell whether or not ! Otherwise, about my musical course ... I started playing when I had my first pimples and when I listened to early 90's rock bands (people said grunge at that time) but I already enjoyed a lot more extreme music like black metal or death metal. But, it's the practice of guitar that really put me into something else than musical "brutality" ... I listen, as well, to hippie music, electro, folk, soul, rock (all kinds), some jazz, hip-hop ... the "Metal" cliché is OK for 2 sec but there has to be something else into it.

Sébastien: For me in general: grind, grunge and sludge. For Dead Ends and Blind Spots, Jean-Bastien is the main compositor (writer ?) of the guitar riffs. After he writes it, each one sees what he can do to put his touch on the ideas.

Olivier: Intense and emotional music has always had a strong influence on me. Bands such like At The Drive-In, Vision Of Disorder or Will Haven for instance (among many other stuff) gave me the will to start playing music. Then, musical moments are not necessarily the only things that put me into music. Life moments, introspection, writing can be factors as important as musical moments that made me cross the line.

Dead Ends and Blind Spots is a half hour of brutal music. But you guys added subtle elements of jazz and more “delicate” sounds to the overall aggressive nature of the music. Was this a conscious decision or something that just occurred?

JB: I would say that in a certain way it was done with consciousness for my case. Like I explained before I listen to a lot of music. Since I only play in this only band for now, I wanted to marry "all" my different influences. And well, it turned out that the result was called "post-hardcore". Then, more generally, there is no calculation on how we're going to put the different riffs together ... It's quite basic actually! We play, if it sounds good, we work on it. And after a while if it still pleases us we keep it! For the future we don't know how it's going to evolve, since the band has been under its actual format for about one year only. For instance, the new songwriting that we've made is different. We know better each other as musicians and we know where we want to go. Yet, the limit of this process is to repeat the same music that we've made; we wish to avoid that. There will always have a particular factor in the substance but not necessarily in the form. At least I hope so!

Sébastien: Yes, you know for Dead Ends and Blind Spots, I think everyone has put his touch but maybe it's too dislocated. Really I hope in the future we can make simple, beautiful and ballsy music. When I say that, I think about ANCIENT SEED which is the best song for me: simplicity and good riffs; a little bit of melodies, not too aggressive and really efficient. A LAST BREATH is a good example of our melodic parts; aggressiveness in a "progressive" way. I don't really like MONSTERS WE'VE CREATED because I think it's a good studio song but a bad live song. For the two other songs I feel between enthusiasm and neutrality. In fact I enjoy our first EP. The next one (!?) will be really different and more with a live sound.

Olivier: I really enjoy the result of DEAD ENDS and BLIND SPOTS, what we've done and everything, but as Sébastien, I hope our future music is going to be more direct and raw.

From where we’re sitting, the French music scene appears to be a burgeoning entity of massive creativity. Being that you’re there, does it feel the same way?

JB: For once we are not chauvinist! If you read most of the French musical press, French scene is hopeless and is 10 years late. There are some bands that I like in France: Magma, Revok, Celeste for rock music. There are way more in electro : Le Peuple de l'Herbe, High Tone, Zenzile

Sébastien: It's a subjective position. France still has frustrations, like the "US sound" for instance. So maybe we have a massive creativity but there is not a real identity. I really think other places have a massive creativity. Belgium is a good example. Their scene (AmenRa, K Branding, Arkangel) is really various and true. In France we copy the US and the UK scenes, but its normal, all the bands we've listened to are from out there. Now France has a really good potential in being part of the international music scene. I remember when I was a young boy there was no French band that could approach the power and the quality of the sound like in the US or the UK, but now times are changing.

Olivier: Well, I think we do have our own identity in many styles... We have bands such as I Pilot Daemon, Tanen, Celeste, Plebeian Grandstand, Time To Burn, and so on ... that don't have to blush compared to other international artists.

Is there a lot of camaraderie within the various bands of the French underground?

JB: Ahah that's a good joke! We cannot really say how it goes within the country according to our level. The bands from around where we are talk and support the scene a lot, most of the time on internet forums. I think there is a lot of hypocrisy on that point. Everyone runs for himself and they talk a lot. When it's time to contact you back to play, there's no one anymore. If the bands we've invited would have given us the chance, it would not be difficult to play. Still, even the bands that liked what we were doing one year ago (although it wasn't that amazing) haven't given their opinion on this EP. We prefer the Belgian state of mind, for the audience and the mentality of the organizers as well. People are less uptight and calculating than in here I guess. Then, maybe that someday we'll get the chance to share a gig with a "sane" band.

Sébastien: Not really! Frenchies are too frenchies ... When an association or a band contact another band to play with them, it's just to play on their equipment. I'm simplifying but that's not very far from the truth.

Olivier: Well, I just cannot agree with these statements, I don't think this is so dark ... we invited some bands to play and some of them gave us the chance (I got names ...) as well as some of them invited us without any calculation of anything ... Still, I don't believe anyone contacted us to play only in order to play on our equipment or anything ... This is not a plot, we are not martyrs ... It even happened to us to meet great and involved people ... I don't know why my folks are so pessimistic ... Maybe things could be better but I don't think this is so bad ... Maybe we should look at ourselves in the mirror before talking ...

What do you see as being the biggest obstacle in getting your music heard in some of the more major markets, such as the U.S.?

JB: Just by the fact there are tons of bands whose music is superior to ours. Moreover, I guess that not many countries get interested in France.

Sébastien: The obstacle: we are French. Now it's different (thanks GOJIRA). We don't have the same structures as typical US bands do; it's different because we don't have the same culture and historical influences. We are an old country with an old demagogy. We are too much self-sufficient, this is the problem.

Olivier: Moreover, the music we play is not very "trendy" and we don't have a big communication approach that would make people know us more. But it's nice to see medias like yours getting interested in what we do. Spread the word!

What piece of your music are you particularly proud of?

JB: Hard question! Sometimes ANCIENT SEED, sometimes A LAST BREATH ... On stage it's definitely ANCIENT SEED.

Sébastien: The sound quality (http://www.myspace.com/electrikbox), the Artwork (from myself) and just for me my bass riff on ANCIENT SEED with the P.O.G. stompbox (polyphonic octave generator). 

Olivier: I would put ANCIENT SEED as #1 by far. Then I also like MONSTERS WE'VE CREATED.

When you write a piece of music, do you consciously write from the mind set of being different than what's out there now?

JB: I'm not a good musician enough to transcribe what I really have in my head ... it never happens besides. I seldom have a guitar in my hands when I got an idea. Usually, I smoke a couple of joints, I play ... Sometimes it comes right away, sometimes it stays as it is for months and I come back to it later, there are no set rules.

Sébastien: Not absolutely.

Olivier: Trying to create something musically different and new has always been a goal to me. I don't know if we've managed to reach this goal with the EP but I think it's important to have in mind the will to make music evolve, as little your contribution can be. Then, you succeed or not but this is an approach I will always have.

What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

JB: Like most of musicians, the music we play has a cathartic dimension. It's is made to exorcize my past demons, my bitter thoughts, my anxieties ... Well, nothing that extraordinary! Then I believe that life and music can and have to be linked in order to be honest, and that regardless the kind of music played. And since our/my lives/life, our music, evolve between oppressive and ethereal climates ... Darkness and light ... My profession also helps me to catch states of minds. I work with mentally ill kids who are subject to massive anxiety fits and who can't express themselves. In some ways, I need to be a "catcher" to understand them and to allow them to feel better, to improve in life. So maybe I catch all these dark thoughts and they are brought out in my riffs. Then, what the audience feels ... I don't know and it doesn't really matter to me in exaggerating. We've never really had people telling us what they think at the end of the shows. But I guess that people who enjoy our music do it for the same reasons that we write it.

Sébastien: Fine sound, great sound on stage and to produce an authentic music for an authentic "recognition"

Olivier: I first started to play music to express the lyrics I've written before, to express concretely what I wanted to scream or vomit; I just wanted to have an outlet. So it might be selfish but I first play for myself and I don't really try to get the audience feel anything special. On stage I am as I am, and people feel what they want to feel; I think it's important for a band to be sincere. Shows are not a circus, this is not a theater play or anything, this is all about music, about what we truly are. Actually, I think it can be interesting when people tell us how they felt and lived our music rather than guiding them so they feel what we wanted them to feel.

The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

JB: I don't think that any of the members of the band has ever imagined to make a living of our music, if I understood your question. I think the band's plans are quite basic. Become better, refine our musical identity, experiment (for instance I would like to introduce some samples in the band). Make shows and improve our performances. I think we will always be motivated to play as long as it will be a pleasure to meet in our locale, to play together and to talk shit when we take a break!

Sébastien: Yes, you know I think that when one really enjoys something in particular, one is always ready to make efforts to go at the concerts, buy your stuff. Now it's harder to find good shows. Lots of bands, lots of gigs, very little quality. Good bands and good shows are difficult to find. Motivation ? Less and less, but that's because I'm a capricious person. Then I will say Yes, I'm always ready!

Olivier: To make a living of our music has never been a goal, so we find the motivation elsewhere. In ourselves, in everyday's life, in friendship. Like in a relationship, you never know what's going to happen; it could end tomorrow as it could never end ...

Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

JB: My choice would be vinyl. But CD for the distribution. Digital when I don't have money, when I enjoy the music but not so much and when it's too expensive. Well this is economic crisis!

Sébastien: I like the vinyl for the Artwork capacity and to play Frisbee on summer beach. I like CD for the pocket capacity and to put it in my toast. I like digital for the transmission capacity and to listen to shitty quality sound No, seriously now I think digital is the good one. The music business evolves and music too.

Olivier: I don't know where that vinyl trendy kind of stuff comes from. It's not convenient at all but I must say that this trend makes beautiful items. I guess digital would be my choice; the only disadvantage would be the sound quality but most of the time you can convert the sound in high quality, when it's possible for the ear to hear any quality difference. But there are so many advantages: storage, availability, costs, and so on ...

Necronomicon - The Return of the Witch

I’m not quite sure what it is that the guys at Napalm Records are feeding their artists, but don’t start rationing now! Canadian black metallers, Necronomicon have just released their latest album entitled The Return of the Witch and, much like the majority of the stuff I’ve been hearing from Napalm Records, this album made me take pause, stare long and hard at the music player, and immediately lose myself in the sonic splendor of the music. Not for the faint of heart, not for the weak, not for the people who like to start their mornings with a tip-toe through the tulips, Necronomicon is a blastbeat away from cardiac arrest. The music is sheer metallic chaos, darkened and brackish, venom pumping through the veins rather than blood, and it’s performed with an intensity and uniqueness that has made me replay this album three times in a row. The music is nasty, has a dangerous edge to it, but here’s the kicker . . . there’s some melody and musical proficiency thrown in to separate these guys from the bottom feeders of the genre. In fact, I’d start thinking of Necronomicon in the same frame of mind as other black metal genre benders Enslaved, Behemoth, 1349, and even Arcturus, to some degree.

Now, I don’t claim to be some black metal aficionado. Truth is, a lot of BM is too noisy and discordant to keep my attention for longer than it takes them to yell “Blaaarrrghhh!” But I do like the black metal acts that create mood or a sound that is exotic and in contrast to the chaotic blastbeat furies . . . y’know, when a band experiments with tones and ambience and time signatures. Black metal purists will probably hate Necronomicon because this band incorporates some truly excellent thrash moments, as well as slowed down piano passages, and vocal choirs . . . all the elements that I’ve always found fascinating about the genre! On top of all that, the production on The Return of the Witch is one part pristine, which makes the music sound huge . . . the other part very D.I.Y. and raw, as if they were trying to give this recording a live and organic feel. Some might think this combination wouldn’t work, but much like the contrast in sounds and tones from the performances, the contrast in production styles makes this album a stunning piece of ear candy.

I was sold on The Return of the Witch after listening to the open track. There is so much going on in this song that it’s ridiculous. “Into the Fire” is a five minute explosion of blastbeat tirades, thrashing breakdowns, double bass beat downs, demonic vocal narrations, and angelic vocal choirs. The musicianship in this song is phenomenal, I’m loving how they break the riffs down, do these great chord progressions, don’t rush the song to be complete and just expand on the ideas that they start putting down. You can almost hear how this song came together. It’s as if the three musicians came together to write this tune, found a cool riff in the bag of tricks, then decided to speed it up . . . and then slow it down, and then throw in a cool break . . . and then thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool to throw in some heavenly vocals to break up the darkness?’ and then did so.

“The Time Is Now” is the first single and you should be able to view the video below. As you’ll note, the song starts off in a very typical black metal fashion . . . aggressive, heavily distorted, guttural vocals that sound like a dog hacking up a bone, a flurry of drum beats zipping this way and that, but check out the tempo shift right around the 1:13 mark. Notice how the double bass drums lay down this rumbling layer of sound and completely changes the complexion of the riff. Now, to make things even more interesting, listen for the subtle stop in the middle of the riff. WHAM! It’s so jarring and so sudden, yet feels so rhythmically natural. That half second of silence says more than most bands playing a million notes in a ten minute epic. Fucking astounding!

The seven minute epic “The Order of the Moon” is a blistering sonic tonic that goes from immediate and devastating to ambient and liltingly ethereal. The riffs in this song are all over the place and accent well with great drum work. Of particular note, as the song breaks from its initial double bass driven riff and suddenly grooves into the thrashing riff, check out the subtle cymbal accents at the end of the measures. This groove has that the headbanging power to it; heavy, crunching, and laced with a soulful rhythm and swagger. The piano break and haunting sound effects the hover in the background gives this song a massive dynamic quality, the kind of sound and mood swing that lets the imagination wander to fog enshrouded fens and swampland, deep dark places that haunt the soul, haunt the mind. As Necronomicon work their way back into the heaviness, the sounds become oppressive and overwhelming, as if we’re lugging around the weight of our worldly sins, searching in vain to relieve our selves of the remorse.

“The Return of the Witch” and album closer, “Seven” are black metal classic’s with a touch of thrash-y sludge mixed to dirty things up. These tracks may be less dynamic than much of the rest of the album, but they’re no less intense or technically magnificent. Searing guitar leads that seamlessly shift to rhythmic groove and harmonic trickery make up the greater portions of these songs. Throughout these tracks, I can’t help but feel the need to sit in a rune encircled pentagram. They’re just brimming with a dark and evil energy, and I’m certain a small part of my soul is blackening the more and more I listen to this. But, it’s just like porn, you just can’t seem to ever get enough!

The Return of the Witch is black metal just the way I like it . . . playing just outside of the rules that have been previously established. It’s menacing music, but it’s dynamic and filled with intriguing moments of technical brilliance, and Necronomicon injects just enough melody to make things memorable. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about melodies that will have you humming all the live long day, but dancing through the din of darkness and oppressive tones, the band work in melodies that act as a guiding light of hope. Experimental to some degree, but not to the point that they’re shoving their heads up their collective asses. Necronomicon push the envelope on their expressive nature and they forge some new ground that I’ve found beyond interesting, hell . . . I find it addictive!  -  Pope JTE

Buy here:  Return of the Witch

www.myspace.com/necronomiconmetal

www.napalmrecords.com

Dew-Scented – Invocation

Dew-Scented have been cruising around the heavy metal underground for a damn long time. This German institution released their first demo in 1994 and have consistently produced kick ass metal that always gets the horns waving, but I can’t ever remember anyone actually stating that this band was worthy of greater attention. Damn shame, really. Dew-Scented are about as tight and technical a thrash band I’ve ever heard, and just as greasy, grimy, and caked with gopher guts as any underground metal band should be. But, to simply refer to these guys as another thrash metal unit would be next to criminal coz’ they’re not retro, they’re not doing something that sounds like anybody else, and they obviously aren’t doing it for a paycheck.

The very first thing that I notice when giving Invocation its initial it’s-time-to-get-to-know-you spin on the ole player was that the band have an incredible sense of mood. The opening instrumental intro of “Downfall” is perfectly composed to create a momentary glimmer of hope and then turns dark about 40 seconds into the track. Very rarely is so much said in so little. The guitar production is crystal clear, the notes shimmering with a lilting melody, and then the guys shift to these minor chords and the entire tone of the song becomes ominous . . . like being at sea on a relatively pleasant day, and then out of nowhere, the squalls start picking up as the sky darkens. Amazing composition and a tune that made me eager to hear what these guys were going to do next . . . where were they going to take the music?

With a seamless transition, Dew-Scented kick into “Arise From Decay” and the up tempo, full on thrash movement kicks into overdrive. Heavy alternate picked guitar lines accompanied by flurries of double bass drum and another ominous guitar melody clear the debris for the steamroller action of this tune to have an unobstructed path for devastation. The vocals, though not a style I typically gravitate towards, work extremely well in the context of the speeding frenzy of notes and ultra-violence. The band utilize a lot of open E, er . . . D, er . . . whatever note they’ve dropped their rigs to, creating passage after passage of chugging riffs and the slyly sliding half measures of sustain to break up the cacophony. By doing so, they create a truly intense listening experience. If I had to compare this song to the sound of any other band, I would have to lean towards Sound of White Noise-era Anthrax, but much more intense and produced to peel your skin from your face.

Dew-Scented incorporate more than an adequate amount of hardcore into their sound. To my ears, this gives their sound more of a knee jerk reaction of intensity, more organic if you will, yet they don’t compromise any of their musical chops in the process of creating this intensity. “Have No Mercy On Us” is an example of how they’ve melded the hardcore and thrash ethos together. One moment, emotions worn on the sleeve and the ultra-violence is swirling in complete chaos, then mere moments later, they shift to technical time changes and searing guitar leads that would make the six string gods blush. Then they hit us with “Artificial Life,” and pummel us stupid. Again, they mix that great thrash guitar work with the tempo and vocals that seem more at home in the back alleyways of a greater metropolitan area than in the polished confines of an arena or recording studio. The bridges used throughout this song are epic, full of raw emotion and power, fueled by rage and conveyed with the kind of conviction has changed the minds of the most stubborn minded. I absolutely love the outro portion of the song as the band drops into another chugging riff and we hear the drummer chiming away at the ride . . . man, that’s some good shit!

It’s rare to hear a band sound so tight in their execution, yet remain so infinitely raw in aggression. “Condemnation” is a sterling example as Dew-Scented litter the song with more starts and stops than a crash scene during rush hour. When they do get this song back up to speed, it’s a white knuckle ride as we grip any part of the vehicle for dear life. Or, if you don’t like that analogy, liken it to being on the Space Shuttle during reentry . . . and the pilot is suffering from cardiac arrest. Still, I find it amazing how they work such tight and dynamic shifts smack dab in the middle of some the bitchin’est riffs since that really bitchin’ album with all of those bitchin’ riffs! It’s like listening to the early thrash gods back in the late 80’s as if it were all happening again! Don’t believe me . . . fast forward to “A Critical Mass.” In-fucking-sane!

Invocation is a virtual clinic on riff work. Throw in some guitar virtuosity, not just in the solo work but also in the rhythm work, and mix that with the vocal intensity and Dew-Scented have hand delivered one of the most vicious records of the year. If you like your metal with a lot of movement, then this is the album that is screaming for your attention. Once it has your attention, it will be undivided as you’ll find yourself getting sucked into every time change and dynamic tempo shift, and by the time the record is done spinning . . . well, you won’t be. You’ll have lathered up a nice and even layer of sweat . . . you’ll have to peel the clothes from your body . . . that’s when you’ll find a few abrasions from unconsciously thrashing out to the grooves of Invocation. No . . . really. It’s that good!  -  Pope JTE

buy here: Invocation

www.dew-scented.de

www.myspace.com/dewscented

http://prostheticrecords.com/

A Sunday Conversation with Truth Corroded

When we heard Upon The Warlords Crawl, we all sat back with mouth agape, shaking our heads in awe as we listened to the sonic devastation blast from our speakers. At that moment, we had to know more about these guys . . . so, we wrote a few letters, made a few phones calls, unleashed a horde of carrier pigeon in an all out effort to contact Truth Corroded. Fortunately, the band heard our call and were more than accommodating with their time. Sit for a spell and read up on what bassist Greg Shaw has to say on how Truth Corroded is more than just a musical outlet, but a way of life!

Every musician is influenced by those who came before them, but what were your major musical epiphanies that inspired you to create music? What major musical moments helped define you as musicians?

For me personally - Metallica - it is no doubt a common starting point for many my age, but to this day, the R.T.L to A.J.F.A period was a major part of my life and was my major musical moment. However, for the original members of the band - Jason, Mark and myself - Sepultura was a very major influence, and our musical bonding, as the three of us started out together as a Sepultura cover band.

Our major influences are mostly from that era - late 80's / early 90's thrash and death metal - bands such as Dark Angel, Slayer, Forbidden, Kreator, Violence, Testament, Exodus - and later early Malevolent Creation, Entombed, Atheist, Pestilence. Many of these bands are creating some incredible albums to this day - maybe their best ever - and that is inspiring.

From the era of our roots to this day, there have been some other major musical moments for us - in particular Neurosis. But also Napalm Death, Gojira, Behemoth, Burnt By The Sun, Mastodon, Lamb Of God, Isis, Cult Of Luna - all of these bands have provided inspiration.

With so many heavy metal and extreme metal acts toiling around in obscurity, how do you feel Truth Corroded separates itself from the rest of the world?

I think we are no better than any of the many great bands that are in the same level of obscurity as us - I think we are all just looking to find the right set of ears to help take it to the next step.

But, while I do not think we are particularly different, or offering an innovation - ultimately we are best termed an extreme thrash metal band, and that is the style we are hungry to play. What sets our sound maybe a part though is that we use our influences and shape songs that are the sum of our influences, and not just a particular movement. We are thrash but we are looking to build on that sound. 

Many bands over the past decade have found a sound that is regarded by music media as cutting edge and then just emulated that sound - and many labels market around that as well - with advertising stating 'if you like this band....then this is what you want! They sound and look the same!

 You will hear the influence of particular bands in our sound, it will be a broad range of bands spanning many years of heavy music. But the song itself is written to be Truth Corroded.

What do you see as being the biggest obstacle in getting your music heard in some of the more major markets, such as the U.S.?

I think it is that we are an Australian band trying to enter a market ( such as the U.S and Europe ) that is already very competitive, with many great domestic level bands seeking an audience or market support. So, it comes down to publicity and touring - get over there and show the bands capacity, or get it heard where you can. Doing this interview is a step forward, and we are grateful to people like yourself who help the band get out there, or for the support we have received in building the bridge for such an opportunity.

However, to get out of Australia is hard as well - it is far and expensive to hit the places we need to. Truth Corroded have also looked to our region and toured through Asia - and the bands from there also face the same difficulties.

“Despair Your Black Earth” is one of the most eerie, emotionally charged, heavy ass, post-apocalyptic epic songs I’ve heard in a great while, filled with great hopeless imagery and, I feel, a definite high point on the album, if not the bands catalog. What piece of your music are you particularly proud of?

That song was conceptualized to complete the album, and we are working on building an end to the next album that will also take the listener to such a place as 'Despair' did. It was a song that crunched up against an album that was quite extreme in pace, and demonstrated another aspect of the bands’ sound and what we are looking to create.

For me, I am proud of many of the songs on that album, it was our best written and sounding album and we are looking to build on that with the next one. Once again we will be working with Jonas from Scar Symmetry, and I think that working relationship will produce yet again the sound we are seeking.

In terms of particular songs, 'Crown The Apocalypse' - ' Buried Alive By Demons' - 'The Disfiguring' and ' We Are Failed'. But there are two other songs from our previous album ' Our Enemy Is The Weapon' that I think also stand out - ' Sky Laden With Flies ' ( a song we originally wrote with our ex-drummer Adam Milburn who passed away ) and ' Resonance Of The Coming Fire '

It’s been a few years since the release of your last album, Upon the Warlord Crawl. What are the plans for a follow up? Any new wrinkles to the Truth Corroded sound that we can expect?

We enter the studio to track the songs in our home state of Adelaide in July, and then send the recording over to Jonas Kjellgren from Scar Symmetry in Sweden to mix and master the album. So far there are 12 songs written. Some of the songs are the fastest we have written, but I think the new songs also have - without a doubt - some of the most crushing heavy riffs we have written. All up I think there is a good balance to the songs, and will show the progress of the band from the last album.

What was the mindset going into writing and recording Upon the Warlord Crawl? Was there a particular message that your were trying to get across to the world?

Lyrically there was a lot of reaction to the war on terror and the many faces to that war. It is an anti - war album, and the message implied in the title is a warning for the way forward. War has reached its conclusion - the next step is termination.

However, Mark also confronted other concerns, such as politics within our own country and environmental politics.

As music, it was also a reactionary album, we wanted to destroy. And on the next album, we want to annihilate what survived the last album haha

The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

We are next looking to open the doors to Europe and the U.S - we have established a foundation for South East Asia, China and Japan, but the next step is the U.S / Eur.

It is easier to get your music out there, and it has changed how bands market themselves and release music. But this has enabled Truth Corroded to build contacts and bridges to reach new audiences. I think for us it is looking at how you can find opportunities - that can be on many levels, online sourcing, networking the local and overseas industry, and particularly for us, looking at opportunities available from the government to help build your global profile. We are motivated by the opportunity to build our profile outside Australia and the chance of performing overseas in new places.

Heavy metal is as much an attitude as it is a lifestyle, but we all have financial responsibilities and bills to pay and there are no immediate riches in the music business. What keeps you driven? What force gets you to wipe the sleep out of your eyes and attack each new day?

What drives us is the music. We are still avid about the genre, and always looking for new inspiration, or finding it in the work of our established influences. It is a very significant part of our lives, we all work day jobs, pay off houses or loans, some members have children, but there is still the hunger to create and vent through metal music. Getting together to create a song, rip it out on stage and tour is a fulfilling experience, and a part of what makes us the people we are as much as a band.

Since 2007, we have had the opportunity to tour overseas, and each year since then, that opportunity and scope grows, and it is very inspiring. We have had some incredible experiences, played some incredible shows, met some incredible people and played alongside some awesome bands. We have also had the chance to play alongside bands such as Lamb Of God, Behemoth (in China!), Sepultura, Arch Enemy, In Flames, God Forbid, Death Angel and Chimaira. We have gone from being an Australian band with a national following, to an Australian band with an international following. A few years ago we would not have thought it was ever going to be possible. As a band we will never be able to live off being a band or be the next big thing, but we will take the journey as far as it goes, and I look forward to each step along the way.

On a personal level, what do the band members do in their spare time? How do you clear your heads and relieve any tension or boredom when away from the music?

I don’t get spare time bro! Haha. I work full time, go to University part time, me and the singer Jason run a record label and book a venue, and I manage the band. Our guitarist Mark works full time, but is avid about soccer and coaches his kids’ team, and Darren is busy running his own business.

For us, the band is how we detach from our 9-5 work lives and responsibilities. The social side to being in a band, getting to tour together, and with friends, drinking and partying after a show . . . that is how we unwind.

Greg, rumor has it that you have an authentic Australian curry recipe that the world needs to know about. What, if anything, can be told about that? Are there other recipes that you've got under your hat that we don’t know about?

Hahaha - Alex! Yeah - I do. I really like cooking, and curry is my specialty. But it would not be very metal to offer the reader a recipe hahaha

Finally, what words of wisdom or warning can you offer to our readers?

If you have not heard the band then please check out our music on www.truthcorroded.com - if you like thrash metal and bands such as Testament, Slayer, or new bands such as Lamb Of God, then Truth Corroded will get you thrashing. We have a new album coming out soon, please check it out, make some noise and get Truth Corroded over to America in 2011!