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Metal Bulletin Zine # 52 www.metalbulletin.blogspot.com Drawn
and Quartered (Seattle, U.S.)
Divahar (Armenia)
Stargazery (Finland), Ecthyma (Peru), Posthum (Norway),
Ensiferum (Finland), Renegade (Italy), Theories (Seattle),
Melechesh [a contribution by Matt Spall, Man of Much Metal]
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Metal-Bulletin-paper-zine
www.twitter.com/MetalBulletinZn Washington state, U.S.
www.fuglymaniacs.com (issues online, concert videos, interviews,
) history of Metal Bulletin Zine #1-20: (2006-2009): Wisconsin
#21-26: (2009-2010): Texas #27(2010)-- now; Washington state
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- metal on the radio/internet (Pacific Time) Metal Shop
(Seattle, WA): Saturday 11pm-3am KISW 99.9fm www.kisw.com Sweet
Nightmares (Houston, TX): Thursday night 9pm-12am KPFT 90.1 fm
www.kpft.org Excuse All the Blood (Olympia, WA): Friday night
11pm-1am www.kaosradio.org [melodic heavy metal] Stargazery
(Finland): Stars Aligned (Pure Legend Records) In the world of
adult contemporary melodic metal things do not get much better than
Stargazery because the band is so masterful at traditional, melodic
heavy metal that the album will hit the mark after exactly this
many listens: one. Huge choruses, gigantic classic-style metal
riffs, and every song is meant to be a greatest hit. The album
sounds like a greatest hits compilation, but this is a normal
Stargazery album. The bands second one, actually; the debut Eye on
the Sky is from 2011. If you form a traditional metal band it helps
if you find a person that sings really well, and Stargazerys Mr.
Jari Tiura has that singing voice that propels the songs. Its a
pleasant, smooth voice that the traditional metal listener can
immediately recognize and welcome. Then, of course, the question
depends on the songs themselves in order to find out if Stargazery
has what it takes. Fortunately, the songs represent a great study
in the history of metal. Power metal, heavy metal, the New Wave of
British Heavy Metal and classic rock join together in Stargazery
for a major conglomeration of melody and memorability in the style
of classic Stratovarius and Edguy/Avantasia. More specifically,
Stargazery is melodic metal with a keys/symphonic background, some
shredding/virtuoso soloing, and a fundamental, polished AOR
sensibility in the songwriting. At times, the listener might
get
the impression that Stargazery is a melodic metal version of
classic, 80s, big-hit-era Journey. Stargazery seems hell bent on
making the type of album that once you hear it, you might get stuck
listening to this album over and over. Great success. High
five!
www.facebook.com/stargazery www.stargazery.com
www.purelegend-records.com [traditional black thrash] Ecthyma
(Peru) Ecthyma has been active since 2012, and they have a necro
demo called Necromancia.
This demo is recommended for those that are dedicated to
underground obscurantist black metal. The band is made up of
Alessandra Battle Hymns on vocals and guitar, Lotus Yorke on bass
and Bruja (Witch) on drums. As much black metal as thrash, the band
is for those devoted to the sounds of necro metal in general.
Personally, I think the five-song recording (about 27 minutes)
sounds good in
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the style, and I look forward to hearing a full album.
www.soundcloud.com/mario-velatorio
www.facebook.com/pages/ECTHYMA/497235776988285?sk=timeline [current
traditional black metal] Posthum (Norway): The Black Northern
Ritual (Indie Recordings) The 2012 album Lights Out showed that
Posthum can play black metal, but it also demonstrated that the
band wanted to move away from black metal, as if Posthum was
somewhat uncomfortable with the category of black metal. Perhaps
they were hesitant about certain things: How to play black metal if
you are a Norwegian band and not be accused of copying the older
generations? How to play black metal and find your own way within
the genre? How to sound like Posthum; what exactly is the musical
direction of Posthum? Whereas Lights Out sounded ambivalent about
the bands identity, there is one thing that you can take to the
bank about Posthum and this new album The Black Northern Ritual:
The band has found its black metal mojo and sounds positively
rejuvenated. In the process, Posthum, as it turns out, does have
something to offer to black metal listeners.
The band sounds a lot more confident playing modern, part
grip/part melodic uptempo black metal. From a metal perspective,
these songs connect a lot faster with the listener. One no longer
gets the feeling that Posthum is trying to get away from its
heritage of metal.
For instance, Demon Black Skies sounds close to necro, classic
black metal, but there is a smidge of melancholic melodies at work,
even with this headbanging tune. Then, on To the Pits the band
expands its wings and we begin to hear in a more full way how
Posthum utilizes the spiraling tremolo guitar work for the creation
of melancholy, wrapped in black metal. Then, on a song like Vinter
the tempo is slowed down to melancholy, depression black metal,
which adds to the variety of moods that the band works with.
Overall, this album sounds like Posthum has found its way of
being black metal and still have the space to be Posthum. It is
very pleasing to hear a Norwegian band making this type of album.
The band is saying with this album, Yes, Posthum is black metal. I
had the feeling that we might lose Posthum to post-rock or
post-metal, and that years down the road we would find them making
weird music of the abstract/absurdist kind. Its nice to see Posthum
stay metal and get more comfortable within its own skin and its own
metal heritage. www.posthum.no www.indierecordings.no
www.facebook.com/posthumofficial [melodic folk metal] Ensiferum
(Finland): One Man Army (Metal Blade Records) Ensiferum is fun
metal in a way that other bands are not because the Finns seem
unafraid to sound like they are having fun. Some bands want to seem
angry or depressed, but Ensiferum want none of that negative
energy/posturing.
Really, Ensiferum is rather intelligent in the way that they
lead the listener to perceive the album. One of the smartest things
about One Man Army is the sequence of the songs. Even though the
band writes all sorts of songs, and stylistically, the band is all
over the place, the band front loads the first half of the
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album with the faster, heavier, more direct songs, which makes
the first half of the album something like epic battle metal along
the lines of modern melodic death metal. That is not the whole
story, though. Theres a lot more going on. The second half of the
album brings out a veritable spectrum of metal. Power metal
melodies, symphonic metal, Viking metal, ballads, covers, folk
metal, Manowar-ish hymns, epic metal, melodic singing, country
music and a bunch of other things come out the woodwork. Its like
Ensiferum has done two albums in one, or its like they are the ice
cream man, all the flavors are guaranteed to satisfy, stop them
when theyre passing by.
Essentially, once the band has established the metal in the
first half of the album, they feel free to explore, to have more
fun, and do other things, and it does not sound as crazy as it
looks on paper, like when I am explaining it.
All of this goes to show how skilled these
musicians really are, and how open-minded they are, and how much
they like to have fun with their metal. Basically, Ensiferum is not
for uptight snobs. Yes, go ahead and reach for the six-pack of
ODouls, fire up the grill for the soy sausages and party it up
right! www.facebook.com/Ensiferum www.ensiferum.com
www.metalblade.com
[black metal] Divahar (Armenia)
Heres one for those into black metal with a symphonic/gothic
feel. Divahar is a black metal band from Armenia. Listening to the
album, its clear that Divahar is a very promising band with a
bright future, as long as there is an audience that supports this
black metal band. Unfortunately, there is not much information that
Metal Bulletin Zine can give you about metal from Armenia, aside
from naming some bands and albums. Be that as it may, this is
Divahar, this is metal from Armenia today and if you are the type
that is always seeking to hear new bands, listen to the album. Very
good news: the complete album is available on YouTube, so theres no
excuse for not checking the music out.
www.soundcloud.com/divaharofficial www.facebook.com/divaharband
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpsYo_ovb3Y [traditional heavy
metal] Renegade (Italy): Thunder Knows No Mercy (Pure Steel
Records) Bands like Judas Priest, Primal Fear and HammerFall are
the personification of heavy metal. That is, if someone wants a
definition of heavy metal, it is not difficult to provide one.
Listen to Stained Class or Defenders of the Faith or Nuclear Fire
or Glory to the Brave. That is what traditional heavy metal is.
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Renegade is heavy metal. Renegade is a bunch of stubborn
fanatics that has studied the sounds, songs, structures, tempos,
traditions, solos, guitar work and vocals of heavy metal. Renegade
says, If you feel at home with heavy metal, give us a chance to
show you what we can do for you. In metal, if a band shows that
they are serious students of the music and they can demonstrate
that they have the whole package (talent, skill, desire), too, then
that is when a band is worth your time and money. Renegade is not
fooling around at all, and immediately comes across as seriously
dedicated heavy metal played by a talented group. The first song,
Nobody Lives Forever makes clear that the band means to capture the
devoted listener of the style. This midtempo/uptempo song has
everything you want in the style. Then, The World Is Dying follows
up with a faster energy that establishes the muscle of Renegade.
Now, comes the crucial question, Ok, so the first few songs rock,
but what about the rest of the album? The album has eight songs,
and at no time do I get the impression that there is one single
filler track. All the songs sound like the band has worked on them
a lot. In reality, the complete album sounds like they labored on
every song. For me, this matter is very important because I dont
want to listen to some band that has two or three good songs, and
then the rest of the album is a bunch of inferior songs.
Isnt that really what the listener wants? An album that shows
dedication to the craft throughout, instead of half-hearted songs
or a collection of half-done, hastily written songs; or, just as
bad, a band with little talent and skill; attitude alone is not
enough in heavy metal; you must have the skills. Renegade has been
active since 2005 and with this album now has five albums in total.
This is the first time that I hear this bands music, and Renegade
leaves a very good impression
after listening to the album a few times. This is Renegade. This
is heavy metal.
www.facebook.com/ThunderKnowsNoMercy
www.puresteel-shop.com/RENEGADE-Thunder-Knows-No-Mercy [grind]
Theories (U.S.): Regression (Metal Blade Rec.) Seattes own grind
band Theories have been getting some positive feedback on this
recording. I have read all sorts of typical metal reviews that
compare this album to nuclear weapons, the apocalypse or the end of
the universe or whatever. I wonder if the band just busts out
laughing when they read the ridiculous reviews. This album will
give you a giant heart attack; This album makes nuclear weapons
seem like kindergarten toys; and that type of hyperbole.
Nevertheless, if grind tickles your fancy, you should at least give
Theories a listen and find out for yourself what all the fuss is
about. I have been listening to quite a bit of it and certainly
seems like the superfast sound is impossible to understand with
just one listen.
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Anyway, Napalm Death has a new album and that one sounds pretty
great, as usual, but theres more grind out there, like Theories. In
Seattle, the kids are already running wild in the streets chanting
Theories! Theories! www.theories.us www.facebook.com/theoriesgrind
www.metalblade.com INTERVIEW with Drawn and Quartered In the state
of Washington, death metal band Drawn and Quartered has been making
music for a long time, going back to the early 1990s. The band is
an important piece of the puzzle of underground metal in
Washington. This interview with the band has a tremendous amount of
history and information about the band and metal in this region.
www.facebook.com/drawnandquartered Drawn and Quartered was formed
in 1993 after bands like Butchery, Infester and Disbelief
disbanded. Do you remember when those bands were formed, what was
it that inspired you all to join bands in the first place, was it
the late 80s? Were those three bands death metal? (guitarist) Kelly
Shane Kuciemba answered. DRAWN AND QUARTERED was one of several
names the band was considering along with a few others such as
MASOLEUM, ABORTUARY
and SUFFOCATED CORPSE in 1995. The consensus within the band was
our current bass player Jeff Smith needed to go, and we weren't
going to be called PLAGUE BEARER going forward. Jeff was my friend.
He was a skilled musician. But his personality rubbed some people
the wrong way. PLAGUE BEARER was my vision. Jeff and I had been
working on some projects in 1991-1992. On of them we stepped into
became SEPTICEMIA. Although he wasn't asked back, I ended up
helping shape some song ideas into what is kind of a legendary
7-song 4-track demo we called 'Eternal Suffering'. Legendary, in
that it is so hilariously bad. The music is a bit under rehearsed,
and the vocal performance/style has been subject to some scrutiny.
I managed to creatively mix it and with a few effects, it is a good
representation of our set. The band dissolved, mixes probably got
tape-traded a little, but the demo was never released.
In late summer of 1992 I began developing music and lyrics for a
new band I named PLAGUE BEARER. I had a background in music, choir,
theory, guitar, bass, piano, recording. I had grown up in the late
70s and early 80s. I loved rock music from the BEATLES, HENDRIX and
CREAM. Later DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH. The NWoBHM inspired speed
metal and thrash from the East Coast, Bay Area. MOTORHEAD must be
mentioned. VENOM spawned from that, BATHORY took things to a new
level with 'Under the Sign of the Black Mark'. What inspired me was
what early POSSESSED, SLAYER and DEATH were doing.
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The doom of SABBATH. BOLT THROWER 'War Master' was big for me.
The un-holy trinity for me was and still is; MORBID ANGEL 'Altars
of madness', INCANTATION 'Onward to Golgotha', and IMMOLATION 'Dawn
of Posession. The evolution of metal. I lived it. I saw it. For 10
years I lived for going to every show I could. Now, in 1992 I
finally had the vision for my band. Inspired by all that came
before, armed with years of music education, experience and
devotion PLAGUE BEARER was born! Dave Procoppio and I became pretty
good friends for a couple of years in the early 90s. Dave was
dabbling with playing drums in various bands and I first met him at
the Jam Box where we had rehearsed for a few months and recorded as
SEPTICEMIA. We were hanging out listening to some PLAGUE BEARER
rehearsals when his phone rang. Dave asks me if he should book
PLAGUE BEARER for a show he was playing with his band DISBELIEF.
INFESTER was also on the bill. I said yes. PLAGUE BEARER had been
rehearsing for about two months before our first show. It's January
31st 1993. Superbowl Sunday. The show is at the Lake Union Pub
tonight. The band decided to rehearse and then load out before the
show. I also decided to swing by my friends Superbowl party. Free
beer and food! Our rehearsal went pretty well. But after loading
out of our rehearsal shed, loading in at the Pub, the day was
starting to take a toll on me. By the time we went on I was a
nervous wreck. This was my first full gig as a guitar player! I'd
been in singer in high school in 1984 singing Priest, Zeppelin,
Maiden and Sabbath. But I was shaking like leaf as Jeff is setting
up a video camera on a tri-pod to record our performance. January
31st 1993. Superbowl Sunday. The very first performance of my new
band, my vision. PLAGUE BEARER!
We were abysmal. My knees were knocking together I was so
nervous. I lost 5 gallons of sweat. My mom is there and can be
heard cheering us on in the crowd, she has yet to see another of my
performances live. Our drummer, Eric Brewer seems to have
completely forgotten how the songs go. Of course, there is no
stage, let alone monitors. The P.A. system was probably meant for
community center bingo. Shalom is the vocalist. I'm not sure he
ever had grasp of how the lyrics were intended to be phrased. Jeff
seemed to be having fun. I remember DISBELIEF and INFESTER being
really good. Odin from Moribund offered to distribute our demo
tape. We recorded a demo, played 1 show, but my line-up dissolved a
couple weeks later. I went and saw BUTCHERY at the Lake Union Pub.
It's spring 1993. Herb Burke is the vocalist, he's got the perfect
sound and presence for my new PLAGUE BEARER demo. Danny Hodge is
the bass player and...WTF! Eric Brewer on drums! After PLAGUE
BEARER fell apart he'd joined BUTCHERY! And they were pretty good.
It was their first and only show. After writing some new songs I
ask Herb and Danny to help with my new demo 'Bubonic Death'. I
wrote the music and lyrics, except 'Winds of Pestilence', that was
still just a title. Dave Procoppio had been rehearsing the songs
with me for a few weeks. Herb and and Danny rehearsed a few times
and we recorded in the summer of 1993. That demo was distributed by
Moribund Records. We did few more shows, but ultimately didn't do
much until 1994 and Matt Cason was referred to us by Beau Galloway
from DISBELIEF. During this time I'd also met Greg Reeves who
played bass with us from 1997-2008 and Dario Derna (INFESTER) who
played drums with us from 2002-2012.
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Can you give us a bit of a landscape view of the metal scene in
the early 90s in Seattle, as you experienced in the metal
underground with your band? How was it different or the same as the
late 80s? The early 90s are considered the golden age of death
metal. Yet, I have never heard anyone explain the situation for
death metal in Seattle in the early 90s, but you would be highly
qualified to speak about it, correct? What was that like for you?
The metal scene for me went from huge shows at the Domes and Arenas
in Washington, as a teenager to smaller more underground shows
gradually, to the current level of pretty packed clubs is the best
most bands in the underground are doing. As thrash and speed metal
pushed aside power metal in the mid to late 80s local bands began
to get a bit grittier, like METAL CHURCH. I lived south of Seattle,
and was having to work by this time. And try to catch shows. I
didn't have a band, really. I jammed a lot, and recorded, went to
school, but I never saw grunge or death metal coming. In fact,
grunge never REALLY existed. I guess a few crappy bands played in
some scuzzy bars who were turned off by hearing power ballads by
POISON and WHITESNAKE. Eventually a few them could cobble enough
songs, and work long enough and hard enough to get something
acceptable
together and persevere long enough to become appreciated for
getting better at what they were doing, and a lot of people were
sick of power ballads, and spandex, and unattainable champagne and
sports car rock MTV video era. People watched Friends, Frasier and
Seinfeld, and sipped Lattes, pretty soon grunge is being referenced
on Friends, and sold at the Bon! One video created an industry, and
the rest got lumped in as grunge. Metal was non-existent in
Seattle. Everyone was aware of it, influenced by it. But real metal
was in the bars and finally small clubs, most with no stage or
proper sound reinforcement. By the time I figured out what kind of
music I wanted to play, I'd missed the boat. The thrash movement
was fading. It was pretty small, anyway. Forced Entry. Nothing was
happening. The situation was bleak. We'd go to the few shows that
were starting to come through, but it was quite a few years until
any of the original death metal bands got to Seattle. We were aware
of it, we were writing, recording and performing it. No one really
wanted to hear it. Odin [from Moribund Records] did his best, and
made a lot of great releases, and some sold good. For me, the early
90s was a Golden Age of Death Metal. It is the time when I combined
what I loved about underground music into my own vision, and have
been inspired to create and continue for over 20 years. Of course,
20 years later, it is a reference point for underground music. But
it is up to someone to preserve, improve upon and continue to
evolve a pure version of this art form.
At the time it didn't seem like there were way too many bands
doing this already. There seemed to be so many distinct ways of
going about it. Nobody sounded the same, for long. Death metal was
cool for about 3 years, but if you were cool around here in the mid
to late nineties, you were into Black Metal. There were a few good
Death Metal bands by 1996 when DRAWN AND QUARTERED began
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performing regularly. We were never quite with the trend of
the moment. We just worked really hard for a long time on what
were trying to do. I have some amazing rehearsal tapes. We made the
DRAWN AND QUARTERED demo, that we put out from 1996-1997. We had a
buddy record it, and only ended up with two rough mixes. The sound
is horrible, but we never got to mix it properly before the guy
disappeared. We started doing shows at every little dive bar in
town. On our 3rd show ever we weaseled our way onto the bill
featuring NAPALM DEATH and AT THE GATES in Seattle in 1996! We
played an amazing set! The sound was great, we played brilliantly!
Soon after we got the Obituary gig. And we opened for lots of shows
that came to town in the mid to late 90s. Going back even further
in time. What kind of metal did you grow up with, as youth? Were
you at all interested in the Seattle bands, like Metal Church and
Queensryche? Were your parents into metal music? What kind of music
were your friends into? I listened to the BEATLES, PINK FLOYD, JIMI
HENDRIX, CLAPTON, LED ZEPPELIN, THE WHO, BLACK SABBATH and DEEP
PURPLE. So That would have been my parents era, my dad had many of
those records, also THE ROLLING STONES and many others, but they
both had other musical tastes for the music of the times. A few
years later when I'm into PRIEST and MAIDEN, and heavier stuff I
did listen to and have seen METAL CHURCH. I love the first two
records, for sure. I also like the first EP from QUEENSRYCHE. I was
a singer in cover bands around then. My friends and listened to the
SCORPIONS, DIO, JUDAS PRIEST, KROKUS, BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN,
early DEF LEPPARD, ACCEPT, SAXON, DEEP PURPLE, OZZY OSBOURNE, ACDC,
LED ZEPPELIN and RUSH. Later in high school came MOTORHEAD,
METALLICA, RAVEN, ANTHRAX,
SLAYER, MERCYFUL FATE/KING DIAMOND. I saw all those bands.
POSSESSED and DEATH as well. VENOM, EXCITER, then DESTRUCTION,
BATHORY, SODOM, and KREATOR. My friends were from a different era,
they weren't keeping up, so I found new friends. The band's first
recording is the self-titled demo from 1996, and then the album "To
Kill Is Human" from 1999. How frustrating was it for you personally
to be in death metal bands for so long before putting out an album?
You must have been frustrated seeing the high popularity of death
metal in the underground in the 90s and you were probably thinking
you all need to get it together and put out your first album. Our
poor-sounding demo wasn't really helping get any record deals. Matt
and Greg helped spearhead getting the first record done. It was on
a 12-track tape deck. We had a set amount of time to record.
Instead of focusing on just better versions of 3-5 songs, we
decided we are going record all ten songs we had, the final one
still be worked out. This is now 1998. We'd done a few dozen shows
and rehearsed quite a bit to try to pull off this record in the
equivalent of two full days to record and mix. Technically, it was
a short session to set up and mike the drums, the next day we
recorded everything. In one take, usually the first. Very few
overdubs. I didn't really have many solos or many second guitar
parts. I was already sick of playing the same songs for 4 years. I
was very frustrated. I was ready to record an album back in 1994. I
even had the money. But it took the band 2 years to get to the
point of doing the 8-song demo. Part of the problem is that Matt
and I never really clicked musically. It took forever to get a part
or song completed. By 1998 I was ready to revive PLAGUE BEARER or
do a side band so I could continue developing my writing, and
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lead playing, as I was completely dissatisfied and stagnating in
DRAWN AND QUARTERED. Honestly, the recorded versions of songs
aren't as good as rehearsal and some 4-track demos I had of all the
early songs. The versions recorded before Matt were even better,
'The Hills Run Red,' and 'Christian Extinction.' He would never
learn the Bubonic Death' material. I think he was overcomplicating
things for himself. But it is what it is. I love Matt like a
brother. I am proud of the record, and the shows and tours we did.
We had a lot of great times. We still do. But the best thing for
DRAWN AND QUARTERED in the end is when he left. I was supposed to
'fire him.' Ultimately, we talked and it was decided that he would
leave the band, and focus on SERPENS AEON. And they went on to make
a great record! Matt did a lot for DRAWN AND QUARTERED for 8 years.
He and Greg did a lot to get this band off the ground. It was a
very frustrating time. But I never gave up. Because through it all
I was finally getting better. It took that long for me to get
better, as a performer, player, writer, soloist and recording
artist. And with a lot more hard work, and multiple bands and
projects, shows and tours we finally became what DRAWN AND
QUARTERED became after 2002. As it turns out, your first album came
out during the revival of death metal in the late 90s. Nile,
Krisiun and Hate Eternal were finally awakening an interest in
death metal at a higher level again. Bands like Krisiun had
weathered the black metal popularity and now newer death metal
bands (compared to Death, Morbid Angel, etc.) had some bands
getting some international attention. How was your debut album
received in the United States and the Pacific Northwest in general?
All three of the bands mentioned were influential, and I got to
open for or see. Around this time we were doing some U.S.
tours. Despite its flaws, no one beat us up too bad for our
debut 'To Kill is Human.' Although we did finance the record,
artwork and first pressing, it was originally intended to be a
demo. We shopped a tape around a little, but didn't get a deal
immediately, so we just put it out. It is a low-budget affair,
considering the expense of recording back then. Although we'll
probably have the same budget for our next record! It is a
different era now, you can make great sounding records much easier
now, you just need some good songs if you want to make a good
record. Our songs suffered from bad production in the past. As far
as how it was received, it was considered an instant classic. It's
just that Black Metal was all the rage still. And the bands that
did come out like NILE, KRISIUN, and HATE ETERNAL...they were
REALLY good! There was a lot of ultra brutal stuff out there, and
for a while even guitar solos went away on many records.
Our record was OK, but it could have been produced better. So by
this time I had a couple of crappy sounding demos, and sort of
underwhelming debut record. I was sick of the style we were doing,
and Matt didn't see that interested in my ideas. He and Greg had
been working together for a few years, but that working relations
ship began to strain, and the band began to suffer. Matt and Greg
had other bands going as well. The potential of DRAWN AND QUARTERED
is present on the record, and in hindsight it is a telling piece of
work, a solid foundation for what was to come. Unfortunately the
production, and mix hold it back a bit. We sold and promoted many
copies in the Pacific NorthWest and around the country. Most of the
reviews were in small print fanzines, so not immortalized in the
digital age that we were on the precipice of. [End of part 1. Next
issue will have the concluding part. **
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Melechesh: Enki (Nuclear Blast) by Matt Spall, the Man of Much
Metal
www.manofmuchmetal.wordpress.com
A few years ago, youd be hard-pressed to name a single hard rock
or heavy metal band from Israel. Today, its quite different.
Alongside Orphaned Land and Distorted Harmony, I can now add
Melechesh to the list. Admittedly theyve been based in Amsterdam
since 1998, but the roots of Melechesh burrow back to Jerusalem
where the band was created as long ago as 1993. Created in the
early 90s by the band mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Ashmedi,
Melechesh was created to explore a style of music which sought to
blend extreme black metal with authentic Middle Eastern influences.
The birth of Melechesh therefore led to the creation of
self-proclaimed Mesopotamian Metal or Sumerian black thrashing
metal, so named because of the Assyrian and occult-based themes
explored within the extreme metal framework.
Fittingly then, the album title follows a similar theme. In
Sumerian mythology, Enki is the God of crafts, namely mischief,
water and creation. And its an apt title as well, given that this
is such a striking creation. Mind you, Enki, the sixth album from
Melechesh was a slow-burner but after a lot of effort on my part in
the beginning, I have grown to really like this record.
Some people in the past have rather disingenuously dismissed
Melechesh as a Nile clone, due to the blend of extreme metal and
ethnic instrumentation. But, try as I might, I cant really hear the
similarities; Nile are brutal death metal at their core whilst
Melechesh offer more of a black metal approach with plenty of
thrash embellishments to compliment their sound. Melechesh are
therefore very much their own band with their own identity as far
as Im concerned.
The album opens in typically savage and uncompromising style in
the form of Tempest Temper Enlil Enraged. A six-plus minute track,
it is one of the most black metal-centric compositions that Enki
has to offer. It is chock full of lightning-fast drumming from
returning member Lord Curse and the riffs are fast-picked staccato
monsters. And yet, despite the snarling growled vocals and
relentless brutality, it packs a certain groovy punch too, which
helps to regulate the pace and keep things entertaining.
Following hard on the heels of the opener is The Pendulum
Speaks, a shorter track that takes an Eastern melody and wraps it
up in a really powerful foot-tapping tempo. The snarled vocals are
still front and centre, as is the impressive rhythm section but its
the mid-tempo stomp that gets my head nodding in appreciation,
allowing the strength of the 12-string guitars to take full effect.
At times Im even reminded of early Sepultura, its that damn
huge.
And therein lies the strength of Melechesh and Enki'; the
ability by the band to pen music that is authentic to its Middle
Eastern roots without sacrificing any of the brutality or extremity
in the process and, if anything, making those Middle-Eastern
influences an integral part of the music without which, the essence
of Melechesh would conceivably be lost.
Enki is an album best enjoyed as a whole but even so, there are
a few highlights worthy of particular mention. Firstly, there are
the guest appearances from Max Cavalera (Soulfly, Killer Be Killed,
The Cavalera Conspiracy, ex-Sepultura), Sakis Tolis (Rotting
Christ) and Rob Caggiano (Volbeat, ex-Anthrax).
And then theres the music itself. Enki Divine Nature Awoken is a
gargantuan track thats groovy as hell but also epic in its scope.
Ushered in by some quiet ethnic instrumentation it soon explodes
into the
-
12
mother of all mid-tempo riffs, heavy enough to crush all within
its path. Its also quite sinister in tone thanks to its sheer
relentlessness and the dark chanting towards the end.
Metatron And Man is a frenetically paced number that thunders
along and reminds me a little of Dissection in its execution. Then
theres the somewhat cheeky, hard-rock stomp of The Palm The Eye and
Lapis Lazuli that has to be one of the most catchy extreme metal
songs I have heard in a long time. Authentic instrumentation comes
to the fore courtesy of Doorways To Irkala, a composition thats
darkly hypnotic and a welcome change of pace from the onslaught
that has gone before it.
The album then closes with another epic track in terms of both
length and ambition, in the shape of The Outsiders. The central
riff is relatively simple but effective in its bludgeoning strength
but even so it threatens to be dwarfed by everything going on
around it, such is the breadth and depth of the music on offer.
There are one or two less than stellar moments within Enki and
arguably, the end result is not wildly different from their past
efforts. However, if what youre looking for is an album that will
bludgeon you with power and brutality but that also has an
intelligent underbelly, willing and capable of treading a slightly
different path from its contemporaries, then I highly recommend
Melechesh and Enki. The Score Of Much Metal: 8.0
May 24th, 2015.]