Posted in Reviews on December 31st, 2011 by General Blaspheme
Genres: Depressive Black Metal, Progressive Black Metal, Progressive Metal Label: Hypnotic Dirge Records
Ekove Efrits presents a strange listen, one that is somewhat hard to get through without rewinding it once in awhile to catch something that caught your ear. The core is based around black metal, with a depressive lean, but it’s so progressive in ways that it’s hard to call it black metal at all in some sections.
Strings and keys play a huge part in the overall sound, with a slightly longer song structure averaging just over six minutes. Slower paces and spoken words, whispers, and immense atmosphere really help drag you into the music. I wouldn’t recommend playing this at your next party, unless you were planning a Jim Jones tribute.
Fans of Nine Inch Nails (especially The Fragile), Kraftwerk, Opeth, Morgul, and HDR’s other releases should not miss out on this one. It’s really good.
7 out of 10.
Posted in Interviews on December 29th, 2011 by General Blaspheme
Here’s another ancient interview, dragged from the depths of obscurity (and my hard drive) from the Funeral Rain Zine/MySpace ages. This was originally published on June 30, 2009.
For people who have never heard Sirenia, how would you describe the sound of the band?
I would say Sirenia’s style is Gothic Metal or Symphonic Metal, but maybe people think otherwise. I never listen to music and say “this band’s style is that one, that other band’s got this other style”. Does it matter the style when the music is good?
What of the lyrical themes? Are there any themes that seem to repeat, or are they more of a story or concept?
Morten composed the tracks from the album as he’s always done with all Sirenia albums, so the stories behind each song are only known by him and he never reveals his inspirations. He prefers each person to give the meaning they want. So I could give you my opinion, but I don’t want it to be like a statement of the real meaning, so I’ll keep it to myself. :P
You are in a band that has a strong history, even before it’s current inception. You are in a position that requires you to follow in the footsteps of three other frontwomen, who each have their own fans. Do you find this daunting at all?
From the beginning I knew it wouldn’t be easy, because the band’s got former singers and some people prefer them over me, but I don’t find it annoying, cos it’s usual. Each person has their taste and some think they like more former singers, but I’m not Fabienne, Henriette or Monika, we all have our own unique style. My singing being different from theirs doesn’t mean I’m better or worse, just I’m different. I’m just trying to give my best, so my band is happy with me and the choice they made when they selected me, and so people can like my work and be happy with it.
You yourself have a strong history in music, singing ever since you were 15. Could you give us a quick rundown of your music career?
I found I wanted to be a singer when I was about 12, but I just sang at home. I played my favourite singers of the moment’s songs and tried to imitate them, and that’s how I began with music. At 15 I told my mum I wanted to be a singer, and I got enlisted to a musical school, but for personal reasons I had to leave after just one year. Then sometime later I sang every year in my home town in a show they made to get funds for Alzheimer’s disease. I’ve also participated in contests, both nationally and internationally. In 2007 I was in the first Spanish edition of X Factor, and I was booted off the fifth. When I was out of the show I worked with some musicians from Granada, but the project didn’t work out because they wanted pop and I wanted Gothic Metal. Just after I left this project, I got the chance to be Sirenia’s new vocalist.
How was recording the new album for you? Did you have time to get to know the band before recording, or were you pretty much thrust into the role?
The album’s recording was real fun. In the studio there were just Morten and I, and we had so much fun during the recording process. It was easier than I thought it would be. At first I was slightly worried because it was the first time I was in a studio to record something so important as a Sirenia album, but just as the music started it was easy. Morten’s music gives so many things so I just had to let myself go into what I was listening.
When we began recording I already knew the band members, because in the second audition they were all there. Also, before the album’s recording we had a couple of shows.
The first single from the new album, entitled “The Path to Decay” has a great video, directed by Patric Ullaeus. How was working with Patric for you and the band?
Working with Patric was really great for us, he’s a charming person and very professional. Also, Patric’s been on the industry for so long and he’s worked with many big bands, so he’s got a lot of experience in this. So for a band like us it was great to work with someone like him because he understands our vision of things. Even before seeing the results of the video shooting we knew we would be happy with the final result.
Other than the kinds of music you perform, what do you listen to? Are there any particular bands you’d like to namedrop as favorites or influences?
Since I began singing, I listen to all kind of music styles, I don’t like to concentrate in just one style. Listening to all this, I get the chance to learn things that I wouldn’t if I just listened to just one of them. There are a lot of bands and vocalists that I like, so I can’t start saying which ones or we would never end!
I’ve read that you happen to love videogames. What kind of consoles do you prefer, and what’s your favorite game at the moment, and your favorite game of all time?
I love videogames, but lately I don’t have time to play, but for long travels I usually take my PSP so I can get distracted. At the moment I like a lot of games, but my most favorite videogame from years ago is Final Fantasy 7.
I’ve also read that you’re a fan of The Lord of the Rings, the books and films. What else is on your reading/watching list?
Yes, I am a big fan of The Lord Of The Rings. Before the movies were shot I already had read the books a couple of times. I love everything that’s written by Tolkien, even I can’t remember exactly how many times I’ve read each book or seen every movie. I like to read all kind of stuff, but I love fantasy books, with fiction, action, etc…
Seven years after forming, The Casualties put For the Punx out, their first LP. Straight forward street punk anthems that hearkened to bands like GBH and The Exploited.
The original release from Tribal War Records had twelve tracks, but this version that I have from Punk Core Records (who seem to be defunct) has four bonus tracks, recorded in a radio studio.
This is not the radio friendly pop punk that seems to be what people think when they view punk; it’s the raw, vicious stuff that is politically charged and socially aware. One thing I’m really noticing about this album is that The Casualties also sing about the scene, the punk scene where they were born and punk rock in general. In a Digipak, the booklet is pretty sweet, full of live pictures and promos, and some of the biggest fucking mohawks I’ve ever seen.
This is the epitome of punk and should be owned by anyone who’s a fan of NYHC. And if you get the chance to see them live, do it! I saw them opening for GWAR in 2010 and it was a fucking smash!
7 out of 10.
Coming out next month, Lacrima Mortis (translates to Tear of Death) is the second offering from the Dutch doom mastermind Ed Warby, who is showing not only songwriting growth, but also a penchant for crushing the life out of the listener in a blissful, cathartic way.
Slow, plodding riffs that are heavier than death itself are, naturally, the main course in this feast for the ears. Piano, however, comes to play quite a bit in The 11th Hour’s sound, as does the occasional sample. Ed’s singing is even more exceptional on Lacrima Mortis, with a greater range than what was found on the debut album Burden of Grief.
The “newcomer” to the band is Pim Blankenstein, who has been the death growler for the live band since the release of Burden of Grief. He is replacing Rogga Johansson, who was only present on the debut. Pim’s work on Lacrima Mortis is great, his style of growls complimenting Ed’s clean singing even more so than Rogga (who did a fucking killer job himself). He sounds like he would be a monster on the live stage.
At the end of it all, after the headbanging and the fist pumping and the beer swilling, Lacrima Mortis stands as an album that can also be listened to with headphones and introspection; it an album that will stand monolithic, for me, for years to come. If you like your doom metal to be heavy, melodic, and just plain beautiful, get your hands on Lacrima Mortis, and if you haven’t yet, Burden of Grief as well. Both discs are the beginnings of what I feel could be a doom band that stands on the same ground as Saint Vitus, Trouble, Cathedral, and the mighty Black Sabbath. All they need is the fans to truly pay attention and support.
10 out of 10.
Posted in Reviews on December 12th, 2011 by Typhon
Genre: Heavy Metal Label: Independent
Metal Warriors Part 2, eh? So… what’s it going to be then? It’s not a split since there is only the one group credited. Is it a tribute album? Kinda. Though, I’d call it more of a compilation of cover songs. And Y.O.C. (as in Yalin Ongun Cosgun, after the vocalist) covers quite a bit in this here cover comp! From 80′s thrash (Metallica) to the super shreddy type stuff (Malmsteen) to Paul Dianno era Iron Maiden.
But the question still remains: Is it any good? Read on…
First up on this seven track disc is Flotsam & Jetsam’s Monster… ok, so we’re off to a bad start. But I can’t rightfully blame the guys in Y.O.C. for this craptastic song. Although, they did choose to put it on this compilation… It’s a great cover of a bad song. Walk away taking that one however you want to.
Up next, we’ve got Iron Maiden’s Remember Tomorrow… Now. We’re. Talking! Not only is this a great cover of a great song, it’s a perfect choice to throw listeners into the mood that Y.O.C. was undoubtedly shooting for! I personally would of scrapped Monster and started off with this one.
And now, onto my my favorite song choice on Metal Warriors Part 2: Blitzkrieg! The best part of this cover is the fact that you can tell that they were listening to A Time Of Changes and not Garage Inc. when they decided to cover this. A cover, well done.
Regrettably, Y.O.C. cover Metallica’s Battery next. I’m fucking tired of hearing this song! The original and all of the other covers (even Van Canto’s cover of this song kills me on some level) will soon be stricken from my iTunes library if this shit keeps up! To be fair, it’s a decent enough cover instrumentally, though the vocalist’s style just doesn’t seem to sync up through most of the song.
Yngwie Malmsteen’s I Am A Viking? InstaWin! Next track!
Yay! I can bitch again thanks to this cover of Axel Rudi Pell’s Eyes Of The Lost! Look, if this is just a vocal cover compilation, then just do songs that feature the vocalist like this. But thus far, we’ve had track after track that require some skill on the guitarist/bassist and drummer’s parts as well. But again, it’s a good cover so… you know?
Finally, we come to a cover of TORANAGA’s Sword Of Damocles. Gotta be honest, I never heard the original before and by the sound of this cover, I won’t be checking it out. It’s thrashy/heavy metal-y, but it still manages to not be near my cup-o-tea. Sorry guys, ya lost me here.
And that’s that! I HATE cover compilations. Even more, I HATE reviewing them. But as far as these things go, this one wasn’t really bad at all. I got bored listening to songs that I already knew and in most cases, heard much better covers of already. But I didn’t roll my eyes or impatiently wait for the track to finish nearly as often as I normally do.
Overall: If you can’t get enough cover songs, you’ll probably dig this seven track compilation. But if you’re like the rest of us, it’ll wear you down pretty damned quick.
