Rocking out for redemption with Audrey Horne

SMALL towns - much the staple of American fiction; so much so that the introverted, eccentric nature of small towns was immortalised in the surrealistic drama Twin Peaks. And it is from a small town in Norway that a band named after a Twin Peaks character are preparing to descend on the UK and Ireland - including a stop in Belfast.

Audrey Horne come from Bergen - a name etched into the metal roll of honour whose hard pedigree isn't too shabby either!

As the Audrey Horne prepare for the April 29th date in Belfast's Limelight2 -together with Ancient Wisdom and SAHG - we caught up with Ice Dale and wanted to know first off was the hard work they'd put into the band since 2002 finally paying off with this tour and new album Youngblood being critically acclaimed.

"Yes - absolutely!" he said. "We have gotten fantastic press and reviews on our latest album and our new label, Napalm Records are doing a great job, so things look very good at the moment.

"The band has never been stronger and more dedicated so we look forward to this tour and playing some festivals too/

"We promise to kick ass and deliver energetic and mind-blowing shows at every concert, so hopefully this album will take us a big step up and get more people aware of the band!"

As mentioned previously Bergen has long been known as a haven for black metal acts, yet Audrey Horne plies raucous hard rock, while at the same time members are no strangers to the darker metal arts.

"Bergen is pretty small, so pretty much everyone who plays in a band knows each other and go to the same bars etc," explained Dale. "There is not much competition between bands and genres. We get more inspired from each other and if a band has success, it's good for the others too.

"Since I play in Enslaved and have worked with a lot of extreme metal bands we have a very close relationship with the metal scene in Bergen. Musically we don't work much together even though Abbath [Editor's note: guitarist/vocalist etc with Immortal] often calls me and says he has some ideas for song names and riffs we could use in Audrey Horne!"

All of which speaks to the closeness of the band to the Norwegian music scene in general with current and past members playing in SAHG, Enslaved (as mentioned above) and Gorgoroth. Has this meant a cross-fertilisation of influences.

"I would say none," said Dale emphatically. "We all do our own thing and even though we have a lot of the same inspirational sources we approach the music very differently.

"On the new albums at least Audrey Horne, SAHG and Enslaved have recorded in the same studio with the same producers and engineers, so some of the basic sounds may be similar but I don't think you could tell if you didn't know cause they all sound very different in the end.

One thing Audrey Horne put a lot of effort into are their music videos - with Redemption Blues being a good example. For new and existing acts we wanted to know is there a need for bands to put as much effort into videos as well as albums.

"That's a difficult and interesting question," mused Dale. "Music videos used to be a very good and important way of promoting bands. TV stations all over the world showed music videos and it was a great way to discover new bands.

"Now all of that is gone and the only place to look at music videos is on Youtube. I still think it is important for bands to have a music video but the problem is that all record labels don't want to put as much money into them.

"The videos don't have a direct promotional value like they used to so only the big acts have a million dollar budgets and the rest of bands have to be more creative to make the videos look good; and these days you can also make a decent video with pretty cheap equipment so it's more about having a good idea!"

And Redemption Blues is a video for a top song that ticks all the boxes.

Dale continued: "Redemption Blues -  even though it was a low budget and we made it pretty fast - works as a feelgood video and captures some of the energy and atmosphere in the song."

And energy and atmosphere are key points for Audrey Horne's Youngblood, which to our cynical ears is a real step up from the more mediocre, formulaic hard rock - an important factor one would think for any band.

"Actually we didn't think too much when we made this album," said Dale. "We just jammed and had a lot of fun. There are a lot of influences from all the bands we listened to when we grew up and we just mixed it with our own sound and our own way of approaching it

"Maybe that's one of the reasons it stands out from a lot of the albums in the hard rock genre. We made this album for ourselves and didn't care what people would think about it.

"That should be the main thing for every band. You can't make music you think people will like or think will sell well - then you'll have a short career. We had rehearsed the songs and the band sounded so good in the end we decided to record the whole album live."

Two weeks of recording and mastering that emphasises the dynamic rather than a push to be too loud is a combination that makes Audrey Horne's Young Blood stand out and rock harder than many.

Finally - The Twin Peaks connection...

"We just wanted a 'different';  name for the band and not the typical hard rock/metal name," said Dale. Which was to have unintended consequences on the release of the band's first album. The band know of one unsuspecting lady who thought she was buying an album reflecting the Twin Peaks style of music ...

"She put the album on and turned it up really loud and was totally shocked when the opening track 'Dead' blasted out of her speakers! We heard that ended up sitting in the corner of her room, scared and shaking! Mission accomplished!"

And should you choose to check out Audery Horne on April 29th we can assure you that you'll be rockin' to such an extent that for all concerned - on and off stage - it will be mission accomplished.

Operatives deliver a brutal obscenity

GRINDSCENE Records like to release soft, safe, melodic stadium rock....like fuck they do! Brutality, challenging, face-melting metal is what the label has unleashed so far; and latest release: The Obscene Machine - The Obscenity Within is no different.

Delivered by the enigmatic Operative's 1-4 this is an unrelenting 15  minutes of intense death metal; shouted vocals, call-backs, moments of superlative guitar soloing and on the money aggression. It is not for the faint hearted.

Quibbles are that the production seems to have lost the bottom end on some tracks, and that at times the influence of their obvious heroes Cephalic Carnage and Cyrptopsy are a little too close to the surface.

Asides from the obvious death metal core to The Obscene Machine there is also a definite punk-ish feel that more than resonates with the likes of mid-period Crass.

Opening with the in-yer-face Descent, that ninety second assault is a mere warm-up before the blast of Napalm Orchid, which has a massive variety packed into a 1:21 of groove and ferocity.

Stand-out tracks are the (slightly longer) Obscenity Within and Unrelenting, which reveal the ability of the Operatives to take on board styles such as thrash within their full-on death attack.

There really is little to criticise here, apart from the quibbles mentioned previously. The Obscene Machine offer plenty of promise and unremitting commitment to never let the intensity slacken. Their monochromatic vision of 21st Century society is an unrelenting vision of a dysfunctional, dystopian culture where killers are celebrated (closing track 'In the Company of Reformed Cruelty') and where the innocent are victims in a Darwinian world.

Which means we look forward to the next time they are unleashed in the studio.

The Obscenity Within is now available from GrindScene Records

Challenging preconceptions...

HEAVY metal, by its very nature, is a challenging form of music. There is such a wide range of styles that fall within its ambit, and by the same token the lyrical topics vary from the plain silly to the downright serious.

However, the very term of heavy metal also conjures up images of the diabolic to the anti-theist. And where a band believes in one of the major Abrahamic religions they tend to keep that to themselves.

Such is not the case with Northern Ireland band For Christ's Sake - they openly declare their faith amid the blaze of ferocious death metal.

Yet, they enjoy more success away from these shores than in Northern Ireland.

We caught up with bassist Mark as the band prepare for the May release of their latest album - Apocalyptic Visions of Divine Terror. And with a title like that it immediately conjures up St John's doom-laden book of Revelations, one which already has been a subject of fascination for scholars and more than a few metal acts.

"Yes, the album title was influences by the events revealed in the Book of Revelations in the Bible," confirmed Mark. "We draw inspiration from this book for our forthcoming album and it has prompted the album's title.

"The majority of the lyrics are derived from the Book of Revelations, but we are not trying to force anything down anyone's throat whether they are a believer of an atheist. We give our viewpoint and like everyone on this earth you have the 'free will' to accept or reject."

Which of course begs the question, if one chooses to reject the New Testament believers think you are destined to an eternity in hell...which some can interpret as For Christ's Sake being a contradiction, playing brutal metal while believing many fans of metal are doomed.

"We feel first and foremost that we do this as an expression of our faith and belief in Christ," said Mark. "We feel empowered by this and feel that it speaks into the brutality of the music."

"Much of the scene is atheist, which is depressing as there are so many great Christian metal bands, although we are the only extreme metal band in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland."

That in itself is an issue for the band.

Mark explained: "People need to hear these bands! We feel we are pioneers in some respects even if we are pushed back in the local scene - if that is the case, so be it.

"We do not suffer because we get offers outside of Northern Ireland. We are just back from playing a major festival in Switzerland called Elements of Rock and we are due to play Meltdown Festival in the UK in May.

"We would like to be included in the local scene, but we seem to be judged by our beliefs more so than the brutality of our music, which we feel stands up to our peers."

Speaking of our peers, we wondered how members of their churches react to the look and sound of For Christ's Sake.

"It's a good question! We don't usually get asked to play at our churches mainly because of it being a tad too heavy for church, although most people are supportive of why we do it and the reasoning behind the music," said Mark. "They understand we have to help youngsters and teenagers hear our message and our music is accessible to that cohort of people; that branch of people who may think who may thing Christian music is stuffy, preachy and boring."

That is something that For Christ's Sake's full on assault could never be accused of! Indeed, asides from the brutality of the music they look at real world events through their faith. We wanted to know did that mean that the band has an evangelistic role in tackling those events.

"We look around us and see a broken world, with suicide, murder, war and drugs dragging us all down," said Mark. "Whether it be corporate corruption or the other wrongs facing the world we tackle these subjects from the point of view of someone who does not know God and what happens if you go down that path.

"For example our song 'Leech' tackles government and corporate corruption and greed and how we suffer because of this."

Despite this the band are open about their influences - which range from the likes of Nile, Gojira, and death metal. We do hope them listing Jessie J among their influences is a tongue in cheek name check!

"Most of our influences are some heavy Christian and non-Christian metal bands - and Belfastmetalheadsreunited readers should really check out Horde, Impending Doom, Becoming the Archetype, Inner Siege and Inexhoirdium to name but a few," said Mark.

At the minute in Northern Ireland there seems to be a live debate between secular influences and wider world challenges from other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The 'fundamentalist' Christian traditions are being challenged within our legislature with debates on abortion and same sex marriages. What, if any role, does a Christian metal band have in these real world controversies.

"We have to take a strong stance against things which are an attack on our beliefs," said Mark. "We do not sugar coat thorny subjects such as abortion or the same sex marriage debates.

"We don't judge. Our view is love the sinner not the sin. We base our beliefs on the Bible and if it's in the Bible that is what we believe."

As they prepare for the next stage in their development in musical terms For Christ's Sake want people to take an  open-minded attitude to their music.

"Please get a copy of our EP and or new album, which is available for pre-ordfer on Roxx Productions. Sit down with a good set of headphones and blast our music and listen to what we are talking about. Listen to the music and we hope that you will not be disappointed!"

To come...

To come this week are album reviews, interviews with Audrey Horne's Ice Dale and Mark from For Christ's Sake, who gives us a Christian take on Death Metal.

To keep you going here's an action packed (and extremely violent - not for the squeamish) music video from Russian Punk band Biting Elbows for their track Bad Motherf**ker.

The music is somewhat like Prodigy at their height, but the video is astounding!

From the mystical lands of Fife emerges Glory

Northern Ireland exclusive interview with the man behind Gloryhammwer

SOMETHING has been brewing in the dark forests round the mystical kingdom of Fife as a certain pirate returned from sailing the seven seas for plunder and other such amusements…

Chris Bowes, the mastermind behind those jolly pirate jesters in Alestorm, has decided that he just needed another project to keep the creative juices flowing; and for this no main brace is being spliced; the Jolly Roger is being stowed in a treasure chest buried deep beneath Cowdenbeath…

Yes Bowes is back with a tale based in the mythical kingdom of Fife, which until now didn’t perhaps know it had an entire past filled with goblins, trolls, dragons and…well with unicorns too.

Gloryhammer is the new band, and the new album is ‘Tales from the Kingdom of Fife’ [read the review here], and what promises to be the first of 21 albums from Gloryhammer…

Surely Bowes must be an inveterate workaholic.

“Hah I guess so! I seem to start a new band every week; most of them never get very far, but there was something special about Gloryhammer which made me want to take it to this level,” he told Belfastmetalheads. “It's not too hard being in two big bands at once; I've got plenty of time to bring both to full potential.”

Plenty of time or not, putting together a band as ambitious in its scope as Gloryhammer – even with the slight phnarr, phnarr of the band name – requires more than just a few good ideas. Bowes vision is one firmly rooted in that much maligned genre – fantasy power metal. It’s a genre that conjures up more than a snigger, even amongst devotees, but it speaks firmly to the interests of the keyboardist.

“I've always had an interest in fantasy power metal, so it was only a matter of time before I started a band of my own,” he said. “Most of the members are friends of mine in local bands, apart from our amazing singer Thomas who we found through his online audition to join Dragonforce; thankfully we managed to snatch him up before he joined that band!”

But as anyone with any familiarity with Bowes and his crew aboard the good ship Alestorm will know he is a man firmly committed to the concept of playing the joke with a straight face.

“A few years back I was trying to think of the most ridiculous concept for a song ever, and ‘The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee’ just came to me.

“So I came up with this ludicrous story in which the traditional fantasy memes were transplanted to a sleepy part of Eastern Scotland. So there are unicorns in Dundee, eagle-riding knights in Crail, and goblin tunnels beneath Cowdenbeath.

“All very standard stuff,” he explained. Well standard stuff if Tolkien had dropped an acid tab and chewed some mushies while strolling around Dundee.

Musical prowess is on display throughout ‘Tales from the Kingdom of Fife’ with singer Thimas Winkler being stretched throughout, not least on ‘Silent Tears of Frozen Princess’.

“Like all legendary power metal albums, our one needed a soulful piano ballad with female vocals,” said Bowes. “Most of the credit for this one must go to our drummer Ben Turk (aka Ralathor, the Mysterious Hermit of Cowdenbeath).

“He has a very keen ear for classically ‘perfect’ compositions, and I think it really hit the spot. I'm sure a lot of metal fans won't enjoy the song, but it really helps tie the album together.”

Bowes also isn’t afraid to name check the bands who he pays homage to on ‘Tales from the Kingdom of Fife’ and where he draws his inspiration for Gloryhammer.

“I've long been a fan of the "classic" symphonic power metal bands who were in their prime in the late 1990's and early 2000's; Rhapsody, Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Edguy etc,” he said “I feel a lot of these bands have lost their way in recent years with over-elaborate compositions, so we want to bring back the innocence these bands had in their early days. Short catchy singalong songs!”

Gloryhammer have proved on this début that there is an enduring legacy within power metal, and as long as it is played with a straight face, and a wink to the audience to ensure they are in on the joke, then we can all join in and pretend to wield out own broadsword, cast spells to banish evil sorcerers and generally have a great time along the way. Sure it is  

With so many so-called super groups out there committing their names to albums, and musicians guest appearing on dozens of others of albums, can we expect Gloryhammer to tour?

“Very much so! We have just signed a booking deal with the renowned ‘Dragon Productions’, who shall be doing their best to stick us on as many tours and festivals as possible. We are all very eager to bring our show to the live stage.”

But the story doesn’t end with a tour…

We are planning 3 cycles of 7 albums each, for a total of 21 albums. We will call the whole thing ‘The Septological Triumvirate’,” explained Bowes – and we’re not sure how far his tongue is in his cheek, but he went on. “This is of course, the very long term plan.

“We are already working on album number 2, which shall continue the story of Angus McFife and Zargothrax into the far future, with a tale that spans the entire galaxy! Watch this space(ship).”

So, who would have known while mystical battles were being waged around Fife and the mighty warrior McFife was preparing yet again to do battle across the span of history.

All hail Gloryhammer! Now where did we put that broadsword and who has stolen our natty new armour?

And...here is the tale of the birth of Gloryhammer...

Absurdly brilliant, absurdly wonderful: glorying in the hammer

IT used to be fantasy power metal bands were a dime a dozen across the wastelands of Europe and the northern reaches of Scandanavia, but with attempts to move into symphonic prog directions the purity dissipated and nary could a power metal snappy tune be found.

Then the noble peopl of Bonny Scotland rose up in the shape of one Christopher Barnes – a man last seen boarding Buckfast bearing ships in his Pirate Metal guide of leader of Alestorm.

So far, so ridiculous – fantasy power metal originated from the singer/keyboardist in a pirate band. But you have yet to learn of the sheer glory that is Gloryhammer.

Photo by Steve Brown
www.stevebrownphoto.co.uk

In the ancient forests around the Kingdom of Fife and the territory of Dundee lurked a mighty hero, Angus McFife, engaged in a mighty battle with the evil sorcerer Zargothrax.

The tales of mighty conflicts, magic drgaons, goblins and trolls and repelling the unicorn invasion of Dundee are recounted in Gloryhammer’s début: ‘Tales from the Kingdom of Dundee’.

Stop laughing in the back…unless you get the joke your guffaws are not necessary. Bowes has produced one of the finest power metal albums in many a long trolls lifetime, paying homage to predecessors while at the same showcasing how metal of this unique sub-genre should be played.

Single Angus McFife, with its over-the-top costumed video and catchy chorus, is the perfect example of how to deliver this level of parody with a straight face. And we should remember that parody is only possible if you acknowledge and love the subject matter.

Thomas Winkler was recruited to Gloryhammer after seeing his online audition for Dragonforce (more of which in an interview with Bowes to come shortly) and Winkler delivers a stunning performance of range and depth. Behind him a tight rhythm section, soaring solos, riffage a plenty and Bowes sweeping keyboards underpin the symphonic sweep and dabble with medieval melodies.

Sure you can find a pinch of Manowar, a dash of Dragonforce, a smattering of …Dragon-era Dio and a smidgeon of Hammerfall here and there, but that’s not the point. How many new-thrash acts borrow the chord changes from ‘Tallica and Anthrax?

 

Gloryhammer provide a simply glorious power metal outie; even if you were to set aside the lyrics the music encapsulates the days when we all could listen to our metal and look over the fact that Iron Maiden were rattling on about dinosaurs…The music is as strong as the silliness of the songs.

The Unicorns of Dundee sets the tone for the album with bombast, only let down by the use of an occasional voice synthesised narrative to produce that deep throated accompaniment that so bedevils too many later Manowar songs: the narrative of the lyric and the ‘real threat’ to Fife from Zargothraz is told well enough through the songs without the type of growl that Turisas .

Binding the middle of the album together is the obligatory power metal ballad Silent Tears of Frozen Princess, in which Winkler shows off his voice’s range as much as in other tracks.

From there is a headlong charge to don the Amulet of Justice, shout out our Hail to Crail, delve Beneath Cowdenbeath before wrapping up with the powerhouse that is the 10-minute plus Epic Rage of Furious Thunder.

Those who gaze on at this type of metal saying it shows how metal has disappeared up its own arse. Those of us inside know that the jokes on them. They will never know that we’re laughing with Gloryhammer. As the witty pop-punksters Bowling for Soup say “Rock ‘n’ Roll is really funny when it’s serious”.

Shoe gazing introspective, foppy fringed wankers need apply here. We raise our fists, and shout out for Gloryhammer. All hail Lord McFife!

Yes it is absurd - but perhaps that’s why we love it.

Odyssey date for Stereophonics

WELSH pop rockers Stereophonics have penned a Belfast date in for their autumn 'Graffiti on the Train' tour.

Kelly Jones and co will bring their back catalogue and a host of tracks from the critically acclaimed (although not by us....they didn't send us a copy...) album to the Odyssey Arena on  November 11th.

Already the album has chalked up a top 40 hit - their 26th - with the track Indian Summer, and we do confess that amongst the few other Stereophics songs we like the track In A Moment is rather good in its darkness.

 

(Cancer) Batty times in Belfast

WELL when it comes down to bats, they're a protected species in Northern Ireland - which we suspect is why Cancer Bats keep coming back here for their share of good old fashioned rock 'n' feckin' roll.

May in Belfast seems to have a bit of bat theme going - what with the Cancer Bats appearing in the Stiff Kitten on May 31st, and that old vaudevillian rock icon, Meat Loaf drawing his battiness to a close with his May 14th show in the Odyssey as part of his Last At Bat tour (more of which later).

Cancer Bats are currently touring in support of their monstrously grooveladen, feel good in a nasty way album 'Dead Set on Living' and their Black Sabbath tribute ep 'Bat Sabbath - Bastards of Reality'.

One thing can be assured of a Cancer Bats show is intensity. This is high octane performance, with a DIY punk ethos, hardcore style and a metal heart, even if they don't always want to let you see that beating you down.

Cancer Bats have produced some memorable shows in Belfast, but one moment sticks in our mind - when supporting Funeral for a Friend in the old Spring and Airbrake, vocalist Liam Cromier arrived on stage at the opening of the set and stagedived off the old boards, straight into a crowd of scenesters who didn't know what to do when this Canuck pile of punk angst landed squarely on top of them.

That moment summed up the Cancer Bats ethos - here we are, and if you don't like us deal with it because we are gonna beat you down until you love every bit of our vibe.

With four albums behind them, and a splatter of eps and bootlegs, this is perhaps the perfect time to see Cancer Bats. Tickets for the Stiff Kitten gig on May 31st are £12 (Ex booking fee) and available from Ticketmaster, shine.net etc etc.

On to weightier matters... We're not sure why we linked Meat Loaf with the Cancer Bats; it just seemed right and wrong at the same time. They are at opposite ends of the rock and metal spectrum, with Meat Loaf but there's a bat theme here...

We've seen several Cancer Bats shows and our principal editor admits to have seen Meat Loaf one night and a death metal set the next - well we do have diverse tastes here at our metal mansions!

Having said that Mr Loaf always delivers a show as well as the music. Memorably at Knebworth, when on the bill with Deep Purple and a host of others Meat maintained dignity and humour when initially pelted with a storm of plastic bottles - by the end of the set he had the entire crowd behind him despite fans ranging from ageing hippies, through to metalheads and southern boogie devotees (Blackfoot were on the bill too).

Meat Loaf plays the Odyssey Arena on May 14th in a 'Concert in Two Acts', the first being a selection of hits, the second being performing the entire 45 millions selling Bat Out of Hell album in full.

Tickets available from the Odyssey booking office and Ticketmaster.

Hurtful truths and damn good alternatives

TEETERING somewhere between rock, metal, alternative and punk can be a difficult place to reside. Few bands manage the balancing act - and those that do rarely capture the energy of live performances.

Northern Ireland act Stillpoint have recently come on to the radar of our Belfastmetalheadsreunited editorial team with their five track release 'Some Lessons Hurt Like the Truths They Contain'. Admittedly it is a style that many of readers here on Belfastmetalheadsreunited and our syndicated readers on rockradioni may not always take to easily, but we cannot deny the energy and delivery of this release.
From energetic opener 'Blind Drunk in Sastas' to the contemplative 'I Know What A Monster Looks Like' Stillpoint deliver a compelling listen.

That balancing act between hard riffing, alternative arrangements and punkish attitude (especially on Blind Drunk...) is achieved with aplomb, and metal tendencies creep in on bridges in 'A Plea for Action' and 'Start Fires'.

The one weakness is there is a tendency to pay too much homage to their influences. Vocalist Dave at times sounds too much like Simon Neil of Biffy, and their is a definite tendency to use Biffy and Funeral for a Friend styles.

But, in that mélange is an emergent voice of Stillpoint themselves and a Northern Irish identity. As they progress further they can perhaps draw more on that and attract that elusive fanbase that crosses the metal, rock and alternative listeners.

Bullet for Belsonic...good week of announcements

NOT only did this week see the tremendous news that Slayer will be making a long overdue return to Belfast to play the Limelight on June 12th, but among the Belsonic 2013 August headliners will be Bullet for My Valentine, with support from, Bring Me The Horizon.

Whatever next we ponder...Metallica for the Diamond Rock Club? Machine Head for The Empire? Oh well, with so many announcements you'll just have to keep your eyes peeled here and on the Limelight, MCD, Distortion Project and Diamond Rock Club pages!

Cursed black hole sun premonitions of doom

WE'VE been toying about this album for a wee while here at Belfastmetalheadresunited, gradually finding more and more to commend in Cursed Sun's Premonitions.

Truth be told we have had a copy for several weeks now, but we've played it in the car, played it while walking the dog (who gave it a four paw review...) and listened in the serenity of a darkened room while sipping the Devil's Buttermilk.

Our first impression was of competency, our next - and final judgement - is that Cursed Sun have produced a début platter that stands up as an opening for what could be a promising future - how far that future can extend when operating from Northern Ireland remains to be seen.

Yes, there are parts of this album that sound derivative at times, but you inevitably have parts of the
'genre' when you are in the 'genre'. More of that later....

But, notwithstanding that point Premonitions stands up as a rounded album. After the opener, 'The Necrotic Gift' it kicks into a higher gear with 'White Horse'.

From there it is a helter-skelter ride through frenetic riffs and impassioned lyrics.

Cursed Sun have laid down a tight CD, with guitarist McCleery showing off a variety of solo styles, with nods to Nile, Arch Enemy, Dimebag and Adrian Smith.  But they are 'nods to' not copies of.

Singer, Andew Cassidy can pound out the songs as well as many a chanter, and in time he will find more firmly his own voice amidst the crowd. There is evidence here that it is coming through with a mix of intonations on 'The Vultures' emerging.

And it is on that track that Cursed Sun put forward a more choppy approach with the timing of the riff and rhythm just varying enough to keep it interesting.

Also standing out are 'Between These Walls' and closer 'Descension' both of which have an oppressive vibe suitable for this dystopian landscape we occupy in 2013.

Cursed Sun are unfortunate in that Premonitions is coming out at a time when labels and UK promoters are not really sure what is the 'next thing' in metal. Is it old school thrash? Is it progressive black metal?

We have always despised the labelling of bands into genres and sub-genres, and when it comes down to it, it is either good 'metal' or not good 'metal'. Cursed Sun's Premonitions falls into the former category.

That is not to say the album is not without flaws - no band has ever produced the perfect album (well Metallica have, but we're biased!).

At times Premonitions does suffer from a sameness between one track and another, but given a lot of metal suffers from that, it is a flaw easily rectified as they grow as recording artists. Also, at times the tempos seem locked in rather than loose in the groove - again something that can be translated from the live environment into the studio with more experience.

But these are just the reviewer being a nit-picker - listen to 'Cruelty Concept' about four minutes in and Cursed Sun show they have the ability to shift the tone before ennui can settle in; equally 'In Sufferance' showcases guitar and bass in a melodic mélange before the heads get banging again.

Overall Cursed Sun have delivered on Premonitions and if you have any doubts live with it a while and love the black hole of delicious metal that they can suck you down into!

Primordial go back to the beginning

WITH their last album 'Redemption at the Puritan's Hand' setting a new standard for Celtic Death/Folk metal, Primorial are now going back to basics - well not quite: the Skerries outfit are going back to the vibe that kicked off their career.

Their debut album 'Imrama' will be officially released on vinyl for the first time ever on April 2nd. The version out there already is, according to their label, "a bootleg of low quality. If you have purchased it you have been ripped off."

This official version will include a remaster of the album as well as a free poster and will be released as a Gatefold-LP with the original artwork!

Even though they are sometimes, like prophets in their own land, not given due accord, Primordial have time and time melded the dark tales and heroism of Ireland's past (both north and south) and inspired the likes of their label mates, Darkest Era, to incorporate legacy with whatever genre of metal is your preference.

With Imrama you can now get back to where it al began.

Oh Lord, it's Lordi

REMEMBE that day a few years back when metal en masse voted across Europe to acclaim Lordi as Eurovision winners? You do, good! Because the Finnish mentalists are to play Belfast.

Here are the details:

The Distortion Project in association with Limelight Belfast presentsLORDITo Beast Or Not To Beast Tour 2013+ GuestsLimelight 1, Belfast
Saturday May 4th 2012
Tickets on sale priced £21 (excluding booking fee) from www.limelightbelfast.com www.ticketmaster.ie Katy’s Bar & Ticketmaster outlets nationwide. Northern Ireland customers 0844 277 44 55 & Republic of Ireland customers 0818 719 300

Lordi is ready for the release of the sixth studio album To Beast Or Not To Beast. The new album is musically the most aggressive Lordi album yet. The seeds of the new approach in Lordi’s music were originally planted and inspired by the technical and brutal way the band’s former drummer Otus played Lordi songs. For the first time in Lordi´s history, Mr Lordi was not the one, who set up the tone of the upcoming material. Amen wrote 3 riffs in the spring of 2011 inspired by late Otus´ drum patterns. Those riffs were to become the musical guidelines of the new album To Beast Or Not To Beast.

Year 2012 marked two anniversaries for Lordi, both the 20th year birthday since the bands birth and the 10th anniversary of the release of their debut album Get Heavy. However, all the planned celebration was quickly toned down hard, as the drummer Otus passed away on February 13th. After the time of silence, the band played the confirmed gigs and summer festivals accompanied by a musician mysteriously named as The Drummer. Another line-up change became reality in early August, when the long-time keyboard player Awa played at the anniversary show in Rovaniemi. That was her last gig with Lordi.

In late August 2012, the band went again to USA to record the sixth studio album under the production of Michael Wagener. In December, a new keyboardist Hella and a new drummer Mana were officially announced to be the new members of Lordi.

Lordi’s new album “To Beast or not to Beast” will be released on the 1st March. A single, entitled “Riff” will be out on February 8th.

Tickets onsale this Monday
http://www.lordi.fi/https://www.facebook.com/LordiOfficial
http://www.youtube.com/Lordiofficial
Well you can't say you weren't warned...

Beware MOD alert!

BRADLEY Wiggins not withstanding we have a bit of a problem with MODs - all relates back to the 80s and their hijacking of rock bands and New Wave bands and a devotion to 'fashion' rather than the music. Which makes it all the more worrying that the arrival of The Who in Belfast will see the parkas and scooters out in force.

Here's the blurb:

THE WHO, one of rock’s legendary and defining bands, has announced an Irish and UK arena tour where they’ll perform their iconic 1973 double album QUADROPHENIA in its entirety, along with a selection of WHO classics.

TICKET INFORMATION

8^th June: The O2, Dublin

10^th June: Odyssey Arena, Belfast

Tickets are on sale this Friday, 1 February at 9am from Ticketmaster outlets and online at www.ticketmaster.ie

The tour follows on from a hugely successful North American, tour, praised by press and fans alike as probably the definitive interpretation of Quadrophenia and “a rock 'n' roll lover's dream come true” (Telegram.com, Boston). “QUADROPHENIA is their (The Who’s) boldest and most fully realized albums,” writes Rolling Stone, “but it's never quite gotten the live show it deserves – until now”.

Orange Goblin and the ancient art of headbanging

THERE'S something unique about Orange Goblin gigs - something that straddles space and time to reach through the infinite wormholes of multi-dimensional travel to pull the adherents of the ancient art of heaadbanging into 2013.

So, that may be a bit of hyperbole right out of a Michael Moorcock novella, but Orange Goblin, back in Belfast on Sunday night (January 27th) bridged that space between young and old, that space between doom and groove, that space between hope and oblivion to lay down the Goblin gospel of heavy metal.

However, it looked as if the night would be off to less that auspicious start with the Foyle river gods, Triggerman struggling with guitar issues. But Bap and his merry crew, with some help from Admiral Sir Cloudeseley Shovell's guitars, managed to turn in a blistering, all beit truncated set. Worms, Thon Strange Brew and Flowers highlights. A long journey, technical hitches and Bap recovering from the flu spurred them on, keeping the focus and laying it down just as the Guardians of Heavy Metal in the Ancient Ale Halls have decreed.

In contrast Admiral Sir Cloudeseley Shovell were a band that failed to engage most of the crowd, who seemed not to be able to get a handle on what they were actually aiming to achieve. Was it stoner, was it trip-rock, was it NWOBHM...probably a combination of all these plus a bit of 70s space rock and a frisson of grunge.

Onstage the three-piece seemed disengaged, with little interplay between the two frontmen (the guitarist/singer looked like Noddy Holder's bastard child, and the bassist sported sideboards that would have honoured the 17th Sea Lord the band are named after).

One senses there is a really great band trying to get out, but with a little more stage presence and showmanship and a tighter arrangement this could be a good act worthhy of their own heaadline club tour in the future.

But if it is showmanship, tight music and sheer presence then look no further than Orange Goblin!

Despite this being only the second date in what promises to be a lengthy 2013 sojourn across the globe the London quartet were tighter than a gnat's arse in a thunderstorm.

Reaching back through the back catalogue and hurtling us towards last year's release of A Eulogy for the Damned this was a helter skelter ride of pure, unadulterated, no flannel, no fucking about heavy metal.

Ben Ward dominating the stage both in height and charisma, Joe Hoare unassuming but with ferocious riffing and solos, all naled by Martyn  Millard and Chris Turner's rhythm section pummeling the crowd into a blissful oblivion with a bottom end that rumbled through the rafters and floorboards of Limelight2.

All the usual suspects were on the setlist, but an honourable mention has to go to The Filthy and The Few and The Fog - dedicated naturally to the Late John Carpenter.

Goblin fans know the score - they come for a party, arrive ready to share the songs, share the good time and bathe in the brilliance of heavy metal played by a band that gets more assured and more astounding each and every time.

Interviewed last week Martyn told us that the band were looking at 2013 as the year when they turned professional: we've always known Orange Goblin were as professional as it comes when on stage and Belfast can now look on as willing partners to the Goblin crew reaping the rewards of the years building the fanbase.

But a fanbase cannot simply be built, it has to be nurtured with good shows, good tunes and camaradarie with the paying punters. Orange Goblin have done all that and more - we emerged blinking into the sodium glare of streetlights, sweaty and with ears ringing, we were the filthy and not so few and we're ready for each step of the Goblin's journey to global conquest.

Orange Goblin's Martyn speaks - we listen in awe! EXCLUSIVE

When a band has been around as long as 18 years they can go two ways – out the door or on to yet further success: for Orange Goblin the second option is the one proving that longevity can result in greater rewards and the just triumph of god solid heavy metal.

As Orange Goblin prepare for their Limelight2 date on January 27^th we caught up with the bass maestro Martyn Millard who provided an insight into where 2013 will take the band, thoughts about the unifying strength of metal and the prospects of QPR staying in the Premiership…

But first, we like all sensible men and women wanted to know just how Orange Goblin gave birth to their finest release to date, A Eulogy for the Damned, which by all accounts had a little trouble before its birth.

And Martyn was brutally honest on why it took so long for this masterpiece to hit the shelves.

“The length of time it took to come out was generally down to our inability to rehearse on a regular basis and get off our backsides.” he said.  “It’s certainly our most mature work to date but I'd put that down to the longevity of the band and what we we've been through over the past 18 years, rather than tweeking songs for months on end until they were right.

“We had 1 song (Red Tide Rising) which was written 2 or 3 years ago but the rest were written very close to the recording date and just kind of happened in a very short space of time”

The last time Orange Goblin played in Belfast was yet another live tour de force from a unit that seems to revel on the stage and translate the intensity of recorded output into a ferocious live set. Just how does the band always seem to keep their ‘game’ at such a high intensity?

“We're not entirely sure to be honest,” said Martyn. “I guess it’s a big melting pot of us genuinely loving the songs, loving playing live, feeding off of the energy we get from the audience and maybe being fans and quite down to earth ourselves.”

Perhaps one of the magic ingredients for Orange Goblin is that they’re not ‘stuck up’ rock prima donnas.

“Yes, I believe that has helped us as we have such a good relationship with our fans. We are always are approachable. “We will being in the bar a lot of the time talking to people about music and football etc,and not hiding away in dressing rooms. I think people feel like they can connect with us - we are no different to them, which is exactly how it is and how it should be!”

That connection – along with a straightforward work ethic (despite earlier comments about getting off their backsides) saw its just rewards in 2012 when Orange Goblin netted arms full of accolades, including being named as Terrorizer’s Best Band of the year.

“In all honesty we were stunned by the Terrorizer poll results. To win 'best band' and feature in so many other of the categories was fantastic and truly humbling.We never expected those results,ever!

“We knew we had released a decent record so if the album was in the top 20, we would have been over the moon but for people to vote for us over so many categories was unbelievable. So thank you from all of us if you voted! Whether we deserve it or not is a question other people may have to answer, not us .I think we deserve a little recognition certainly!”

And, the just reward for a commitment to getting out there - and to paraphrase another singer – getting down to business is a solid following of devoted fans.

“It takes a long time to build up a fan base and 99 times out of 100, the only way to get that is by jumping in a van and playing up and down the country as much as you can,” explained Martyn.

“We've always been lucky and the four of us get on so well that we just treat it as a trip away with your mates. It just so happens that an hour or so of that time is us playing on stage. You have to enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy gigging and playing in different cities then there ain’t much point being in a band really.”

With that base behind them 2013 promises to be a momentous, busy, globetrotting year for the mighty Goblin’s march to, well to world domination!

“2013 is huge for us,” Martyn continued. “The opening show of the in Dublin on Saturday (26^th January) will be our first as a 'professional' band.

“It’s taken 18 years but we finally have a chance to properly tour the world, so that is exactly what we are trying to do.

“After the UK tour we head down under to take part in the Soundwave festivals as well as some club shows with Kyuss Lives and Red Fang. From there we fly straight to the US and Canada where we tour with Clutch for 7 weeks. We have 60 club shows in Europe pencilled in for the summer which are waiting on festival confirmations and then we hope to go back to the States, South America, Japan, New Zealand and maybe even India, but these are only being talked about so nothing definite. But as you can see it is going to be a busy year.”

One area of the fan base that is a times excluded from access to the live power of Orange Goblin is the under 18s, who cannot get to shows in pubs and clubs – a source of concern for Martyn: “The youngsters are the future of anything, be it metal, politics or whatever, so to alienate them is dangerous. I understand the laws but there are ways round it.

“In the US, some of the bars are split down the middle, so you have drinkers and over 21's on 1 side and non drinkers and under 21's on the other. It’s a strange set up, but at least the teenager gets to see his favourite band thus keeping the music alive in the younger generation. We don’t people like teenagers becoming disillusioned with our music and going elsewhere because we are not accessible.”

Throughout the so-called Troubles the flag of metal and punk helped save a generation of fans from alienation and despair here in Northern Ireland, and metal bands like Orange Goblin know the responsibility they bear in helping music as a unifying force, something Martyn is acutely conscious of:

“I think music, no matter what type or genre, is a way of bringing people together,o r at the very least a form of escapism.

“But rock/metal has a bond which its fans feel an allegiance to: much more than any other form of music. That is what makes this type of music special and that is why bands have to keep playing, no matter what the troubles or problems .It’s a way of life!

“A religion in itself. Just without the bullshit!”

Metal as a no bullshit religion – that’s something we can get behind! And let’s face it, if you haven’t already began to worship at the altar of Orange Goblin it’s time you got your groove on, neck brace and stand by and drinking arm well limbered up.

Come January 27^th we’ll be there to see the Martyn and his trust cohorts rip apart Ormeau Avenue in Belfast – see y’all there!

But before finally wrapping up the interview we had to ask about QPR. Martyn is a long standing fan and tweets regularly about the highs and lows of following the Loftus Road men. But with this season so chaotic, what is the future for QPR:

“Harry is doing a great job but it won’t be enough. Mark Hughes left a terrible and unbalanced squad of players behind that was beyond repair. You never know but i think the job is too big...even for H!”

Some tickets still remain for the Orange Goblin show and are available from usual outlets or from Katy’s Bar. A Eulogy for the Damned is out now on Candlelight Records.

 

 

Orange Goblin comp winner

Congratulations to Barry who won a pair of tickets to see Orange Goblin return to Belfast on January 27th at Limelight2.

Thanks to everyone who entered. If you're names not Barry and you've not received your congratulatory email then you now have no excuse at all not to march out and buy a ticket to see the mighty Orange Goblin.

Oh - the answer - Frequencies from Planet Ten - and we'll not name the person who got that wrong!

Coming soon - an interview with Orange Goblin's bassist Martyn Millard, who reveals what 2013 has in store as the band takes on being 'professional' for the first time.

Moody, melodic, post-hardcore, post punk...WTF

A REVIEWER in a Belfast newspaper last week described a band as: "Moody. melodic, post-harcore, post-punk, informed, indie rock".

What in the name of Lemmy is that? Regular readers of this blog will know that we detest labels. Sometimes they are useful to help classifications, but we usually stick with 'metal', 'hard rock', or 'punk'.

If you get another helpful definition like 'groove', 'doom' or 'death' then you can usually tell what's coming. And we happily report on anything within our range from Journey to Zombified.

We happily take hard rock in the AOR spectrum to the heaviest that Nuclear Blast, Grindscene and Metal Blade can offer.

Which makes it all the more irritating that reviewers spend all their time with hair splitting and labelling.

Then when it all comes down to it we turn the pages of today's Belfast Telegraph to see an initiative that promises support for up and coming local talent. Where's the hard rockers in the line-up? Where's the metal bands? Not one can be seen in this line-up of no doubt earnest shoe gazers.

So, if you are an up and coming band in the hard rock, metal or punk genre let's see you knocking your pans out and we'll at least give you the backing. Following on from ou recent review of 7 Days Dead (from Northern Ireland) we'll be reviewing Cursed Sun's (also from Northern Ireland) excellent Premomitions shortly and Triggerman's (another one from Northern Ireland) support slot with Orange Goblin this Sunday coming.

To all the local hard rock, metal and punk there are sites and local radio stations out there that have your back - you don't need to pander to the pretentious and be all moody, melodic, post-harcore, post punk to get a listen.

And don't forget that you can still enter the competition to win a pair of tickets to see Orange Goblin on January 27th by clicking here. But remember you only have until 5pm today (21st January).

Goblin monsters are back (win tickets!)

Sunday 27th January - Orange Goblin and Triggerman. For those that have been touched by the Globlin's fierce grooves and got down to Triggerman's rifftastic you'll already know this is a metal party. If you need a bit of convinciing, well your heart, soul and black little metallic heart should shake itself loose from the bonds of servitude to the scene and open up now to the very best of UK heavy metal.

And if you don't believe us at how good Orange Goblin are - here are the views of some national journalists:

• “It has to be said that Orange Goblin shows are very predictable….you know they are going to be brilliant before they even hit the stage!” – Terry Bezer (Kerrang!)
• “Consistently one of the greatest live bands the UK has produced in recent decades!” – Dom Lawson (Metal Hammer
• Put simply, Orange Goblin are the best metal band in Britain!” – Malcolm Dome (Classic Rock)

If you haven't already got your ticker (WHY NOT!!!!) we've a wee incentive courtesy of the good folks at the Limelight we've a competition for a pair of tickets to see Orange Goblin. Read on, the details are at the end of this justified eulogy to the Globlin.

And, speaking of Eulogies - well we were even if you were not - Orange Goblin released their seventh album last year 'A Euology for the Damned', which dare we say it is one of the finest slabs of metal we encountered in the whole 12 months.

On record Orange Goblin are fantastic, live they are on another level: the huge presence of Ben Ward dominating the stage, with Joe Hoare's guitar a counterpoint and Martyn Millard (bass) and Chris Turner (drums) laying a foundation that at times threatens the earth's axis, so powerful is the groove.

17 years Orange Goblin have been on the scene - why the music industry does now collectively bow down in gratitude is currently being studied by Prof Stephen Hawking as one of the geat mysteries of the universe.

But enough of our collective fawning at the feet of Orange Goblin.

Do you want to go see Orange Goblin and Triggerman at Limelight2 on 27th January. Option one: go to Ticketmaster or Limelight.com and spend the measly sum of £16 (if you haven't already done this we say again, why not?). Option 2. Enter the competition to win a pair of tickets to see Orange Goblin.

Simply email the answer to this question here:
What was Orange Goblin's first album.

Competition closes at 5pm on 21st January.
Usual terms and conditions apply:

1. If you're not in you can't win
2. Winners will be selected randomly
3. There is no cash alternative
4. Tickets are in the form of a guest pass
5. Seriously, if you're not in you defintely can't win
6. By entering you agree that you are available to attend on 27th January to have your world rocked
7. By entering you have a chance of winning
8. There are no re-draws, penalty shoot-outs or duels, the winner is the winner, end of story
9. If you don't win we'll let you know so you can dash off and buy tickets

Week's worth of punch on 7 Days Dead ep

Ahh we love a wee taste of heaviness, and we love it when it comes with swaggering like a metallic groove monster marching from our speakers and pumelling our ears into gleeful submission. And that's why we're loving the forthcoming debut ep from 7 Days Dead.

Tracks 'Broken' 'By Any Means', 'Come Undone' and 'Haunted' have been rocking our wee cotton socks off and by themsleves forcing the volume level to 11.

For those of you who may not have come across 7 Days Dead before here's the brief synopsis. When Interrogate folded in 2011 guitarist Mark Johnston and drummer Stephen Brown dusted themselves down, grabbed hold of bassist Chris Cassidy for bass duties and Ryan McManus, swore them into the 7 Days Dead covenant of heaviness and rose phoenix-like with a mission to pummel the unwitting into conversion to their vision.

The result is four tracks that meld honest hard rocking with a metal vibe. Brown's addiction to double bass runs doesn't overpower like so many pseudo feet tappers, but rather provides a backbeat with Cassidy's bass to anchor the sound. The fills on 'By Any Means' are well-balanced like a scaffold for Johnston and McManus to build the architecture of the song.

Indeed this is a common strength for all of the songs: hard and heavy and no frightened of melody alongside the metal riffing and rhythm section pounding.

Put simply - another damn fine selection of sings from a damn fine local band. Hell, Norn Iron rocker and metallers prove once again that we are the region demographically with more talent that any other patch of earth.

Check out the week's worth of punch from 7 Days Dead yourself and make sure to head along on February 16th when the Distortion Project hosts the ep launch at Limelight2.