NEWS: Cradle of Filth to open Cryptoriana tour in Belfast

OUR favourite dark creatures Cradle of Filth are set to open up its Cryptoriana tour in Belfast on 30th October.

The tour is named after the band's upcoming 12th full-length album.

‘Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay’ will be released on September 22nd via Nuclear Blast.

You can view the stunning cover artwork by Artūrs Bērziņš below.

Bērziņš is the mastermind behind the new record’s artwork, photography and videography – best known for his defiant neo-symbolism raster graphics and oil paintings; postmodern interpretations of classic myths. He has been proclaimed as a “sacred monster of Latvian postmodernism”.

Dani Filth said: "The album is deeply infused with Victorian gothic horror and thus the title is a reflection of that. 'Cryptoriana' implies the Victorian's infatuation with the supernatural, the grave and the ghoulish.

"And the subtitle 'The Seductiveness Of Decay' further cements this attraction to death and the glittering lengthy process of self-annihilation."

The first single off ‘Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay’ will be released on July 5th, the same day that the album pre-order will become available.

Tickets, priced £12.50, will be available from Monday - all the usual outlets.

As Mr Loveday said when announcing this: "Ave Satanas".

LIVE REVIEW: Zlatanera showcase new video in a stormy four band battering in Belfast

HAND sanitizer. Yes, hand sanitizer, what every self-respecting festival bound metaller needs to keep their paws clean after a visit to the stench filled toilets where even the demons from the ninth circle of hell hold their noses lest the waft knock them out.

On the other hand we have the Zlatanera's tune 'Idle Hand Satanizer'. What better piece of merch for the Belfast five-piece to have is their own little bottle of Idle Hand Satanizer to keep your paws nice and spruce.

It was an event to launch the Zlat boys new video 'Bad Case of the Devil' - a premier for the lucky present before it goes on to general release later on this week, and despite the many other gigs on Saturday (May 20th) there was a healthy crowd for this Distortion Project in Limelight2.

Also, before Satan entered the house there was the matter of his demonic undercard...all with their own reasons to celebrate.

Openers Erosion have recently released their début ep, a strong prog influenced outing with a nice edge (review to follow). The last outing in LL2 was not their highwater mark, but on Saturday this was a more assured performance. There was a meatiness that was dissipated on their previous outing.

Indeed, it was clear this was one of their best shows to date with Mark's voice coming through clear. The only thing to nitpick about is that with Mark behind the kit the three at the front need to be a little more mobile.

Blackened death metal crew Shrouded are on the crest of a wave after securing a slot at Bloodstock by winning the Northern Ireland Metal2TheMasses final. With that accolade and preparations underway to storm the New Blood stage they could have been forgiven if they'd eased back a little.

Not a bit, this was a confident, assured face melting performance. The onstage dynamics aurally and visually were stunning and their 30-minute slot seemed to fly by in seconds as they delivered heaviness and melody in equal parts.

Baleful Creed are about to unleash their latest album 'Seismic Shifter' on an unsuspecting world, a slab of groove and NOLA to move tectonic plates. They managed to translate the recorded heft to the Limelight stage with ease.

Their growth as an act over the past year is evident with every chord and every solo. An extra dab of stagecraft and they will be an even more potent force, but for now they shine like polished steel.

The premier of 'Bad Case of the Devil' brought laughs and 'spot the extras' games. For those not there you are in for a treat when it is released.

But Zlatanera were first and foremost a live act that has develop to cover all aspects of the business - recording, playing, merch all delivered with a glint in the eye.

At their core is a wall of honed music that could slice the horns off a goat. The poise on stage is no pose, but panache and power in equal measure.

Sure it would be easy to wax lyrical about the riffs, the powerful vocals, the impressive performance of relatively new drummer Aran, or Andy's voice, but this is a band were the sum of the parts comes together to massively exceed what could be expected.

We've all become familiar with the 'Uppa Satans' trio of tracks, but what Zlatanera have is a collection of metal that is a molten mass that insinuates itself into your ears, your black heart and your soul.

Review by Jonathan Traynor
Pictures by Darren McVeigh

 

LIVE REVIEW: Metal2TheMasses first semi final pumps out the jams in the Voodoo

WITH five bands vying for a slot in the final of Northern Ireland's Metal2TheMasses, and a chance to play at Bloodstock, Belfast's Voodoo was given a sound thrashing with acts, all with their eyes set on the prize.

Indeed the competition was fierce for the three places in the May final, with many bringing friends and family along to bolster their chances in the audience vote (votes are 50% judges, 50% audience).

First to grace the stage were A Little Bitter, who were among those to début a new track amidst their set. With familiar melodic metal punch, reminiscent of mid-80s heft, but taking on board contemporary vibes they maintained a punchy effort throughout.

Within a few tracks the floor filled up - partly with Seamy wandering around, bass in hand. Among their heavier tracks Genghis was inflammatory with its mix of attack and soft threatening words. vastly underrated this outing proves there is an appetite for more releases from A Little Bitter.

Rosco's Riot version of the heavier end of the rock spectrum had their fans to the fore as they rolled out their riffage.

Tim's towering presence gives the act much stage presence as the band performed a solid set, with only the curious presence of an albeit brief drum solo questionable. Overall a sound that tries to combine the 90s with earlier periods of rock.

When you experience a technical fault mid-set, and have your guitarist holding his head in his hands many an act would have thrown in the towel. Not so for So Long Until The Séance (SLUTS). They took it in their stride (including the bass line of Grease's Summer Loving to alleviate the silence).

The schlock horror metal, including dark pop, had a real edge of humour. Great tunes with a nod and a wink to the crowd about the absurdist nature of the lyrical content. Sure, some may compare them a little to the Murderdolls but there is something uniquely Northern Irish about their take on the murderous laughter within.

With energy in abundance Lock Horns brought complex rhythms, full on wall of sound and windmill headbanging that had their set list levitating.

There is a primal sense of metal within their progressive bent, with an awesome sense of power pounding throughout their set. That said they are not afraid to add in some softer vocal moments as part of their musical tapestry. Within the overall heft there are some deft touches.

The emergence of Shrouded over the last 18 months has been phenomenal in terms of stage craft and musical dexterity. Melodic death metal is not the easiest genre for anyone to pull off with the intertwined lead lines from Dani and Shane as Jordy and Scott lay down an aural volcano of rhythm.

While many struggle to lay down their deathly mark on this genre across Europe and beyond this iteration of Shrouded have moved from bantam weight contenders to heavyweight bruisers vying for the belt.

With the five acts giving their all James Loveday was tasked with the enviable task of totting up the votes on his trusty abacus...many an accountant would have struggled with the complexity of the scoring system that applies to Metal2TheMasses.

As the weary crowd wandered home along Fountain Street the final calculation was complete. And, the three making their way to the final now have to muster up their best in front of Bloodstock's Simon Hall in four weeks time.

Proceeding to the final are:
SLUTS, Lock Horns and Shrouded

Review by Jonathan Traynor

Pictures by Darren McVeigh

LIVE REVIEW: Heat four of Northern Ireland's Metal2TheMasses packs Limelight

EACH week of this year's Metal2TheMasses has seen growing numbers attending, and the response from the crowd has been impressive - reacting to what they see on stage.

With voting split 50/50 between the judges and the audience sometime the acts that brings enough friends and family along can sway the matter, but on other occasions the sheer level of performance is such that everyone is brought along.

And, sometimes stage experience can make a difference...

Rookies Gozer The Traveller opened the Heat with a set of tracks that verged from stoner through to more commercial material that echoed QOTSA. A little static on stage they nevertheless gave the tunes all the space they needed.

A few more refinements to their set and more stage experience will help Gozer The Traveller tune up their sound, and decide what suits them best in terms of balancing their tracks.

Experience isn't a problem for A Little Bitter, and they proved on the Limelight2 stage why they are one of the most under-rated bands on the circuit. Energy, enthusiasm and musicianship melded with tunes that are both catchy and heavy.

Audaciously throwing in a new track ALB bounded through the set, live arrangements and meaty melodies played with a verve and a vivacity that many other bands could learn from.

From the melodic metal to the blackened death metal as Shrouded emerged, donned in cowls and determined to slay all in their path. This is a young band that has grown up very quickly in the space of a few months - and in recent months they seem to have set their sights and goals ever higher.

The melody within the madness was in twin guitar lines and the grunt was throughout in a set that displayed sheer excellence with added menace.

Munro closed proceedings with a technical metal set that exuded much promise. The precision of the playing and a set of songs that have been crafted well bodes well for this three-piece.

Like the openers more stage experience will help hone what is a band that deserves to gain more exposure as they push the progressive elements further.

Overall, Heat Four of Metal2TheMasses proved the diversity of the challengers for a Bloodstock slot, and showed that there remains an appetite to see bands push themselves. And, all for a fiver to get in, to enjoy...and vote.

Qualifying for the semi-finals are Shrouded and A Little Bitter.

Review by Jonathan Traynor
Pictures by Jamie Hunter