Primus – “Sailing The Seas Of Cheese”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Primus – “Sailing The Seas Of Cheese” Deluxe Edition (UMC / Polydor)

If you’ve never heard of Primus before then you missed out on a whole world of weirdness ha ha! From the quirky bass slapping persona of founder Les Claypool to ex Possessed Larry LaLonde’s free wheelin’ guitar work, trying to pin a label on the band’s music would be one of the enigmas of the 90s – psychedelic polka rock was just one! “Sailing The Seas Of Cheese” was first released in ’91 and was the band’s major release debut, containing the hits “Jerry Was A Race Car Driver” (my personal fave) and “Tommy The Cat” (featuring Tom Waits), both of which received heavy play on MTV with the album itself finally going platinum. Personally supervised by Claypool, this Deluxe re-release has been remixed in Dolby 5.1 Surround and has live bonus tracks of ‘American Life’ and ‘Those Damn Blue Collar Tweekers’ as well as a bass nectar dub remix of ‘Here Come the Bastards’ – still as quirky as ever lol! Comparing it to my original album, the remix hasn’t dramatically added or removed any elements but instead fattened up the sound so you can hear a lot more to tracks like the rippling ‘Is It Luck’ as LaLonde’s guitar licks start to spiral around my mind – dammit, that’s enough weirdness – first time around was band enough! Available in an equally bewildering array of formats from yellow vinyl on randomly selected copies to two six-panel digipak configurations, the audio pack also has four different video streams with trippy looking visualizers, previously unpublished photos and new liner notes. Proof that Primus are still sailing the seas of cheese!

Anvil – “Hope In Hell”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Anvil – “Hope In Hell” (Steamhammer / SPV)

And so the Anvil juggernaut continues….like Frankenstein’s monster resurrected by Sacha Gervasi in their infamous rockumentary, Canada’s never say die 80s metallers soldier on with perhaps their most prophetically titled album. Having ousted longtime bassist Glenn Five, Lips and Robb Reiner are now kicking out the jams with Sal Italiano (ex Cities and longtime Anvil fan friend) – and what can I say, against all the odds, Anvil’s comeback is tighter than ever before! Robb’s drumming is still par excellence – and now with monstrous cowbell – as Lips’s riffs continue to exploit every line in the metal bible of riffola as Sal adds his muscle into making a big bass sound. I’ve always wondered if Anvil were better off as a quartet but this line-up finally answers the question – no! The other thing that jumps out is that “Hope In Hell” is easily the band’s fastest and certainly most energetic album for a while. There’s a new vigor in songs like ‘The Fight Is Never Won’, ‘Call Of Duty’ and ‘Shut The Fuck Up’ – typical Anvil ha ha – but the band’s sound remains timeless and much as critics may find it hard to accept, Lips and Reiner are never gonna change so get over it people. Even more so, “Hope In Hell” is probably the album in recent years closest to those early 80s classics that the band churned out, and this gives us a higher hope that the band are firmly on course to top their legacy.

Immolation – “Kingdom Of Conspiracy”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Immolation – “Kingdom Of Conspiracy” (Nuclear Blast Records)

If you love technical death metal then this will have you in rapture – as one of the original purveyors of this style these New York legends have been going since the mid 80s, having set the blueprint that many would follow in their wake. Deep growing vocals, awesomely fast technical drum work and most of all, Robert Vigna’s outstandingly complex riffs and fearsome technical solos that make him one of death metal’s greatest guitarists define songs like ‘Bound To Order’, ‘God Complex’ and ‘A Spectacle Of Lies’. Despite their ferocity, things have moved on decades later with the band lyrically shifting away from traditional DM concepts to deal with more societal issues ranging from state control to manipulation of the masses by the powerful elites – not to worry, it’s still dark folks ha ha! Likewise the music has also become more palatable, with careful arrangements and subtle melodies here and there skillfully handled by Vigna but in no way detracting from Immolation’s brutality – if anything they enhance it! Like the other technical death metal I rate – Nile – Immolation have masterfully taken their sound to push out the boundaries without weakening their core and “Kingdom Of Conspiracy” is their next outstanding release on their evolutionary journey.

A Pale Horse Named Death – “Lay My Soul To Waste”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

A Pale Horse Named Death – “Lay My Soul To Waste” (Steamhammer / SPV)

Formed by Type O Negative drummer Sal Abruscato and skillfully aided by Seventh Void guitarist Matt Brown, A Pale Horse Named Death combines the best of 90s Brooklyn from the modern goth of Type O to the melancholy of Life Of Agony adding in the trippy self destruction of Alice In Chains in Abruscato’s vocals. Slow, haunting goth melodies matched by spacey harmonies form the backdrop to Brown’s slithering guitar work although the overall tempo has a fair amount of forward motion, so I wouldn’t call it doom by any means but heading into the dark waters of Danzig or even early White Zombie. There’s a definite swanky NY groove to those bands and A Pale Horse Named Death are no different, swaggering on monster songs like ‘Killer By Night’, ‘Devil Came With A Smile’ and ‘Shallow Grave’, all graced with a blackness that reaches into your soul to blissfully consume it from within.

Battle Beast – “Battle Beast”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Battle Beast – “Battle Beast” (Nuclear Blast)

These Finns literally burst onto the scene a few years back – not in the least courtesy of the steroided shrieks of femme vocalist Nitte Valo, who unbelievably left the band last year despite their triumphal march! Since then they have found Noora Louhimo so the obvious question on this follow up album is – is it “Steel” part 2…? Answer – No! Firstly the music itself has shifted away from Accept style anthemic metal that Nitte was so suited to a more melodic commercial rock metal very close in fact to the latest Lordi (who incidentally have gotten heavier themselves). As such Noora’s vocals are perfect for this, bringing her feminine cat purr vox to songs like ‘Out Of Control’ and ‘Into The Heart Of Danger’. Don’t get me wrong, she can certainly hit the high notes too, judging by the Manowar like ‘Fight Kill Die’ or the piercing ‘Black Ninja’ but I just don’t think Battle Beast need a constant air raid siren right now and in that respect, Noora’s tones fit more into the rest of the band than her predecessor’s. That aside, the central theme of catchy choruses, crunching riffs and blistering solos remains and the renewed line-up on this album has proved that it is still strong, wild and hungry as ever!

Gothminister – “Utopia”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Gothminister – “Utopia” (AFM Records)

America has Marilyn Manson, Norway has Bjørn Alexander Brem – lawyer by day, Gothminister by nite! Tortured by the insanity of eventually being unable to separate this dark reality from imagination, “Utopia” is a concept album along with a feature length horror concert film reflecting the dark wave / goth music Brem composes, along with a hefty amount of theatrics. Laugh you may, but Gothminister have already released 4 albums and played Wave Gotik Treffen, M`Era Luna and the Schattenreich Festival in front of 10,000 people! Highly atmospheric to almost cinematic proportions, songs like ‘Someone Is After Me’, ‘All Alone’ and ‘Helldemon’ feature heaps of samples amidst a strong dance beat – with occasional blast beat flurries – atop of which Brem lays his goth vocals. Strangely no keyboardist is mentioned in the undead line up although they feature both prominently and throughout the album. Still, it’s a small question when what really impresses about Gothminister is that they are probably one of the few bands in their genre who concentrate as much on their music as they do on their make up.

Leprous – “Coal”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Leprous – “Coal” (Inside Out Music)

Despite being around for over a decade, this Norwegian modern prog outfit are still only in their early twenties! But such is the lure of leprous that it has seen them being used as Ihsahn’s backing band, as well as touring with Opeth and Therion. Strangely enough, I wouldn’t say that Leprous resemble any of these groups, but highly talented musicians they are, and beautiful their music certainly is! From Einar Solberg’s superb angelic vocals (not to mention his keyboard talents) songs like ‘The Valley’, ‘Salt’ and the epic ‘Contaminate Me’ (with Ihsahn guesting on screams) possess an ambient, almost trance like feel on the one hand whilst at others are dark and melancholic. This is definitely not for those who like their music superficial as Leprous penetrate the layers of your subconscious with crunching bass lines, loads of splash cymbals, hypnotic vocals and amazing, far out melodies – including some cheeky Queen like fiddle work – to create moments of intensity balanced with the magnificence of tranquility.

Vektor – “Black Future”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Vektor – “Black Future” REISSUE (Earache Records)

Gotta admit, when I first saw the cover to “Black Future” I actually thought it was something from Voi Vod, but it is in fact a re-issue of Vektor’s 2009 debut on Heavy Artillery Records. Still, the Voi Vod comparisons are valid given some of the experimental breaks that Vektor undertake – fueled by classic post-apocalyptic films like ‘THX 1138′ and ‘Blade Runner’ – amidst their Teutonic inspired 80s thrash! Throat strained, spat vocals and even more shredding guitar played at break neck speed with dull, thudding drums courtesy of biscuit tin production immediately bring to my mind Kreator’s “Endless Pain”. Yet, some of the melodies are reminiscent of early Rush whilst the dual solos are almost Scandinavian so clearly there’s a lot more to this young Arizonian band whose name was inspired by a biology class. The other thing that’s noteworthy is that despite their obvious speed the actual length of the songs is pretty long (well at least by thrash stakes) which when coupled with the occasional use of space age sounds take Vektor well beyond your run of the mill garden thrashers to space galloping speedsters!

Darkfall – “Road To Redemption”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Darkfall – “Road To Redemption” (Noiseheadrecords)

Darkfall are a death / thrash band that have been going since the mid 90s when they were formed by vocalist Thomas Spiwak, who remains the sole founder over successive line up changes too numerous to mention. Well known in their native Austria as well as surrounding countries like Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic where they’ve toured over the years Darkfall are veritable road dogs, having played just about festival and venue you’d care to imagine – clearly they’re one of these bands that will play anywhere if you give ‘em the chance. Musically they reflect their live show, meat n potatoes death / thrash with hoarse vocals a la Kreator, massive power riffs a la Testament and an even more aggressive rhythm a la Behemoth. Songs like ‘War Has Come’, ‘The Gods Await’ and ‘Never Ending Hate’ are clearly made for fist banging, crowd shout outs, and neck snapping headbanging. It’s not Metallica but it’s definitely music for muthas!

Death By Ki – “The Right Of Might”

May 18, 2013
REVIEWS

Death By Ki – “The Right Of Might” EP (www.facebook.com/deathbyki)

Hailing outta England’s cider county of Somerset comes Death By Ki, who mix Metallica with metalcore on this strong armed EP. Mighty rebounding Metalli riffs and Kirk Hammett inspired solos go rocket insane as the band shift into overdrive on songs like ‘Like Oxygen To Fire’, ‘TAO’ and ‘Lights Out’. Vocally, Josh Ayerst effortlessly interchanges between a more soulful James Hetfield and hardcore barks along with some hoarse shout outs from the rest of the band. Formed under two years ago, Death By Ki are formulaic, however, they competently straddle both old and new worlds and that has seen them already touring as far as Eastern Europe, picking up a legion of fans as they spread the word and power of their Sumerian goddess, Ki.

BATTLECROSS – discuss recording at Audiohammer Studios

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

Detroit, MI’s BATTLECROSS has completed work on their second album for Metal Blade Records. The title, track-listing, as well as music and behind the scenes studio videos are being readied for public consumption. Until then, BATTLECROSS has shared a few photos from their time at Audiohammer Studios, as well as some thoughts on the recording process with famed producer Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, Trivium, Whitechapel, DevilDriver).

EVILE – NEW TRACK FROM UPCOMING NEW ALBUM, ‘SKULL’

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

EVILE have released another brand new track from their upcoming new album, SKULL, which is due to be released on May 27th in Europe via Earache Records, and on June 11th in the USA via Century Media/Earache Records.

TIAMAT – “Love Terrorists” – Clip

May 18, 2013
VIDEOS

The video was directed by Ioanna Lampropoulou and comes off the band´s tenth studio album “The Scarred People”, out now on Napalm Records

BLACK STAR RIDERS – on signing to Nuclear Blast

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

BLACK STAR RIDERS, the new band featuring THIN LIZZY members Ricky Warwick, Damon Johnson, Scott Gorham and Marco Mendoza together with drummer Jimmy DeGrasso (Alice Cooper / Megadeth), announced ‘All Hell Breaks Loose’ as the title of their debut album on Nuclear Blast Entertainment

KEEP OF KALESSIN – RELEASE EUROPEAN TOUR DATES

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

This November Keep of Kalessin heads out on yet another European tour, this time with Swedish melodic metal maestros Soilwork! Check out the tour dates below.

GAMA BOMB – NEW VIDEO ON-LINE NOW!!

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

Irish thrashers Gama Bomb, who had their new album “The Terror Tapes” released through AFM on the 22nd of April, have just released a new video clip to go with European dates with Artillery taking place now…. UK shows are being confirmed as we speak.

TÝR – George Kollias to track drums on new album

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

TÝR, hailing all the way from the Faroe Islands, are currently recording their new album with producer Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Aborted, Mercenary) at his studios in Denmark.

OCEANO – CONFIRM HEAVY MTL SOUTH OF THE BORDER TOUR

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

Chicago’s OCEANO have been confirmed for the first ever “Heavy MTL South of the Border” tour.

SHINING – “ONE ONE ONE” – FULL STORY BEHIND COVER ART

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

Shining release the new album “One One One” June 4th in the UK on Indie Recordings

GLORIOR BELLI – signs with Agonia Records

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

France’s avantgarde black metal outfit GLORIOR BELLI has inked a worldwide record deal with Agonia Records. Band’s fifth full-length album, successor to “The Great Southern Darkness” from 2011, is set to be released in the fall of 2013.

LEPROUS – Launch video clip for “The Cloak”

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

In the light of the upcoming release of their much anticipated new album “Coal” on May 20th, 2013 in Europe and May 28th, 2013 in North America via InsideOutMusic, acclaimed Norwegian Progsters LEPROUS are now launching the album’s first video.

MASTER – Signs With FDA Rekotz; New Album Sept

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

Death metal pioneers MASTER have inked a deal with German extreme music label FDA Rekotz for the band’s landmark 12th full-length album, which is scheduled for a late September release.

FAITHSEDGE – New Studio Report Available

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

California based rockers FAITHSEDGE are currently recording their new album “The Answer Of Insanity“. The new FAITHSEDGE studio report takes you behind the scenes into the studio for the upcoming album slated for 2013.

Spindrift – tour and documentary trailer online

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

Please welcome the latest highlight on TEEPEE RECORDS: Mixing the dusty, cinematic soundscapes of old spaghetti-western films with mind-expanding Psych Rock L.A.’s Spindrift makes music that sounds like what one would hear while tripping in the desert on a vision quest.

Stormbringer – To Release Debut Album ‘MMXIII’

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

Stormbringer, featuring current and ex-members of Viking Skull, Deadeye, Nekkrosis, Zoot Allures, Narkan and The Calling, will be releasing their debut album ‘MMXIII’ on the 15th July with the single ‘Grinder’ launching on the 20th May.

AMBERIAN DAWN – new videoclip online

May 18, 2013
VIDEOS

AMBERIAN DAWN’s new music video KOKKO-Eagle of Fire is now online. Video is produced by Routafilmi and directed by Markus Nieminen. Routafilmi also produced our previous ARCTICA video, which has reached about 600.000 views in Youtube already.

JET PACK – RELEASE VIDEO FOR ‘BACK TO LIFE’

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

West Midland new guns, Jet Pack, are set to make a hefty impression on the currently buoyant Brit-rock scene with their heartfelt brand of melody-drenched rock.

GOD DAMN – Heavy Money – Brand New Video!

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

HEAVY MONEY is the brain-splatting new track from Wolverhampton powerhouse trio GOD DAMN. Following the recent success of previous single I’m a Lazer, You’re a Radar (loved by the likes of BBC Radio 1, NME and The Guardian), the band are ready to blow your hair back once again with this hard-hitting audio-visual combo.

OUR FINAL HOUR – BRIT HARDCORE NEW VIDEO AND EP!

May 18, 2013
METAL NEWS

Hailing from the shores of the Isle of Man, OUR FINAL HOUR draw from a glut of areas from the power of ‘Defeater’ to the ferocious energy of ‘Stick To Your Guns’ and ‘Pianos Become Teeth’. By harnessing these influences, yet unmistakably etching their own unique signature on their undertaking, the band have produced a sound that intelligently merges Hardcore, Metal, and Punk to powerful effect.

The ascending noisniks release their debut EP ‘The Moving House’ on Monday 24th June and the band have just released a brand new video for ‘Autumn Breeze’, check it out

AFFLICTION GATE

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

French death metal is like Swiss chocolate. Once you’ve tasted it you can’t give it up. So give AFFLICTION GATE a taste and I’ll promise you that you will be happy for a long time. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

BRUTE FORCZ

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

BRUTE FORCZ might be new to most people but the people behind the name sure aren’t new to the game. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

CHOSEN

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

Ireland might be known for a lot of things but metal isn’t exactly the first thing you come to think of. Is it because they get lumped in with the British? Or is it because there are no bands. Read thjis interview with CHOSEN’s Paul Shields to find out the answer. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

CONTROL HUMAN DELETE

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

Dutch CONTROL HUMAN DELETE might seem like a strange entity on paper but once you get to experience it in real life you start to understand its inner mechanics. Anders Ekdahl © 2013

DOLL

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

DOLL is in all its simplicity a rather catchy word. You will for sure remember it once you’ve seen it in the context of hardrock/metal/alt. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

FEN

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

With all the bands in the world there is bound to be one or two with the same name. This FEN are from Canada. Interview responses by vocalist/guitarist Doug Harrison. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

NORRSKÖLD

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

This is a pretty new Swedish band. But hey, we here at Battle Helm don’t discriminate anybody no matter how old they are. NORRSKÖLD interview with Henrik Bodin-Sköld. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

OCTOBER TIDE

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

If you like your metal Swedish you should check out OCTOBER TIDE if you haven’t already. Interview answered by Emil. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

SHAKHTYOR

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

I don’t get to listen to too much instrumental music but every once in a while along comes a band like SHAKHTYOR that have no vocals and shake about my world. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

VICTIMS OF CREATION

May 17, 2013
INTERVIEWS

When you live on an island in the Mediterranean you might fell cut off but that doesn’t stop VICTIMS OF CREATION from being heavy as hell. Anders Ekdahl ©2013

ARTAIUS “The Fifth Season”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

ARTAIUS
”The Fifth Season”
(Moonlight)
Yes, once again this is a band that I know absolutely nothing about. I’ve come upon them before and given on what label they release this album this could be anything from the grandest pagan/folk metal to some of the weirdest sludge to the doomiest to the most freaked out psychedelia.

BAKKEN “Death Of A Hero”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

BAKKEN
“Death Of A Hero”
()
For those of us living in the Öresund region (Sweden and Denmark) we know BAKKEN pretty well. It is an amusement park just north of Copenhagen. I’ve been there as a kid.

BURIAL VAULT “Incendium”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

BURIAL VAULT
“Incendium”
(Apostasy)
I really hope that this band lives up to its name. That this will be one hell of a BURIAL VAULT that will leave me so scarred that I hardly want to visit again.

CARDINALS FOLLY “Strange Conflicts Of The Past”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

CARDINALS FOLLY
“Strange Conflicts Of The Past”
(Shadow Kingdom)
Doom metal from Finland, the land of a thousand lakes and probably as many vodka induced suicides. I loved The Reverend Bizarre. They were a damn cool doom metal band that I discovered too late.

CORSAIR “Ghosts Of Proxima Centauri”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

CORSAIR
“Ghosts Of Proxima Centauri”
(Shadow Kingdom)
I liked CORSAIR the first time I heard them. There was something a bit extra to them that caught my liking. Now that I get to hear even more from them I do it with great anticipation.

ECHTRA “Sky Burial”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

ECHTRA
“Sky Burial”
(Temple Of Torturous)
When I got into metal back in the 80s black metal was Venom and Witchfynde and Mercyful Fate and the likes. You pretty much knew what to expect.

HORDE THOR “Fire”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

HORDE THOR
“Fire”
()
This EP by Columbian HORDE THOR is actually the B-side to an album called “Roots & Fire”. Yeah I know it sounds strange but that’s the way it is. The A-side has already been released making this a sort of double album.

IMPRECATION “Satanae Tenebris Infinita”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

IMPRECATION
“Satanae Tenebris Infinita”
(Dark Descent)
Now this is a blast from the past. I don’t think I’ve heard anything by IMPRECATION since the 90s. Can’t say that I remember too much of what they sounded like back then other than it was some sort of American death metal.

LANTERN “Below”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

LANTERN
“Below”
(Dark Descdent)
If Pulverised from Singapore are the specialist of Swedish metal then American Dark Descent gotta be the expert of all metal Finnish. LANTERN is yet another Finnish band to make its appearance on Dark Descent.

OMEGA REIGN “Arise”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

OMEGA REIGN
“Arise”
()
This album might not be the freshest out there but in fair honesty, how many of you have heard of OMEGA REIGN? I thought so. I get an old school metal feel about this lot. Don’t know why but for some reason I picture bands like Oliver Magnum and Gammacide

PESSIMIST “Death From Above”

May 16, 2013
REVIEWS

PESSIMIST
“Death From Above”
(MDD)
With a band name like that this gotta be some really miserable thrash metal. Or perhaps it is some sort of German joke. I’ll know afterwards if I laugh all the way to the record store to pick this one up or if I’ll leave it in the trash bin.