New Reviews 1/31/2009 @ AZM

Dimension Zero- He who shall not bleed-CD (Candlelight USA)

The Gothenburg sound is alive an well in this Sweden Melodic Death / Thrash Troubadour's. Dimension Zero which consists of current and former member of In Flames, Marduk & Soilwork. Have a much more aggressive sound then either In Flames or Soilwork do today its almost like all these gentlemen are trying to relieve the sound that made them want to start making music in the 1st place. Bands like Testament, Exodus, Overkill with a touch of bands like Carcass and Entombed for good measure. All the songs are short and to the point with a vicious guitar/ drum/ vocal attack. The bass lines play a crucial part in this band as with out that thick full bass rumble filling in the more acrobatic guitar moments it would sound very frail. The vocals go from the more Throat/ Scream metal vocal to the Black Death vocals you would hear in bands like Old Man's Child, Dimmu Borgir or Dark Tranquility. The brutality when it comes out esp on track 5 "Dead Red Heat" matches with any metal band out there. Dimension Zero shred's it with the best of them one hell of a CD my friends.

http://candlelightrecordsusa.com/




Lethargy-Purification-CD ( PowerageRecords)

Do you remember the the late 80's / early 90's Blues Metal explosion wants like Badlands, Warrior Soul, Extreme,Corrorison of Conformity etc well if you add a bit of Monster Magnet and Soundgarden in for good measure you would very close have what Lethargy is. Powerful Heavy rock songs with amazingly tasteful and flowing solos, a back beat to kick you in the ass and a vocalist that most reminds me of Kory from Warrior Soul meets Gary from Extreme. I'm sure some of you will call this Stoner rock at times do you the lazy laid back flow of the music at time. Lethargy could be the next Daughtry if you gave them a chance. The seem to be childhood friends and been around 8 yrs to become the tight rock force they are. I'm really blown away how much I like this. Its the same way Anathema newer material has grown on me. It must be me getting older and open to more ideals.
www.myspace.com/poweragerecords

Khors- Mysticism-CD (Paragon Records)

Dark Blackened Metal in the vein of Samael, Bethlethem and Shining is what we have going on here. The synths are very tubular and bell like to add a fantasy element to the heavy and grim tone the guitars and vocals add most of the time. There are moments where the remind me a slower progressive black metal band like Borknagar or Old Man's Child. Khors is one talented unit that brings you through many layers and levels of emotions. There is a very full and massive sound to this band and you can hear that all the songs are very thought out and mean a lot to the band. There from the Ukrain which is a former russian stronghold but there heathen and nationalism has been coming through very strong with many bands comeing from this region . There is a haunting harmony about all they create as well. It really pulls you in and keep you at a close distance to the music and words as a whole. Paragon records is now a force to be reckoned with they have grown past upstart US metal label and are now up there with Moribund, Battle Kommand and Southern Lord as the elite of the more extreme metal forces.

http://paragonrecords.org/


Deathspell Omega - Veritas Diaboli Manet In Aeternum: Chaining the Katechon-CD (The Ajna Offensive)

This a band of mystery, chaos and dark beauty all at the same time. With each release Deathspell Omega become more occult, avantgarde and just plain interesting. The Discordant guitar and odd percussion movements all mix with a vocal style that I want to call Black Metal Invocations. This is a sickeness that creeps out of Deathspell Omega that no other band really creates at all. The closest band to this madness would be V.E.G.A to my ears. Regaurdless of who the band members are of this project. This mystic's of the underworld create Edgy, Forward Thinking Black metal with no care other then to please themselves and that is what is the most important in the end. This is but one 22 minute track and will be in my digital audio player for weeks to come like all that has come before by Deathspeel Omega. I am a fan.....
http://www.theajnaoffensive.com/



Rape Pillage and Burn - Songs Of Death... Songs Of Hell-CD (Ibex Moon Records)


This the re fucking birth of Massive Killing Capacity period Dismember this may have something to do with Richard Cabeza being the bassist for this project. I don't what else to say that grinding bass tone and the very throaty death vocals is what I remember most from that period. This is classic 90's Death metal sound with that heavy Punk/Thrash element that most of the Swedish/Danish bands at that time had. A more perfect home could not be Ibex Moon run by John of Incantation another band that seems to have influenced the sound of this band greatly with moments of Blackened and Doomish guitar riffs that come and pass through out this 5 song ep. Rape Pillage and Burn have a very bright future if that don't burn out too quickly.

http://ibexmoonrecords.com/


Conure- Stream-CD (Edgetone Records)

Industrial and Experimental music is one of those things you either love or hate . Just like your either great or horrible at creating it and Mark Wilson of Conure is one of the great ones at this art. Conure is a many armed beast in this genre too at time its electro then the next moment its dark and beat driven. On Stream Conure go into a much more aggressive/noisy side of extreme drone, sounds and power electronics. It reminds me a lot of where Control and Sickness were taking there music a few years back. Oddly enough Thomas of Control fame mastered this release and you can really hear the lows and rumbles extremely well thanks to that fantastic job. With Stream I think Mark/ Conure is the most abrasive and angry I've ever heard the project. Some of the textures and sounds are down right Bleak and painful. This is a new side to the project for me. Conure as been more about deep sound and layers of tones before. If this is a new dimenison and thought pattern for Conure then I say go with it as Stream is his strongest work to date. Power electronic fan's this is essential listening.

http://www.edgetonerecords.com/

Unique Leader recording artist- Lecherous Nocturne Interview is up 1/28/2009

http://www.myspace.com/lecherousnocturne

1. Please tell us how the death metal force of Lecherous Nocturne came to be?  

Kreishloff and Hohenstein formed the band in 1997 I joined the band in 1998 and we have been through a truck load of interchangable musicians since then.  I had always been interested in working with Jason Hohenstein when the call came in for a chance to do so I was all over it, little did I know that Kreishloff and myself would have such a great musical connection with each other. We are both completley different players but complement each others style that I personally think is a key element to Lecherous Nocturne's sound.  Hohenstein said it best when he said I play with alot of love and Kreishloff plays with alot of hate.

2. You released your Debut on Deep Send  and with Unique Leader. Why the change in labels?

 Unique Leader bought our contract from Deep Send, it was actually a suggestion from Deep Send to go to Unique Leader because I think they felt it would better the chances of Lecherous Nocturne being heard and put on to a more world wide market something DeepSend didnt really have the budget for.  Grahm at Deep Send is really one of the few guys with a label that actually cares about the bands he's working with and wants to see them do as good as they possibly can, he still helps us a great deal today.

3.  Lecherous Nocturne seems to be a band of Seasoned Death metal vets with members in Monstrosity, Nile, Eulogy etc. Where did you all find the time for so many projects. 

Lecherous Nocturne was formed long before any of these members joined the band, we had Dallas from Nile for one album but that was years after we had created Lecherous Nocturne, Mike Poggione from Monstrosity and Eulogy came into the band for a few years and I have recently started doing session tour work for Nile but Lecherous Nocturne has always been the main focus. It has kind of haunted us because of these affiliations many people only saw Lecherous Nocturne as a side project and not its own entity but the truth of the matter is that we were here and these members joined the band later on.

4. Lecherous Nocturne has a very epic sound esp in the guitars. You seem to have more in common with the 90's earache sound then lets say the Roadrunner or Nuke Blast stuff. There is a good melody as well to Lecherous Nocturne . Your not the standard Brutal Death Band . was this done with a main vision behind it.

 Our main goal has always been to write the most aggressive, intense music that we possibly could nothing else, we have recently started experimenting with different paths musically with a little more melody here and there but we have always wanted a very powerful guitar and vocal section and I think thats what we get most of on our records, Kreishloff reffers to it as "a wall of sound"

5. What does Lecherous Nocturne like more Giging or in the studio making releases?

 They are both equally important to us but I think that would differ a bit from member to member though, me personally I like the recording process much more than the live show, its the purest feeling in the world to me to see and hear a vision come to life for the first time not to say that I dont like playing live because I love it but theres something a little more magical and personal about recording your music with your brothers.

6. Is there a story line behind your new release " The age of miracles have passed" ?    

   Think about that question.........

7. Are Lecherous Nocturne fans of the digital age with Mp3, You Tube, Sat radio and webzines ? Do you miss the days of old??  

Well as fans of metal I think there will always be an affinity for the old school ways of doing things but you have to evolve with the times, modern technology has opened up so many doors that were near impossible before. Yeah I do miss the old ways but I wouldnt want to be doing buisness that way now while the rest of the world leaves us behind in a cloud of modern advances. 

8. I do hear a slight Black metal vibe in the tone and feeling of Lecherous Nocturne are you fans of this style? 

Yes we are into black metal but I think the main influence is brutal American death metal. But we are open minded in the writing process and dont beleive in following any guidlines for our music, we want to incorporate all of the styles that we love, black metal being one of them.

9. If you could tour with any project who would it be and why? 

That is a can of worms that is probablly better left un-opened, but we would love to get the chance to get out there and support the greats like Cannibal Corpse, Immolation, Morbid Angel etc.

10. Where do you see Lecherous Nocturne going with its future releases? I can hear a more experimental/ techinical progression from debut to current release.  

With every effort the band grows both mentally and musically so its really kind of hard to say what direction we'll go but I can tell you it will be aggressive, intense and really fucking fast.

11. Thank you for your time any closing thoughts here. 

Just want to thank you and Absolute Zero Magazine for taking the time to talk to me about the new Lecherous Nocturne recore  The Age of Miracles Has passed, we hope to see all the fans on up-coming tours and best of luck to you guys at Absolute Zero.

DVD Reviews 1/25/2009 @ Absolute Zero Media

Gamma Ray - Hell Yeah! The Awesome Foursome-Double DVD (SPV/STEAMHAMMER)


Ah were to beging the 1st DVD is an 18 song live show covering they history of this elite Power Metal force. The reason why Gamma Ray has succeeded were other having is that is is a band not the Kai Hansen experience. There songs which are all written by various member at various times. As so powerful, epic and just catchy while keeping that crushing metallic edge. Were bands like Hammerfall and Helloween have added to much of a pop touch it all. This live show is pro shot with multi camera's in many angles and colors. It looks as amazing as it sounds.

The 2nd DVD is all the videos the band has given us over the yrs and you can how the band has progressed in skill and confront. But my favorite part is the Roadmovie where you get to see it by the fan and bands points of view worth watching that alone and Historay which is some very private moment, live behind the scene pieces another gem for a fan.

Simply if your a fan of Judas Priest, Angra, Blind Guardian and Savatage. Gamma Ray is a must have in your collect and no better place to start then watching an amazing sounding live show and getting to learn and meet the band on this fantastic Double DVD.

http://spvusa.com/




Lair of the Minotour- War Metal, Battle Master-DVD (Southern Lord)


Southern Lord took out all the stops on this one were in essence this just a DVD release for a single Video (the Unedited verison of this Video Single is one of the coolest videos ever). The video and music for War metal Battle Master is like a Dungeons & Dragons game meets up with best or worst B rate Gore/ horror flick. Warrors in Armor and Barbarians in sword combat and them harpy like vampires (Bloody and Nude Woman of course) take the fallen and eat/ erotically pick apart their victims. As an added Bonus there are several live shot songs from 2005 t0 2008 0n various dates and interview and behind the scenes on the making of the Video track. Lair of the Minotour is a breathe of fresh air in the over polluted Black Metal/ Death metal video world. Well well worth owning for the amazingly sick video alone.

http://southernlord.com/

New Reviews 1/24/2009 @ Absolute Zero Media

Order Of Ennead - Order Of Ennead-CD (Earache)

The 1st thing I hear from this Tampa Fl Metal Band is a Blackened Fury that band many other bands have done before Fast Black Death at break neck speed but as the songs and tracks progress there is a very familar vibe for a few other very underated bands out there one being Decembers Wolves which Order of Ennead sound very much like to me with the technical and progressive Death elements mixed in with the elements of Marduk, Dark Tranquility and Opeth for good measure. There are some avantgarde moments too that are almost down right eerie. I understand is really just 3/4 of a band called Council of the Fallen that releases a few Cds on Martyr Music and Season of Mist. Earache seems to give these bands a change to get a release out but I hope that unlike Decembers Wolves who they all but forgot about on album two. They give Order of Ennead time to gel and expand on a very powerful and honestly amazing sound and style. This is intelligent metal and I hope to hear more in the coming yrs.
http://earache.com/

Ephel Duath - Through My Dog's Eyes -CD (Earache)
This one of those bands that always blurs the lines of metal, jazz, blues, post rock . As we begin the journey of " Through My Dogs Eyes" we have a lazy southern slide guitar bluesy riff with deathish screamed vocals and one minute in all of the Ephel Duath sounds a lot like Mid period Voivod which is a kick ass element to me. As we moved and flowed along the release that avant free jazz/ metallic post rock sounds weaves a story all its own to the world this Italian unit. Ephel Duath have most in common with artist like Frank Zappa, Mike Patton, Melvins and Neurosis. This Band will never be a mainstream household name but then again it would be far to boring a story if they were . Thank the mighty Gods above we have bands like Ephel Duath. it keeps me looking forward to more bizzare very undefined musical movements. A major winner in the Earache roster. A must for those Avant Extreme music fans.
http://earache.com/

Red Painted Red- Preach EP-CD (Self Released)

I'll be honest over the years the best material I've gotten is when a band sends me there own material and care enough to get the music out there. Red Painted Red is one of those moments again. This Female/ Male fronted Trip Hop/ Experimental Rock Unit has a subtle mellow vibe that layers it's sounds as it grows from track to track. Red Painted Red reminds me of the Later period Jarboe/ Gira days, The 1st Sanctum CD on Cold Meat, PJ Harvey and Third and Mortal when Ann Marie was the vocalist . The vocals has total Jarboe worship but it works amazingly well with the lazy backbeat slighty fuzz driven sound that we have going on here. Red Painted Red love the essence of the soundtrack album. At times this has a very current day Ulver feel to it as well. All 4 tracks are very well done and worth listening to multiple times as you always hear more with repeated listening. Take a chance with something new why don't you...
http://www.myspace.com/redpaintedred

Harpoon - Double Gnarly / Triple Suicide-CD (Interloper Records)

I've never gotten digital grindcore stuff and I don't think I ever will. This is grindcore/ Hardcore with a drum machine. If you like the impossible drumming that sounds robotic . Then this is a win win for you. All the tracks sound the same to me. Maybe I'm just getting to fucking old. There are moments when its not a whirlwind of beats and 100 notes were a sludgey element comes in and for 30 to Minute I really start to dig it but after that its all band to that fucking grind/ hardcore riff that Napalm Death made sound so amazing 15 yrs ago . Even they have moved on people. I don't know what else to say about this just not making me have lasting effects with this one Harpoon maybe on the next one if you get to do a next one.....

http://www.interloperrecords.net

Few New Reviews Jan 13th 2009 @ AZM

AT THE HEAD OF THE WOODS "Secrets Beyond Time & Space" CD (GlassThroat Recordings)


So as it comes with every season. Our fine friends at Glassthroat send me another elegantly designed oversized Digipaked release to review for the world. With this we have one of the partners in crime with owner Chet Scott (Ruhr Hunter, Blood of the Black Owl). This gentle soul by the name of James Woodhead is in The ELEMENTAL CHRYSALIS with Chet and now has gone into solo artist status with At the Head of the Woods. Which is a wonderful collection of Guitar and Drone Ambient passages all with a very Ethno or Tribal like feeling surrounding it. There is a very mellow Neurosis/ Steve Von Till to the magic that is created here with a ver great love of 70's prog music as Pink Floyd, Yes and Frank Zappa come to mind esp in the guitar and synth arrangements that ebb and flow through out the tracks. At The Head of the Woods makes you feel one with mother earth and that his music can actually heal even the darkest and most illed of souls. I know some of you do not know where I'm coming from but the Natural and Organic sounds that come from this release alone if you give it the time and space to fill your senses will help heal your woes. This is ultimate personal headphone music. Sit in the dark with some scented candles close your eyes the music do its magick. I can see why Glassthroat jumped on the chance to release this. I don't want to use the words Post anything as its seems to be such buzz words of the day but clearly At the Head of the Woods is beyond most Post Rock/ Post Experimental releases. The Production is stellar and you can crystal clear hear east warn tone, drift, guitar, string and soundscape like they were next to you. This is essential listening. If you don't own this you are a fool.

http://www.glassthroatrecordings.com/





PHILISTINE- blackhymmal-CD (Self Released)

Industrial Black Doom in the same fashion bands like Halo, GodFlesh, PitchShifter and Treponal Pal use to create. Philistine is a Guitar, Bass, Drum Machine and one pissed off man with a voice to pull it all together. Do not let anyone for one minute tell you this is not 100% Doom. The tempo, The vibe, The emotion it is all there Slow, Sloth like and punishing. Philistine clearly has a love for sludge Doom too for there are elements of Eyehategod, Crowbar, Grief and Cavity that are very present in the mix of sounds going on. Being in New England as well as this very person. Philistine is from the mountains of Maine. A cold and bleak landscape in the winter. We are currently have are 5 th snow storm in 2 weeks in Northern New England . So its the perfect place to create this style of bone jarring music. I'm not sure if this madman is looking for a label or prefers use to self release the material. As if a label doesnt make him an offer soon I'm at a loss for words. This is better produced and recorded then some bigger indie bands out there. I reallly enjoy the ambience mixed with the Doom as well. Long live PHILISTINE !!!!


www.myspace.com/philistine