       ________                     _      __                   ____
      / ____/ /_  _________  ____  (_)____/ /__  _____   ____  / __/
     / /   / __ \/ ___/ __ \/ __ \/ / ___/ / _ \/ ___/  / __ \/ /_  
    / /___/ / / / /  / /_/ / / / / / /__/ /  __(__  )  / /_/ / __/  
    \____/_/ /_/_/   \____/_/ /_/_/\___/_/\___/____/   \____/_/     

                       ________                    
                      / ____/ /_  ____ _____  _____
                     / /   / __ \/ __ `/ __ \/ ___/
                    / /___/ / / / /_/ / /_/ (__  ) 
                    \____/_/ /_/\__,_/\____/____/  

                     The New Year's Evil Edition
       CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, January 14, 2002, Issue #56
                  http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com

Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley
Copy Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Contributor: Brian Meloon
Contributor: Adam Wasylyk
Contributor: Paul Schwarz
Contributor: Aaron McKay
Contributor: David Rocher
Contributor: Matthias Noll
Contributor: Alvin Wee
Contributor: Gabriel Sanchez
Contributor: Chris Flaaten
Neophyte: Kirsty Buchanan
Neophyte: Quentin Kalis
Neophyte: Vincent Eldefors
Spiritual Guidance: Alain M. Gaudrault

The   individual   writers   can   be   reached    by    e-mail    at
firstname@ChroniclesOfChaos.com ("firstname" must be replaced by  the
respective writer's  first  name,  e.g.  Gino@ChroniclesOfChaos.com).

NOTE: You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos  at  any  time  by
      sending a blank e-mail to <Unsubscribe@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.

      For  more  Chronicles  of  Chaos  information,  check  out  the
      Details section at the end of this issue.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Issue #56 Contents, 1/14/02
---------------------------
* Editorial
* Loud Letters
* Deadly Dialogues
-- King Diamond: The King and I
-- My Dying Bride: The Hand of Doom
-- Impaled Nazarene: Nazarenes Aren't the Only Fiends
-- Sodom: The Metal Machine Carries On
-- Destruction: Back From Hell
-- Bathory: Entering an Age of Antiquity
-- Bolt Thrower: Metal Pride
-- Witchery: Hearse to You, Witchery!
-- Sinister: Creative Brutality Unleashed
-- Pungent Stench: Vomit to Vanquish the Vatican!
-- Godflesh: Hymns of Progression
-- Atomsmasher: Split This!
-- The Provenance: Spending Hours Bleeding for Music
-- April Ethereal: Where's the Shower?
-- Leechmilk: Dirty, Dirgy Motherfuckers!
* Independent Interrogations
-- Aphotic: Darkness Enclosing
-- Ghoulunatics: Ghoulish Metal Fun
* Album Asylum
-- Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_
-- Agathodaimon - _Chapter III_
-- Amputation - _Demo 1990_ 7"
-- Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_
-- Angra - _Rebirth_
-- Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_
-- Bathory - _Destroyer of Worlds_
-- Bolt Thrower - _Honour, Valour, Pride_
-- Borknagar - _Empiricism_
-- Brainstorm - _Metus Mortis_
-- Carnival in Coal - _Fear Not_
-- Centurian - _Liber ZarZax_
-- Chalice - _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_
-- Various - _Colorado Colossus_
-- Converge - _Jane Doe_
-- Crematorium - _A World Where Only the Nightmares Prevail_
-- Darkness Eternal - _Satanchrist_
-- Darkthrone - _Plaguewielder_
-- Deeds of Flesh - _Mark of the Legion_
-- Destinity - _Supreme Domination's Art_
-- Diabolical - _Synergy_
-- Edguy - _Mandrake_
-- Edicius - _Aeon_
-- Enslaved - _Monumension_
-- Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_
-- Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_
-- Forgotten Tales - _The Promise_
-- Gardy-Loo! - _Socially Unacceptable_
-- Ghoulunatics - _King of the Undead_
-- Gorelord - _Force Fed on Human Flesh_
-- Headhunter DC - _And the Sky Turns Black (The Dark Age Has Come)_
-- Various - _Hellion Promo Vol II_
-- Illnath - _Angelic Voices Calling_
-- In Thy Dreams - _Highest Beauty_
-- Infernal Legion - _Sculptured Humans_
-- Iniquity - _Grime_
-- Jacob's Dream - _Theatre of War_
-- Jesus Anal Penetration / Oni - <split>
-- Killer Khan - _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_
-- King's X - _Manic Moonlight_
-- Kronos - _Titans Awakening_
-- Lacrimosa - _Fassade_
-- Lugubrum - _Al Ghemist_
-- Lullacry - _Be My God_
-- Macbeth - _Vanitas_
-- Maudlin of the Well - _Bath_
-- Maudlin of the Well - _Leaving Your Body Map_
-- Mercyful Fate - _Melissa's Nightmare_ 7"
-- Mortuary Drape - _Tolling 13 Knell_
-- Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_
-- Nightshade - _Wielding the Scythe_
-- Peccatum - _Amor Fati_
-- Pissing Razors - _Where We Come From_
-- Precipice - _Prophet of Doom_
-- Rakoth - _Jabberworks_
-- Reclusion - _Shell of Pain_
-- Salacious Gods - _Sunnevot_
-- Satan's Penguins - _Birds of Darkness_
-- Sear Bliss - _Grand Destiny_
-- Septicemia - _Hopeless Age_
-- Signs of Darkness - _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_
-- Sinister - _Creative Killings_
-- Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_
-- Teabag  - _Teabag_
-- The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_
-- The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_
-- Therion - _Secret of the Runes_
-- Torman Maxt - _The Foolishness of God_
-- Tvangeste - _Damnation of Regiomontum_
-- Victim - _Faces of Death_ / _Cocktail of Brutality_
-- VLE - _Book of Illusions - Chapter II_
-- Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_
-- Within Temptation - _Mother Earth_
-- Without Face - _Deep Inside_
-- Wumpscut - _Wreath of Barbs_
* New Noise
-- Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_
-- Binding - _Relict_
-- Biomechanical - _Distorted_
-- Blessed - _Consume 3000_
-- Field of Illusion - _Demo 2001_
-- Godless - _Let There Be Darkness_
-- In Grey - _Above_
-- Kharon - _The Fullmoon Curse_
-- Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen - _Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen_
-- Manorblatz - _Flying for Phoenix_
-- Necroplasma - _Necroplasma_
-- Terminal Descent - _Manifesting the Present_
-- Vinterriket - _Gjennon Takete Skogen_
-- Vinterriket - _Det Svake Lys_
-- Vinterriket - _Sturme der Letzen Stille_
* Chaotic Concerts
-- A Night to Remember, a Bill to Forget: Tristania, Rotting Christ,
                               Vintersorg and Madder Mortem in France
-- Murder! Death! Toke! Enslaved, Electric Wizard & Macabre in Canada
-- Their Special Friend Pinky: Anathema in Portugal
-- Cutting Through the Shit: Razor in Toronto
* Writer's Wrath
-- Chaotic Canvas of Creation: Metal Illustrators Travis Smith,
   Niklas Sundin, Juha Vuorma and Pedro Daniel talk to CoC
* What We Have Cranked
* Details

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                      _____)
                    /       /) ,            ,      /)
                    )__   _(/   _/_ _____     _   //
                  /      (_(__(_(__(_)/ (__(_(_(_(/_
                 (_____)

                         by: Gino Filicetti


     Talk about  ringing  the  new  year  in  right,  this  issue  of
Chronicles of Chaos is sure to go down in the record  books  on  both
the strength of its quality and the vastness of its quantity.
     Upon closer inspection  of  our  interviewees  for  this  issue,
you'll notice a very high percentage of top  notch  acts  whom  we've
managed to track down and subject to the CoC treatment. King Diamond,
Impaled Nazarene, My Dying Bride, Sodom, Bathory, Bolt Thrower... the
list goes on and on.
     With all these interviews,  one  would  assume  that  our  Album
Asylum would have to suffer. However, those of you who have been  our
loyal followers for some time know that we would  never  let  such  a
tragedy occur. To keep  pace  with  the  enormous  number  of  Deadly
Dialogues this issue, we included no less than 75 record  reviews  in
our Album Asylum section.
     Also featured this issue is a special Writer's Wrath by our very
own Pedro Azevedo. Pedro has rounded up four heavy metal illustrators
-- with varying degrees of notoriety -- to bring  together  a  unique
article that addresses the art and inspiration that  motivates  these
talented folks. I'm sure you'll agree it's worth the read.
     And finally, as if to put the final nail in the coffin of a year
that wasn't kind to anyone; December  13,  2001,  a  true  Metal  God
passed over to the other side. Chuck Schuldiner, front man  of  Death
and godfather to all that is Death Metal, died after a long bout with
a brain stem tumor. Only shock and a sense of loss can  describe  the
feelings we all felt upon hearing of his untimely  passage;  however,
one thing is certain: his music and inspiration will live on forever.
     We end this editorial  on  a  sombre  note,  as  I  include  the
thoughts of two CoC writers on this tragedy. I would like to dedicate
this, one of the greatest issues in Chronicles of Chaos'  six  and  a
half year history, to Chuck Schuldiner, master of metal.

     Perseverance sadly grew silent. Chuck has been one of my  utmost
favourite songwriters and musicians for about a decade.  He  will  be
greatly missed. Let the metal flow! Support music, not rumors.
     -- Chris Flaaten

     While I was never a huge fan of  Chuck  Schuldiner's  pioneering
metal outfit Death, I was still a fan. His passing on December  13th,
2001 has left me saddened and upset. Moreso than  some  might  think.
You see, a few years back I had the opportunity to talk to Schuldiner
about his then new project Control Denied and the album _The  Fragile
Art of Existence_. Sure it was one of the hundred  interviews  I  had
done that year, but this interview would be one of the most rewarding
interview opportunities I would  encounter  in  my  music  journalism
career. At the time of the interview,  my  27-year-old  twin  brother
Winston (now 30 and in good health) was diagnosed with a pelvic tumor
and had been going through several months of treatment, while at  the
same time Schuldiner was in the midst  of  treatment  and  in-between
hospital stays.
     We talked about the new album, of course, but before we got into
all that, we talked for a while about how a life-threatening  illness
affects family and friends. He said, "With what has happened  to  me,
it has really opened up my eyes and drawn me closer to my family  and
friends. It  makes  you  realize  a  lot  of  different  things.  The
outpouring of letters from around the world from people I don't  even
know has meant a lot to me. I am deeply touched by the response  from
all of this. A lot of personal stories have been told to me, like the
one of your brother, and that makes me  feel  good  that  people  are
willing to open up, and it shows me I shouldn't  keep  this  all  in.
It's a very emotional experience to  read  all  of  this  stuff  that
people send me. It really shows you just how things  really  are  and
how simple things can mean so much to you."
     I pulled out that interview a few days after I had heard of  his
passing and couldn't believe that such a brave fighter like Chuck had
lost his battle. His fight had come to an end, but no doubt his  fans
will keep his work alive and well within the metal realms  for  years
to come. God bless you Chuck! Rest in peace.
     Please visit the official Death  site  http://www.emptywords.org
and sign the book of condolence.
     -- Adrian Bromley

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                 M""MMMMMMMM                         dP
                 M  MMMMMMMM                         88
                 M  MMMMMMMM .d8888b. dP    dP .d888b88
                 M  MMMMMMMM 88'  `88 88    88 88'  `88
                 M  MMMMMMMM 88.  .88 88.  .88 88.  .88
                 M         M `88888P' `88888P' `88888P8
                 MMMMMMMMMMM

     M""MMMMMMMM            dP     dP
     M  MMMMMMMM            88     88
     M  MMMMMMMM .d8888b. d8888P d8888P .d8888b. 88d888b. .d8888b.
     M  MMMMMMMM 88ooood8   88     88   88ooood8 88'  `88 Y8ooooo.
     M  MMMMMMMM 88.  ...   88     88   88.  ... 88             88
     M         M `88888P'   dP     dP   `88888P' dP       `88888P'
     MMMMMMMMMMM

This is the column where we print those lovely  letters  our  readers
decide so graciously to write us. Whether they be positive, negative,
ignorant or just plain spelled  wrong,  you  can  rest  assured  that
they'll be here in their original form. If you'd like to see your own
letter here, e-mail it to <mailto:LoudLetters@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.
All  letters  received  will  be  featured  in  upcoming  issues   of
Chronicles of Chaos.


Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001
From: "Benito Ulises Camelo Buendia" <ojeteculaid@hotmail.com>

Hello over there, i´m  writting  a  little  dissapointed  about  your
Emperor - _Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire and Demise  review,  i
mean, you´re saying it is a 7/10 album, i´ve been a  metal  head  for
ten years and i think this album is great, and great in  all  senses,
it is suberb in musical skills, it has an  excellent  song  writting,
great concept,  deep  complex  structures  and  everything  the  last
Emperor album needs to be a master one, this is all  true,  and  goes
independently of any pseudo-reviewer taste, you should check it again
if you want your website to remain serious and interesting as it  has
been since first COC.

Benito Camelo.


Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001
From: Conformity@aol.com
Subject: I have a response to a letter in issue number 55...

This message is to "Grimnir".

     First of all, the fact that you have a fucking lame alias really
doesn't support any of your points. It just further presses the  fact
that you're a fucking jackass with a bias against certain  religions.
Religions are bullshit, yes, I believe we've all established this  as
a fact TIME AFTER TIME. But to say that....without  the  ideology  of
hating christianity, the music crumbles?  Where  the  fuck  have  you
been? Perhaps you enjoy living in a world filled with monotonous  and
underproduced SHIT made by pretentious pro-white assholes. I for one,
don't. You know what I think about lyrics? Fuck 'em. I could've  give
a shit. Besides, CAN YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LYRICS  IN  THE  FIRST
PLACE? First of all, its pretty obvious to me that you're a  16  year
old from some....european country. I'm not just saying  this  because
you call yourself "Grimnir", but I'm saying it mainly due to the fact
that you have a hard time forming a complete and  coherent  sentence.
Granted, I am only two years older than the age I am assuming you  to
be, however that is no excuse for  such  a  display  of  mind-numbing
ignorance. You want to know what drove Max  Cavalera  to  "make  such
brutal music"? He listened to heavy metal, you fuck.  He  didn't  sit
around and say, "let me summon up all of my  opinions  on  the  world
into a musical form" and out came "Beneath  the  Remains".  Fuck  no,
that certainly didn't happen. You're an idiot if you honestly believe
that the sound of  old  Sepultura  was  a  naturally  and  originally
occurring thing on its own. AND NO, LETS NOT  COMPARE  BUZUM  WITH  "
DARK TRANQUITY". I find it hard to believe that you feel you have the
right to compare bands that you can't even seem to bell.  I've  never
heard anyone say that " DARK TRANQUITY" (har har) is black metal.  It
sounds like you've read a few too many issues of  Hit  Parader.  Dark
Tranquility is SWEDISH  DEATH  METAL.  I've  never  heard  it  called
anything else. Perhaps you'd like to compare Mayhem with Mr.  Bungle?
Furthermore, what the fuck are you  doing  comparing  two  completely
different bands  like  that?  The  point  you  were  trying  to  make
completely eluded me. Take a look at the "weakest" black metal  band,
which coincidentally is the most popular, Cradle of Filth. "RAPE  THE
VIRGIN NUNS" they say. According to you, this is what black metal  is
really about.  Over-whelming  hate  for  a  culture  responsible  for
decades of oppression. Okay. Neat. CRADLE OF FILTH IS STILL  POPULAR,
DESPITE THEIR LYRICAL CONTENT. I don't know where the fuck  you  come
from, but I seriously sympathize  for  your  country.  They  must  be
terribly ashamed of you, for you to be so bitter.

"Guitar is for niggers" - Varg Vikernes

Oh, and by the way, I have blonde hair and blue  eyes,  so  "as  your
brother", you must love me.  You  homo-erotic  Aryan  fuck.  I  don't
listen to metal because it bothers my  parents.  I  could  listen  to
fucking carnival music all day if i wanted to piss off my parents.  I
listen to metal because its what I love, regardless  of  the  fucking
lyrical content or the stupid image behind it.

Hugs and kisses. Fucker.
Drew


Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2001
From: "Frederik Okholm" <doom@superevil.org>
Subject: War on atheism probably was a silly idea

Greetings,

In issue 53, I naïvely tried to start a war on atheism. There was one
attack from the other front, and even though I had  a  great  private
correspondance with him before issue 54, only his first angry  letter
appeared, allowing little reflection. Anyway, my main point with this
letter was to complain about the  lack  of  response.  With  all  the
spiritual and  metaphysic  lyrics  and  imagery  of  metal,  be  they
occult, pagan, antireligious or whatnot, I find it  strange  how  few
discussions, or just mentions of these subjects, there are among  the
listeners. Maybe you'd say that CoC isn't the place for this, but why
should subjects that abound in the interviews and reviews  not  exist
in reader feedback? Do they even abound? I  think  they  should.  And
maybe some people can't be bothered with having their great  thoughts
contaminated by childish finger-pointing from the opposite end of the
intellectual spectrum; but hey, let's kill these sheep and allow them
transcendence :-) Anyway I'm just talking ideas, not dogma-spreading.
Screw the anti-atheism, then, if you want, but it would  be  nice  to
hear what people think about the spiritual ideals of the  bands  they
like.

Magnificent creatures of glory
We have climbed down from the stars
To stand before you as idols
In splendour and perfection

Starmatter shapes of power
Cast from the seeds of the gods
As instruments of perfection
We are soverignty in flesh

Radiant race of pure beauty
Shaped perfectly as the pagan beasts
In elegance we welcome our future
As stellar master elite
 
 -Thorns, 'Stellar Master Elite'

Frederik Okholm
---------------------------------
"I was an atheist, until I found out I was God."


Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001
From: "Jim Tasikas" <info@rochestermeatsny.com>
Subject: The Metal Genre

This is to reply the comment made about metal and its  evolution  and
how we should progress metal music's stature in  the  public  eye.  A
genre centered around musicianship and not ideology.

Nokreth@gmx wrote the following:

Jim Tasikas, you write that metal should evolve  in  a  more  musical
derection and immediatly obandon its ideological views...

Reply: Do Not abandon the ideology, rather present it professionally,
creatively...center on the music for emotion and imagination.

But this is not possible, i say. the 2 are  interlinked.  Remove  one
and the other crumbles. It crumbles either in  the  putrid  hands  of
commerce or suffocates.

    There is some truth to this statement. But the real truth is that
most black metal music is garbage expect for that  which  is  totally
true  and  passionate  in  it's  ideology  or  music  creation.  (ex:
Emperor's demo, decent song writing,  horrible  playing  skills,  and
horrrible production, yet awesome because the  music's  ideology  and
emotion are authentic.)

    Then, there is true muscianship, creativity, idealogy and emotion
that the black metal genre has produced and that is  music  like  Ved
Buens Ende's "Written in Waters"

Again this applies to all type of metal, not just black metal.

Weed  out  the  garbage....raise  metal's  stature  and  present  its
ideaology and creativity, technical music properly.

You mentioned sepultura as one of  you  recognised  bands.  But  what
drove Max Cavalera to write such brutal  music?  I  say  it  was  his
fascistic love for his ancestry, his hate  towards  christian  aliens
and government induced poverty.

Sepultura greatest release "ARISE" was centerened around  the  music,
when max began centering on political and religious issues  in  Chaos
AD and further next CD, in whatever that CD was called, that is  when
the music begain going down hill.


Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001
From: "The UnBulova Ripoff" <ubripoff@rsub.com>
Subject: What IS the REAL Black Metal?!

Hails and kills! I'm glad to see people having a useless debate about
what black metal is -- what religious  doctrines  it  contains,  what
sort of music it embodies, who should listen to it, bla  bla  bla  --
without looking at the bigger picture. The argument about black metal
should not be about what it IS, but what it has  BECOME.  Personally,
the fact that Cradle of Filth  signed  to  Sony  Music  should  be  a
wake-up call to BM fans everywhere. I'm not going to go  CoF-bashing,
but the only reason Sony signed them to a  contract  is  because  the
band is based on an over-the-top  image.  Indeed,  I've  listened  to
quite a few BM bands that played NOTHING  that  could  be  considered
good music (or, in some cases, mediocre music),  and  some  of  these
band members were going  under  grand  titles  like  "Shub-Megawrath,
Infernal Discourse of The Gurgling Catacombs of Hell" or "Hel Bunbun,
Infernal Palpitations of The Dark Majesty  of  The  Anti-Christ"  and
playing music that  kids  on  xylophones  could  master.  Their  very
existence was based on image, and not music. This, of course, is what
major labels crave, since that point has been driven  home  by  every
third-wave rap-metal reject so  loved  by  MuchLoud  and  alternative
radio stations today. Indeed, there seemed to be a  glut  of  bad  BM
releases in 1999 and 2000, and I fear that the floodgates  will  open
yet again for the genre, when trendy Edge 102 listeners (yes,  a  CoF
song made its way to the Edge TV channel, fuck knows why) parrot  CoF
as the next Nirvana. Did these bands have any talent?  Few  did.  Did
these bands dress up in Corpse Paint, look like Goth Talk rejects and
wear outfits that harken back to Ye Olde Days  of  Spinale  Tap/Kinge
Diamonde? Yes, they did. Did they add ANYTHING to the genre? No. They
were simply there to fill an envelope,  like  the  DM  bands  of  the
mid-90's, the pop-metal bands of the late 80's to early 90's, and the
rap-metal/nü-metal bands of today. Unfortunately, they saturated  the
market for black metal, causing the genre to become what it is today.
Bands like Celtic Frost, Mayhem, Marduk, and Darkthrone  COULDN'T  be
the forefathers of bands like Hecate Enthroned or Misteltein  --  the
styles are too different.

Of course, what do you call "TRUE" black metal? I  have  an  idea  --
call it something like Hate Metal or lump it  in  with  the  "extreme
metal" tag. Yes, I know, I'm one of the stereotypical "TRUE" BM fans,
but as a genre, Black Metal will forever be soiled  by  the  glut  of
genre-fillers that brought it down as a whole. In my opinion, true BM
bands know the history and forefathers of their genre --  after  all,
bands like Sodom, Venom and King Diamond are readily bandied about as
influences of these bands. The best BM  bands  know  this,  and  will
still be performing their music long after the glut of copycats  fade
into the obscurity they so deserve.

Feel free to send me hate-mail telling me how wrong I am!
CAMERON ARCHER
http://www.internettrash.com/users/theepisodes/


Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001
From: "___ ___" <satyr_icon_@hotmail.com>
Subject: Suggestion

Dear fan of metal,

I'm approaching you as a fan of  the  music  you  promote  with  your
website. I enjoy the contents you  have.  However  there's  something
more I'd like to see featured at your website: tracked  metal  music.
That may not say anything to you so to see what I mean  please  visit
www.metalscene.cjb.net . This site is a forum for many talented metal
musicians who don't get the appreciation they deserve.  These  people
provide great metal music for the underground scene and it's free for
everyone to download. I'm sure any metal fan would enjoy  free  metal
music so maybe you would be interested to perhaps  write  an  article
about the tracked metal scene or even better: review some of the best
works of these musicians? Thank you in advance!

-Antti Ojala


Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001
From: Robert Dulaney <smilingbag@usa.net>
Subject: A little fact

Hey I just stumbled on your site. I know  it's  been  a  while  since
his letter but someone should  let  Steven  know  that  Exorcist  was
essentially a Virgin Steele side  project  which  would  explain  the
similarities. Although it doesn't let DeFeis off the hook for  trying
to cover it up and pretend it was a newer song. RoB

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

       __ \                 | |
       |   |  _ \  _` |  _` | | |   |
       |   |  __/ (   | (   | | |   |
      ____/ \___|\__,_|\__,_|_|\__, |
                               ____/

                 __ \ _)       |
                 |   | |  _` | |  _ \   _` | |   |  _ \  __|
                 |   | | (   | | (   | (   | |   |  __/\__ \
                ____/ _|\__,_|_|\___/ \__, |\__,_|\___|____/
                                      |___/


                     T H E   K I N G   A N D   I
                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  CoC's resident motor mouth Adrian Bromley talks to metal music's
                      motor mouth King Diamond
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     Okay, King Diamond fans -- get ready to  do  your  homework  and
some fact checking... Abigail is back  in  the  spotlight.  Yes,  you
heard me true, music fans: King Diamond has resurrected the story  of
Abigail in the much-anticipated new album _Abigail  2:  The  Revenge_
(out January 28th in Europe, January 29th in North America).
     When King Diamond's master ghostly epic _Abigail_  was  released
in 1987, metal music fans were scared out of their minds, but at  the
same time fell in love with the ghastly tale  of  possession,  murder
and mayhem. To this day, King Diamond's  album  is  still  a  classic
amongst metal fans worldwide,  a  concept  record  that  proves  that
storytelling is indeed a powerful thing.
     As the call goes out to  King  Diamond,  yours  truly  can  only
fathom how hard it must have been for King Diamond to go back in time
and rediscover what magic he had  brought  to  the  original  Abigail
story and where he could take it from there.
     But don't fret, my metal friends --  although  _Abigail  2:  The
Revenge_ could have turned into a horribly assembled  sequel  spurned
forth by money and record sales,  King  Diamond  instead  delivers  a
remarkable storyline that captivates the listener, as well as one  of
his most potent and chilling  performances  ever.  Ooh,  revenge  has
never been sweeter!
     About doing the sequel to _Abigail_, he starts: "When we were on
tour about three years ago, people were coming up to  me  and  saying
that it would be cool if I made another record like _Abigail_, and  I
was very against doing something like that, copying something that  I
had done before. I am always into finding room for  progression  with
what I do with this band. I've never wanted  to  go  back  and  re-do
something. The great thing about how the first record  left  off  was
that there were a lot of things that you didn't know about the story,
stuff that was never fully explained, and that has allowed me  to  go
back and bring them into the spotlight. The setting is still the same
and the two main characters are  there  --  that  being  Abigail  and
Jonathan --, so fans will know where they are and who is  a  part  of
the tale, just eighteen years later."
     "We had to be very careful with this album. I mean the scenarios
were coming into place and I know what had to be done, but  the  time
had to be right. When we recorded _Abigail_ the band was  phenomenal.
Over the years, it just didn't seem like the right time and place, or
even the right musicians to get things going. But now it does.  Three
years ago, when the ideas formed about possibly doing this, it wasn't
the right band. Now it is. The change in the line-up [which  includes
guitarists Andy LaRocque  and  Mike  Wead,  bassist  Hal  Patino  and
drummer Matt Thompson -- Adrian] has had everything to do with  going
forth with this recording."
     "It is an amazing feeling knowing that we have someone like Matt
[Thompson] in the band", says King Diamond of the  drummer.  "I  have
never been so excited about a drummer before. He has such an  amazing
skill level as a drummer, and he is exactly what we needed. He  added
this really special kind of complexity to the music, but at the  same
time brought back an older feel to the music. It is amazing  what  he
brings to the band. Whatever  Andy  [LaRocque]  or  I  came  up  with
musically, he could play and bring a special style to. Neither of  us
could believe what we were  hearing  with  his  playing  and  it  was
reminding us of the old days, but still new and fresh. I even tried a
few new voices to go along with these fresh ideas, styles of voices I
had never done before. It really got me excited about this album  and
what we were bringing to it. This music captures the mood of the  old
time of King Diamond, but just a bit more complex."
     He continues about the line-up, "As well, getting  Hal  [Patino]
back in the band was great.  He  played  on  the  original  _Abigail_
album. And Andy, he is so underrated as a guitar player. He is always
doing stuff that impresses me and keeps me motivated in all of  this.
And lastly, getting Mike Wead to play alongside Andy? Wow! I couldn't
have asked for anything better than that. Mike continues to  blow  my
mind with his guitar work. It was great to have him  join  the  band,
and once he joined I knew we  had  a  strong  enough  package  to  do
_Abigail 2: The Revenge_. We all knew that now was the right time  to
do this. When the music was being recorded and I  heard  how  it  was
going, it just gave me so much inspiration."
     "There are so many different vocal styles  going  on  with  this
record,  and  I  really  had  to  concentrate  to  pull  it  all  off
successfully. I think I can say this for myself and the rest  of  the
band, that this is the best album that King Diamond has ever done and
the one project that I have been the most proud of. This is  my  best
performance ever!"
     This was obviously a big task for  King  Diamond  to  undertake.
Were there any doubts in King Diamond's mind going  into  the  record
that it couldn't be done, or once things started to roll did it  just
take off from there?
     "This record started out like any other King Diamond  record.  I
started working on the demos in my own small home  studio,  and  just
got together the guitar tracks with a drum machine and some  keyboard
work and brought the ideas to the band so they could see what  I  was
trying to bring out of the music. The  demos  contain  no  vocals  or
solos, just the music. So from there we started to write, and when we
write as a band it can go anywhere, as long as  the  music  is  good.
There are never any doubts that it can be done, or we  are  making  a
mistake. I knew the guys were able to make  this  a  great  recording
experience because they are all so talented. We all were  so  focused
and it just shows with the recording. This is the best album  and  it
just feels so right."
     He adds, "The demos sounded pretty good, as demos  would  sound,
but once we got into the studio and added vocals and  more  harmonies
and beefed up the guitars, the music was just growing into  something
great. Again, as I have said already, this line-up made  this  record
what it is."
     And the secret to making a concept record? I mean, King  Diamond
is the, er, king of concept albums...
     "There is a certain way of doing things once you put yourself to
work on a concept record", says the singer. "I  mean,  I  put  myself
through a meticulous process of assembling ideas. When you start off,
you are usually thinking to yourself, "Man, how am I going to do  all
of this? Will it work?" Making a concept record just  seems  so  vast
and there is so much concentration involved in it. I  remember  being
in Mercyful Fate and wanting to do a concept album, but it wasn't the
right place or time to get  into  it.  The  music  wasn't  theatrical
enough. I held onto the ideas, and when the first King Diamond  album
came out [1986's _Fatal Portrait_] we tied together  five  songs.  It
sounded cool -- not the best it could have been, but it was the start
of something. When it came time to do _Abigail_ we just jumped  right
into it  [a  concept  album].  It  was  a  real  challenge  and  very
difficult, but the more hard work we put into it, the easier  it  all
came together. When you go into a concept album, you pretty much have
to know that all the songs have to work together. You can't omit  the
songs. Everything must be as one."
     "When I start making concept albums, I always make sure  I  know
where the story is headed. I like to know the  direction.  I  try  to
bring the theatrical element into the  music  as  I  am  writing  the
lyrics as well. Later  on,  as  the  record  comes  into  shape,  the
foundation of the album is there.  From  there,  I  already  have  my
mini-story on the go and I just push the creativity a little  further
to match up the story and the music. The sequence  of  the  songs  is
assembled at a very early stage, and from there I go into  each  song
and finish off the stories, breaking  them  down  into  chapters  and
making sure they are all congruent. The end result,  to  me,  has  to
come across as if I wrote the whole thing at  the  same  time,  while
deep down inside I know I didn't.  <laughs>  If  you  get  the  right
story, the right music and the right  flow  of  things,  any  concept
record is possible."
     The topic shifts to the making of the album.
     "This record came together pretty much like  every  concept-like
record I have done. We had the earlier music working as a  foundation
and then started to add guitars, and our new drummer Matt had  a  lot
of ideas for this record. He went out of his way to create some  over
the top stuff and I loved all of it. I loved  that  shit!  It  really
made me more excited about the way things were heading with  _Abigail
2: The Revenge_. I was missing a lot of this older style of  playing,
a sense of really going out there with the music, and he  brought  it
back, and that really pushed me to go further with  my  vocal  styles
too. Also in the studio, as expected, we have to work my voice around
the guitar parts, everything from the simple riffs to  Andy's  killer
guitar solos. About 70% of my vocal melodies  that  I  had  going  in
work, the rest I have to work around what the music  has  become.  In
the studio, I have to find the right voice to fit  the  music  parts.
When I was working on the demos, I just had a standard voice in mind,
but with the music taking on such character, I  needed  to  find  the
right voice to capture the emotion."
     "Some songs in the studio,  I  have  to  sing  them  all  normal
straight through just to find out what works  and  what  doesn't,  or
where I will do the falsetto voice", he explains. "Then I make points
on the lyric sheets where the falsetto or growl voices  go  and  just
have a good idea of what I am to bring to the songs. This  allows  me
to help shape the rest of the material, knowing where my emotions are
intensified and how they change. Creating harmonies of all types is a
lot of hard work, but it makes you really become part of the music. A
lot of this is planned beforehand, but it never fully works out  once
you hit the studio."
     As many of you will already know, King Diamond takes every  inch
of his music very seriously. From the lyrics  to  the  harmonies  and
onto the atmosphere, he is  a  stickler  when  it  comes  to  detail.
Everything must just right.
     "I'll tell you something, Adrian", notes King Diamond. "When you
are doing something very theatrical like the music  that  I  do,  you
need to be as  accurate  as  possible  to  have  it  come  across  as
credible. There is a part in the new record where you hear  a  little
girl, so we brought a six-year-old into the studio to play the  part.
She has to scream for her mom. Is there anything more  haunting  than
that? <King Diamond starts to say in a low voice "Mommy! Mommy!"> Oh,
yeah! That is so creepy. Instead of hearing me do it in  some  voice,
getting the genuine thing just makes it even creepier when  you  hear
it on record."
     I ask King Diamond about his career and the success that he  has
seen. What keeps him inspired and wanting to keep doing this?
     "I am so excited that I can keep doing this and I  am  so  blown
away that our fan base is still so solid after all of theses  years",
he answers. "I couldn't wish for better fans. They  are  so  devoted.
Plus we are getting a newer, younger fan base  and  that  excites  me
even moreso. It is great to be able to play all of  our  songs,  from
past and present, and see people  just  get  so  excited  about  them
still."
     "I also love to be on stage. That is still my  one  true  love",
King Diamond reveals. "I love to be on stage, it is the touring  that
I don't like at all. Apart from the hour and a  half  on  stage  each
night, I am not into touring at all. It sucks. No food. Bad food.  No
sleep. I don't party at all, because I have to be really  responsible
about my voice and giving my 100% on stage  the  next  night.  People
expect you to be the best you can be on  stage,  and  that  means  no
partying, and I am fine with that. But as I said  already,  being  on
stage makes up for all the shit I put myself through touring."
     While on the topic of things he dislikes about his  career,  has
King Diamond ever disliked any record(s) he has put out?
     "I like all of my records. I just think out of all  of  them,  I
was the most pleased with how this new one turned  out,  the  line-up
and just the overall satisfaction of knowing that I was able to write
a great story. I look back at all my records and I  know  I  put  the
best work I could do into each and every album. I look  at  an  album
like _The Spider's Lullabye_ [1995] and the drummer [Darrin  Anthony]
never really was at the level  that  we  should  have  had  for  that
record. He wasn't bad, he just didn't really do much with the  music.
He was also on _The Graveyard_ [1996] and his work sounded good,  but
that was also a record with a different mood and production work. I'm
sure I could find little things about each and every record, but  not
this new one."
     One of my favourite King Diamond records is _Voodoo_  [1998].  I
love it! I think that is a great record with a great storyline.
     "Yeah, that was a great record", responds King Diamond. "I think
we were really able to get a strong  story  to  go  along  with  some
killer music."
     Like all King Diamond records, they throw you into  a  scenario,
but this one felt as if you were  there.  You  could  just  feel  the
murkiness of the air.
     "Exactly", he says. "If you  are  so  into  trying  to  reach  a
certain level of authenticity with the story, you need to really  put
a lot of hard work into detail and whatever else  you  bring  to  the
album. You have to really become close to the  characters  and  where
they live and what they do to make it come across as the real  thing.
You have to go all out. I know exactly what  you  mean  by  murkiness
'cause I feel it and people always  tell  me  the  same  thing  about
_Voodoo_. Now the hairs on my arm are standing up. <laughs>  It  just
gets to show that all of this means so much to me that people  get  a
lot out of what I do."
     The great thing about the release of _Abigail 2: The Revenge_ is
that now fans of King Diamond's work  can  be  a  part  of  a  unique
experience. You can now play both records back to back and just  take
in the wonderful world of old and new.
     "I hope people will do that. I mean, they know  the  characters,
it is just that this story has gone off  into  another  direction  of
sorts. I think I was in the right frame of mind to leave  this  alone
for a long time and only now, when everything was right, did  I  make
the move and follow up _Abigail_ with a second part."
     In closing, King Diamond says: "I put a lot of  hard  work  into
this record. It really drained me.  After  we  had  finished  up  the
record, I didn't even want to listen to it for a few  weeks.  I  knew
about all the stuff that went into it and I just  needed  a  breather
before I was to give it a strong listen at home and see  what  I  had
created..."
     So once you've had enough time away from the music, do  you  sit
down in a huge reclining chair, put on the King Diamond makeup,  grab
a beer and blast the music?
     Laughing, King Diamond blurts out: "Oh, man that is funny."
     "You can hang up now if you like. I wouldn't blame you", I  tell
him regarding my comment.
     "No, no, that is okay, Adrian", he says with a  slight  chuckle.
"I have heard some funny questions over the years,  one  popular  one
being, "Do you put on makeup  when  you  wake  up  in  the  morning?"
<laughs> It never stops, but neither do I."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                   T H E   H A N D   O F   D O O M
                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
          CoC talks to Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     There are a lot of people in the metal music business  who  like
to think of themselves as rock stars. My  Dying  Bride  singer  Aaron
Stainthorpe isn't one of them; instead, Stainthorpe is  a  passionate
musician who breathes life  and  emotion  into  his  music,  creating
eloquent realms of love and darkness that cast their spells  upon  us
as we listen to their music.
     The band's latest  album  on  Peaceville  Records,  titled  _The
Dreadful Hours_ [CoC #55], is a masterpiece  of  mood  and  darkness,
flanked by the band's love of depression and  beauty.  Continuing  on
where their last album _The Light at the End of the World_ [CoC  #44]
left off -- a return to their older form of death metal growls amidst
depressing music passages --, _The  Dreadful  Hours_  sees  the  band
expanding their work with enthusiasm and experimentation,  but  still
remaining true to their roots.
     "I  think  _The  Dreadful  Hours_  is  a   nice   mix   of   the
experimentation that we used to do as a band and the  sound  that  we
brought out with the last record, a sort of returning  to  our  roots
album", starts the singer. "The old  death  metal  vocals  are  here,
things are faster and more aggressive, and we still  have  the  slow,
miserable sections too. We've also added  some  contemporary  touches
here and there to the music; that was done so that we could drag  our
music out of this medieval mire."
     "A couple of people who have already heard the  new  record  are
saying that it sounds a bit like _The Angel and the Dark River_  [CoC
#8] and some parts from _34.788%... Complete_  [CoC  #35]",  explains
Stainthorpe about the early reactions to the new  MDB  disc.  "People
are excited and it is a good compliment for us that people can  still
see that we are still sounding like MDB, as well as recognizing  what
we have done in the past in this new album as well."
     About the recording process involved for  MDB  --  the  band  is
comprised of bassist Ade  Jackson,  guitarists  Andrew  Craighan  and
Hamish Glencross, drummer Shaun Steels and keyboardist  Yasmin  Ahmid
-- the singer reveals: "We just  try  everything  when  it  comes  to
studio work and trying new ideas and sounds for the band. The  things
that don't work get tossed out. We all pretty much think in the  same
terms musically -- I mean no one is going to throw in  a  Beach  Boys
riff or something like that. <laughs> We aren't that radical when  it
comes to changing our music. We know what we  can  do  and  get  away
with. We know how far we can push the boundaries for MDB. We just jam
a lot, and out of that mess and spontaneity comes the  music.  Things
will start to take form and we'll see songs start to take form and we
work on those. We are all democratic about how the songs are to  come
together. We don't sit down with a blank sheet and say the  song  has
to be nine minutes long, fast here, slow here.  Once  we  strike  the
first note of a song, we don't know where the music will take us.  It
could be fifteen minutes long,  three  minutes  long,  fast  or  more
aggressive. We just don't plan it."
     And I guess if you did plan it all  out,  the  impact  of  MDB's
music would be less effective then?
     "Possibly. I think if you have  a  structure  written  down  for
people to look at when writing music, then you are  really  going  to
constrain yourself. If you have a structure and someone has  an  idea
and it doesn't fit into that agenda, the idea  gets  lost.  We  don't
bother with guidelines. They're stupid."
     After so many years of creating music with  MDB,  what  inspires
the band after more than  a  decade  to  continue  doing  this?  What
inspires Stainthorpe?
     "I have no idea, really. <laughs> That is one  of  the  greatest
questions I always get asked. This is a struggle to  be  honest",  he
admits. "We have never had a manager, so we have always  done  things
ourselves. We have seen the business side of things, as well  as  the
fan side of things. We have a really broad perspective of how  things
are. And besides the fact that we are a big band  in  this  genre  of
music, we are still nobodies in the scene of music. Being a  band  in
the underground and with a cult following doesn't  really  amount  to
big bucks. Everyone in the band has jobs. That is  how  we  make  our
living. The money we get from the band is really pocket money.  Maybe
Andy will buy new guitars with what we make. We don't  flick  any  of
our money away. The small amount of money that we do get back, we put
back into the band and to buy new equipment. We invest it into things
that will no doubt help the band out as we continue to create  music.
We might buy a new game for our computer or something like that,  but
we have never had the money to buy a new car or something crazy  like
that. This is underground music and if you  got  into  this  to  make
money, you have completely taken the wrong path."
     "We have been at this for eleven years now and that  is  because
we enjoy what we do", he says. "We would have given up years  ago  if
it had been about the money. I think that is why a lot of bands  give
up, because they assume that because they are in a band,  toured  the
world and sold records, that they should be  rich.  It  doesn't  work
like that. We have never thought that. We were fans of  Celtic  Frost
and Candlemass when we started off and we knew they weren't rich,  so
we had no illusions when we first started off.  We  just  thought  it
would be brilliant to put out one CD. We have just been excited  that
each year or so that we can put out a  great  sounding  record.  That
kind of thinking just pushes us a long each new album. We have  never
imagined being signed to a major or rolling around in  money  because
this is underground noisy music and it is hard to sell."
     So why have fans latched onto MDB over the years?
     "I think it must be something like  a  soap  opera  on  TV",  he
responds. "I think some people will leave us for a year  or  two  and
come back an realize that nothing  much  has  changed.  Other  people
might leave it for a month or two and  think  loads  of  things  have
changed with us. People change all the time. Most of our  early  fans
are probably married with children by now and they aren't into diving
off stages anymore. When we first started off, people were so excited
about what we were doing. Fans come and go all the time and we aren't
any different. Christ, I haven't bought a Candlemass  record  in  god
knows how many years and that is because I have no interest  in  what
they are doing right  now.  I  just  don't  feel  like  buying  their
records. And our fans are like that too. We aren't out to win our old
fans back with each new album. Every band, no  matter  how  dedicated
your fans are, you'll lose fans with each new album but  you'll  gain
some as well. It is great to see younger faces at shows now, new fans
that are just getting into our music. Every  album  you  put  out  is
hit-and-miss with your fans."
     About  the  makeup  of  the  new  disc  and  how  it  came  out,
Stainthorpe comments: "I am still very much into what we did with the
last record and I thought for sure  that  _The  Dreadful  Hours_  was
going to become "The Light at the End of the World Part II". I  don't
think I have changed very much with my style of  writing  since  that
album and I wasn't sure of how things would end up. I had  a  blurred
vision of how things were going to be, but not totally  sure  of  the
end results. I think the rest of the guys in the band were unaware of
how this record would be. I think this record has turned  out  better
than I had expected because there are certain elements  that  weren't
on the last record that are on this  record.  Those  new  ideas  have
listed this album a bit higher than _The Light  at  the  End  of  the
World_ and for me, it makes me feel good. It also makes the  rest  of
the band feel good, and you  can  see  the  smiles  on  their  faces,
regardless of this being miserable music. We are really happy that we
created this album."
     And knowing quite well that  the  music  of  the  band  is  very
personal to them, so are the ideas behind songs. The singer  explains
to CoC the ideas and emotions  that  influenced  the  music  on  _The
Dreadful Hours_, whether they are inspired  by  worldly  or  personal
events in his life.
     "It is a bit of both, really. Generally, if I include  something
of a personal nature, I try to disguise it a bit more", he offers  up
about the songwriting. "I don't mind certain people  knowing  certain
parts of my private life. But if I am going to give over some  of  my
inner feelings, I am going to cloak them and  make  the  lyrics  more
surreal. I don't mind sharing things, but I  am  not  going  to  open
myself up to everybody. If I am inspired  by  a  book  or  something,
which will be quite obvious in the lyrics  and  will  allow  them  to
follow the story  I  am  telling.  Influences  for  songs  come  from
everywhere for me: books, film and stories that people have told  me.
Songs on any MDB record, the ones where  people  can't  seem  to  get
their heads around and understand, those are the ones that have a bit
more of a personal touch to them."
     What does Stainthorpe get out of a good MDB song or  album?  How
does it make him feel?
     "It feels good, but even though I  am  not  a  perfectionist,  I
always see room for improvement. Because we've built these songs from
scratch, nurtured each riff, note and lyric and even the artwork,  we
see our creations from the inside. We have brought  these  things  up
from tiny little atoms to the behemoths that  they  have  become.  We
can't see the music of MDB as outsiders do. It takes interviews  like
this or talking with fans to really grasp what we have done.  I  have
interviewers telling me they like this  song  because  of  a  certain
riff, and I think to myself, "that wasn't the original idea,  but  it
worked!" I have an idea and vision, and when I hear what other people
say, I think it blends quite well with what we have done. We  are  on
the inside looking out, while everyone is on the outside looking in."
     In today's music scene, where there are  almost  as  many  genre
terms as there are bands, does Aaron see  MDB  as  a  different  band
compared to others in the music scene?
     "I think we are different", he begins. "When we started out, all
of these music journalists had a hell of a time  describing  what  we
were doing. They strung  together  all  of  these  words  like  doom,
gothic, blah, blah, blah, and ended it with the word  metal.  It  was
great, because it meant that  people  couldn't  pigeonhole  MDB  that
easily. Now when people describe MDB, they only have to use the  name
and people who are aware of us know what to expect. I have seen MDB's
name pop up in other bands' reviews now, and that is good, because it
gives you a certain viewpoint to start off with the band's music.  It
is great to know that "My Dying Bride" is almost a phrase to describe
a certain style of music. It is great to see how it  has  become  for
us, but it was quite funny how people were so confused with what  our
band was doing musically."
     The topic turns to the mood of the band. For those  of  you  out
there who have followed the band for years, you  know  all  too  well
that the mood of MDB is unmatched by other  metal  acts.  The  doomy,
gloom-like state of emotions that cloak each release is  intense  and
beguiling. I ask Stainthorpe about how the band captures that mood in
the studio. It must be difficult, right?
     "We really try to get into the mood. I really try  to  get  into
the mood, because  when  I  write  the  lyrics  I  don't  write  them
half-heartedly. I really  try  to  get  into  the  mood  of  things",
Stainthorpe notes. "I try to dig inside myself and try to  find  this
really dark, miserable force. I only write the  lyrics  when  I  feel
miserably low. You can't write lyrics like this when  it  is  a  hot,
sunny day. It just doesn't work."
     "When I take the lyrics into the rehearsal room, which is pretty
dim because there is only one light, I really try  to  get  into  the
mood and so does the band. When we get into the studio we have a good
laugh and drink cups of tea, which is a typical English thing  to  do
-- forget that rock 'n' roll Jack Daniels shit. <laughs>  We  have  a
level head. When the riffs start to come together it  begins  to  get
serious. Sure, if someone plays a bum  note  we  all  laugh  at  each
other, or if I forget lyrics the laughs  come  out  and  the  amusing
moments come out, but we try and keep it fairly professional. It  can
get carried away pretty quick in the  studio  if  you  start  messing
around. We have been at this for a long time now and it is quite easy
for us to slip into these  dark  and  doomy  riffs.  It  comes  quite
natural to us."
     Did you ever think it would last this long?
     "Not really. We were just so excited to put out our first  demo.
Then we set a goal to tour Europe and we did that. Every goal that we
have every set out for MDB over the years has been achieved. We don't
really have goals anymore and that has made us perfectly  happy  with
what we are doing."
     He ends, "You can't be into this  music  business  for  anything
else than happiness for what you do musically. We can't be in it  for
the chicks, because we never tour. We don't make mega  bucks,  so  we
aren't in it for the money. We are in this because we enjoy it. It is
that simple."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

   N A Z A R E N E S A R E N ' T T H  E  O  N  L  Y  F  I  E  N  D  S
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
         CoC chats with Mika Luttinen from Impaled Nazarene
                          by: Paul Schwarz


     I must confess, I have never been the most avid fan  of  Impaled
Nazarene. And yet, ever since I was first exposed  to  them,  they've
stood out in my mind as individual: separated from any specific  pack
by something -- something hard to pin down  and  articulate.  Impaled
Nazarene are about the only band  who  have  seemed  to  me  like  an
utterly absurd yet somehow vitally necessary element of  the  extreme
music scene in the Nineties, ever since I first heard of them back in
1996 when I was exposed to "Karmakeddon Warriors" -- from that year's
_Latex Cult_ [CoC #10] album -- via 'Into the Pit' -- a half-hour  of
extreme metal music videos that used to follow  Headbangers  Ball  on
MTV Europe in better days. Back then, the raw-as-fuck white-noise  of
the 'nuclear punk' sound they were sporting at the time confused  and
amused me almost as much as the visuals of the song's video: a  group
of mad, mad Finns rocking out like lunatics while their singer pulled
plastic sheeting over his face. And yet still, a seemingly  indelible
impression was left that just wouldn't shift -- even though it  never
prompted me to look deep into Impaled Nazarene's back-catalogue.  The
first Impaled Nazarene album I eventually checked out  was  _Rapture_
[CoC #32], but it left me cold -- and put me  off  concerning  myself
much more with Impaled Nazarene's music. Though I  accept  that  that
was a mistake,  even  today  I  haven't  -bought-  a  single  Impaled
Nazarene album. However, I would still maintain  there  is  something
special and confusingly essential about the band. We need  them.  Not
'cause they are just some fun band, yet  also  not,  in  my  opinion,
because they are an amazing band. On one level, Impaled Nazarene  are
just a sterling example of doing what you want  without  stopping  to
consider -- or, for that matter,  -care-  --  what  the  consequences
might be; however different Impaled Nazarene may have sounded on  the
surface of things on their different releases, on a  more  intangible
-- maybe a 'deeper' -- level, each  album  caries  their  distinctive
trademark. Today, Impaled Nazarene's attack takes the sonic  form  of
what could crudely be described as a benzedrine-fueled combination of
thrash metal and Iron Maiden. 2000's _Nihil_  [CoC  #47]  marked  the
beginning of this sound: a firm departure from their  trip  down  the
'bad sound = good music' road which led to a dead end with _Rapture_.
The change in direction was facilitated by then-lead guitarist  Alexi
Laiho (Children of Bodom), and his influence stuck with the  band  in
the form of a drive to become a more formidable,  powerful  group  of
musicians. Sonically, last year's  _Absence  of  War  Does  Not  Mean
Peace_ proved that  hard  work  pays  off.  _AoWDMP_  also  gave  the
impression that a tight, fiercely-competent musical outfit was behind
its creation -- which suggests that upcoming  live  shows  should  be
much more worth witnessing than was their  1998  performance  at  the
Milwaukee MetalFest [CoC #33].
     After  talking  with  Mika  Luttinen  as  part   of   _AoWDMP_'s
promotion, I finally realised  what  single  thing  Impaled  Nazarene
embody and epitomise that makes them such  an  individual,  essential
part of the  Nineties  extreme  metal  scene,  in  my  eyes.  Impaled
Nazarene wear that attitude articulated by Overkill on their sleeves:
"We don't care what you say... fuck you!"  Mika  Luttinen,  the  only
surviving original member of the band, is forthright in his  opinions
-- whether about Impaled Nazarene, the metal scene, or events in  the
world -- yet he is not deluded. He implicitly recognises that in  the
big scheme of things Impaled Nazarene are just  a  small  part  of  a
huge, burgeoning scene. But he  doesn't  concern  himself  with  such
matters. He concerns himself with his band, with doing  the  best  he
and they can do in making music that they want to make, the way  that
they want to make it. Though on the  surface  Impaled  Nazarene  seem
larger than life,  this  is  all  part  of  a  form  of  presentation
essential to rock  music,  as  far  as  Mika  is  concerned.  Impaled
Nazarene don't believe their own hype, but they are a  band  who  are
unfalteringly confident with making music the way that they want  to.
When you come right down  to  it,  Impaled  Nazarene  are  bereft  of
pretension, as honest as they come. Love 'em or hate 'em,  you  can't
really deny that they've earned an entry in  the  annals  of  extreme
music -- even if that entry should just read: "fuck off and die!".
     I hope this interview with  Mika  Luttinen  will  interest  both
long-term fans and those as yet unexposed to Impaled Nazarene.  Enjoy
yourselves, and remember that I have, as always, tried to preserve as
much of the original integrity of the conversation of  which  this  a
transcription as possible. Also worth bearing in mind  is  that  this
interview was conducted in mid-October.

CoC: The new Impaled Nazarene album, _Absence of War  Does  Not  Mean
     Peace_: I recall getting the press release [announcing that  the
     above would be the title of  the  forthcoming  Impaled  Nazarene
     album] ages ago, so I guess the title of the album  had  nothing
     (directly) to do with where the world currently is...

Mika Luttinen: Uh, no, but we kind of hit the jackpot with this  one,
               didn't we?

CoC: In a good way, or in a bad way? I was gonna ask you how you feel
     about being kind of plunged into...

ML: ...I don't personally care, it just proves that I was once  again
    right.

CoC: <hearty laughs>

ML: And especially the song "Absence of War"  itself.  It  was  like,
    on  BBC  World  there  was  this  interview  with  one  of  these
    fundamentalist leaders of the Islam -- I think it was in May this
    year. I saw this interview where this guy just  said  like:  "One
    day the whole world is going to obey Allah." That: "We are  going
    to take over and there is nothing you guys can do about  it,  and
    those who disobey, we will kill them." And when I saw  that  damn
    interview, afterwards I was thinking  like:  who  the  fuck  [do]
    these people actually think they are? Do they  seriously  believe
    that people will give up, you know, without a fight, that we will
    just surrender without a fight? Like, hello, wake up: there  will
    be lots of people that will be fighting back and well, what d'you
    know? I kind of like... when that thing happened [the destruction
    of the World Trade Center -- Paul] it was a total  disbelief  for
    me. I mean, I just couldn't fucking believe what was going on.  I
    woke up because I had been working and there was a message on  my
    mobile phone from our soundman which said: open the  fucking  TV,
    you are not going to believe your eyes! And I opened the TV and I
    was like: what the hell is this, the Independence Day II  trailer
    on the TV, or what?

CoC: Fuckin' right. I actually got in on the plane the day that  that
     happened. I had a feeling of disbelief at first.

ML: Absolutely. And I mean, what kind of sick mind must be behind, to
    create that kind of plan?

CoC: Exactly,  especially  because  it's  not...  there's  not   even
     anything  very  symbolic  in  it:   it's   all   about   killing
     civilians, it's not about property and  it's  not  about,  like,
     government-type military stuff.

ML: Yeah, and the  World  Trade  Center  was  lots  of  peoples  from
    different countries. I mean, it wasn't like that it's  some  kind
    of US corporation's headquarters, so it didn't make any  sense...
    so, I kind of like... when I looked at my lyrics and I was seeing
    that I was like: okay.

CoC: Premonition.

ML: Yeah.

CoC: Was the beginning of "Stratagem"  [_AoWDNMP_'s  first  track,  a
     synthesiser-led intro] intended to have  this  sort  of  vaguely
     middle-eastern tint?

ML: Yeah,  it's  on  purpose.  It's  kind  of  like  [an]  intro  toe
    th "Absence  of  War"  and  because  that  song  is  very,  very.
    anti-Islamic So, we wanted to have this kind of intro that would.
    give, kind of indication what's to come.

CoC: So is that one bit of the album but not all of it? I mean,  it's
     not an entirely anti-Islamic album. Is it just the  "Absence  of
     War" song?

ML: It's  that  song,  yes,  and  then  you  have  --  let's  say  --
    the typical anti-Christian songs  like  "The  Lost  Art  of  Goat
    Sacrificing".

CoC: I was gonna say: what is the whole Impaled Nazarene 'goat motif'
     about? You have _Goat Perversion_, you have  "The  Lost  Art  of
     Goat Sacrificing"...

ML: Well, it's been just like... From the very beginning it was  that
    goats -had- to be there. I don't really know,  I  haven't  really
    -analysed- it: why we have it.  But,  it's  something  that  just
    needs to be there. You cannot have an Impaled album  without  the
    goat.

CoC: "The Goat" in the sense of "Satan" or just "the goat"?

ML: It's... it's... <laughs> I  don't  know,  it's...  --  what'  the
    English word? -- it's a...

CoC: Trademark?

ML: It's a trademark, yes, exactly.

CoC: Alright: the goat thing is the kind of  thing  that,  you  know,
     gets people's hackles up -- maybe not people in the metal scene,
     but people  outside  it.  If  you  had  an  album  called  _Goat
     Perversion_ -- instead of just a 7" -- that  would  get  people,
     sort of, raised up. A lot Impaled Nazarene, in promotion and  in
     some of the stuff you say is things like that. Like, one of  the
     "cutlines" for this album is: Satan Wants You Dead!  [the  title
     of a song on _AoWDNMP_]. I'm just curious how much this is  kind
     of making the band over the top to a purpose, or whether  you're
     vaguely serious about it in any way?

ML: Well, it's let's say 50/50. I mean, fifty percent of it is just a
    pure rock 'n' roll game.  That  needs  to  have  that;  rock  'n'
    rollers always have catch-phrases and shit like this. But on  the
    other hand, it also kind of sums up what we pretty much think  of
    this world. And it's of course... I mean, we don't... We are  not
    Satan worshippers or anything like this,  but  I  just  used  the
    Satan lot as a metaphor, because it's a strong word and it  still
    raises... You know, people are like: huh, what the hell  is  this
    guy saying?!

CoC: Exactly, yeah, and it catches your eye as well.

ML: Yeah, absolutely.

CoC: In the rock sense. Would you ascribe any particular political or
     religious position to the band, or would you just say  you  kind
     of avoid terms like "anarchist" or "atheist"?

ML: Well, we... Well, I call myself "nihilist". I mean, I'm pretty...

CoC: In the Nietzschean sense? [I'm  not  sure  if  Mika  heard  this
     question at this juncture. -- Paul]

ML: I mean, I used to be... I mean, I used to study  occult  and  all
    that shit, but it absolutely gave nothing to me  in  the  end.  I
    think I was like twenty-six or something  when  I  kind  of  like
    realised that: I am gaining absolutely nothing from  this;  I  am
    just fucking losing money on this! So, for me lots of this occult
    shit is pretty much the same as some kind of Christian idea: it's
    just believing in something stupid that doesn't exist. I mean, at
    least to me it didn't give anything, so  I  became  very  cynical
    about lots of things. And so, what I believe in is that, well,  I
    know for a fact that one day I'm going to die. And so,  it's  the
    only certain thing in life.

CoC: But you didn't move from, like, occultism into, say, philosophy,
     or anything like that?

ML: No.

CoC: Right, so the nihilism thing isn't the true Nietzschean sense of
     nihilism?

ML: No, not really. I mean, I agree [with] some of it, yes,  but  not
    like I can say that I follow it.  I  just  call  myself  nihilist
    because I don't really believe in nothing.

CoC: Right, I see what you mean: you don't believe in any  particular
     values or a particular set of rules...?

ML: No, well, uh... actually, I'm lying to you, because I do  believe
    in alcohol and I do believe in the power of the pussy, so...

CoC: <laughs> Excellent! And possibly that huge combat  knife  you're
     sporting rather fashionably <Mika laughs> on  the  back  of  the
     album cover. <laughs>

ML: <deadpanned> Well at least it will give you  street  credibility,
    doesn't it?

CoC: I've gotta say, man: really, really fucking good pictures you've
     got done. Did you get them digitally edited or something?

ML: Yeah, it was taken with the digital camera and I just added  some
    light in the end. It came, actually, up because  we  were  always
    unhappy with our pictures but we never got  any  kind  of  budget
    from Osmose. And they were always saying: your pictures suck. And
    we said that of course they suck because we are just  giving  our
    cameras to a friend of ours. Like: okay, we  are  standing  here,
    just start taking the pictures. So we  said  this  time  that  we
    really want to use a good photographer and got in touch with this
    guy who got his prize and just said to Osmose that we  are  going
    to do it and they said: okay. And when they saw the pictures they
    were like: okay, this looks really great!

CoC: I think  it  definitely  brings  out  the  whole  beer-swilling,
     middle-finger-up kind of thing.

ML: Yeah, well, that photograph basically  just  sums  up  the  whole
    spirit of the band. I mean, you have the beer  bottle  and  knife
    and it's... I mean it looks [like] a bunch of lunatics  who  have
    just escaped from the mental house.

CoC: Exactly, escaped from the mental house, headed straight down the
     bar...

ML: Abso... <breaks up laughing> absolutely.

CoC: ...and now they're coming for you.  <laughs>  It's  kinda  cool,
     though, because just the way that picture has got a new sheen to
     it, the sound you've got on the album is  very  clear.  I  mean,
     it's still very powerful, but you've really moved on in  a  very
     odd sort of leaping forward, leaping back, leaping forward again
     [way]. When you started with _Tol Compt Norz Norz Norz_  it  was
     all kind of really distorted and sounded like  it  was  probably
     recorded on tape and things. And you kind  of  moved  away  from
     that a bit by the time you got to _Suomi Finland Perkele_.  Then
     there was _Latex Cult_ and then  _Rapture_.  And  then  recently
     with _Nihil_ and _AoWDNMP_  you've  sort  of  gained  a  melodic
     angle, a more concertedly -metal- sound in a lot  of  ways.  I'm
     just wondering how you brought Impaled Nazarene to this point.

ML: It's kind of like -- especially with _Latex Cult_  and  _Rapture_
    -- I mean, of course we were happy at that time  when  they  were
    being recorded, but if I look back over our  back-catalogue  it's
    easy to say that _Rapture_, especially, is the  weakest  link  of
    the whole thing.

CoC: I agree.

ML: The songs are not really that good and the actual  production  is
    absolutely horrible. And when we did it, of  course,  it  sounded
    good, but if you play it after this album it's like: what fucking
    demo tape is this? It's like a demo production.

CoC: It's funny, because I get the impression that maybe you realised
     on _Rapture_ that, kind of like, not having a good sound  didn't
     work because, _Latex Cult_ -- and _TCNNN_, which is probably the
     shittiest sounding album -- they actually kind of work.  There's
     something about them that works.

ML: I think that's true.

CoC: Whereas with _Rapture_ it kind of lost it, you know what I mean?

ML: Yeah, absolutely: I think the production killed lots of the power
    on that record. And then, when we started doing _Nihil_ and  when
    we started writing these songs we  had  added  finally  the  lead
    guitarist [Alex Laiho, at that point -- Paul] to the band. And so
    it was clear that now that we had finally two guitar players that
    we kind of like wanted to  get  away  from  that  punky  kind  of
    writing style and started just wanting to get more  back  to  the
    metal feeling. And with _Nihil_ it was  still...  the  thing  was
    that it was personally, for me, a  really  dark  period  of  time
    which I think you can see on my lyrics. But this new album,  when
    we started writing this -- it was summer 2000, basically, when we
    started writing the material for this one -- and we  just  didn't
    set any limits to ourselves. We said: let's just  write  whatever
    comes up, and let's see that if it still  sounds  Impaled;  let's
    keep it, and let's just do what the fuck we have been doing.  And
    that's what we did and, especially  our  drummer  came  up  with,
    like, the  song  "The  Lost  Art  of  Goat  Sacrificing",  "Never
    Forgive", "Via Dolorosa": these are his tracks and he's  studying
    music at the university, in Helsinki. So I think it's a lot to do
    with the fact that he has also been studying  music  and  he  has
    become a much better musician so that he can actually  understand
    core melodies and stuff like this. And we rehearsed like hell for
    this album; we have never been rehearsing so much. So, I think it
    shows and it paid off in the end, definitely.

CoC: Yeah, I know what you mean. I mean it's like: in a sense Impaled
     Nazarene is  the  kind  of  band  you  wouldn't...  I  mean  the
     impression that you gave, especially around the time  of  _Latex
     Cult_ and the kind of impression people got of you from  then...
     You know, from, sort of, _SFP_, more or less, you've started  to
     gradually gain more and more of a  profile  but  the  impression
     people got of you is of a band, almost, that  doesn't  practice.
     You know what I mean? The sloppiness [was] almost inherent. But,
     I think what  you  say  about  the  way  you  wrote  this  album
     naturally really comes out but at the same  time  it's  like  an
     album written naturally by people that can play  better.  So  if
     you were just coming out with ideas, you'd just  come  out  with
     better ideas and better arrangements.

ML: Yeah, absolutely, and I think lots of thanks go  to  Alexi  Laiho
    who played on _Nihil_, because he's so -damn-, -fucking-,  -good-
    guitar player. So that was the moment when the rest of us had  to
    start practising as well. I mean, that we could keep up with  him
    at least on some level; of course, it will be impossible to reach
    -his- level, for us. But still it was kick in the ass  like:  OK,
    that guy is so damn good that we have to at least  -try-  to  get
    better. And so it was a good thing that we had him in the band. I
    think it was the kick in the ass that we needed.

CoC: Yeah, totally. It really beefed up the sound, I thought,  having
     all the melodies in it, 'cause I think with a lot of bands there
     is only a certain place you  can  get  to  without  varying  the
     formula a bit. And what's interesting is that  this  album  does
     sound very distinct, but to me  it  still  sounds  like  Impaled
     Nazarene. I mean, to you, what binds together  Impaled  Nazarene
     all the way from _TCNNN_ all the way to  now?  I  mean,  there's
     quite a lot of sound shift, and there's quite a  lot  of,  like,
     members coming and going and things...

ML: Well, I think the main importance is the fact that we know how we
    must sound; that if your band name is Impaled Nazarene, it  means
    that when you hear the band name, you know that it's going to  be
    brutal music. It's  not  going  to  be  some  Bon  Jovi  shit  or
    whatever. And so, of course there has  been  line-up  changes  --
    people leaving or  people  being  kicked  out  of  the  band  for
    whatever reasons -- but we have always managed to find people who
    replace these people who went away that we  all  share  the  same
    influences. In the long-run it's  been  always  people  who  were
    definitely into Venom, into Sodom, Kreator... We all grew up with
    this Eighties thrash metal shit and that, I think, still shows in
    our music, definitely.

CoC: So it's people you could almost mould to  the  Impaled  Nazarene
     'idea'?

ML: But I hope that this line-up will last now because I  think  that
    we are starting to run out of the members who are  influenced  by
    all these bands. I mean, it's kind of  hard  to  find,  nowadays,
    people, you know: the younger  people  have  grown  up  with  the
    fucking Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir,  this  symphonic  black
    metal stuff. So, these are persons that definitely don't want  to
    play Impaled kind of music.

CoC: Right,  right,  right.  I  mean,  it's  funny  as  well  because
     originally Impaled Nazarene was like the black  metal  band  who
     certain people didn't wanna call a black metal band.  I  suppose
     most of them would be some of the people in the Norwegian scene,
     although not all of them:  I  remember  Impaled  Nazarene  being
     surprisingly accepted but I think because  you  sounded  --  for
     want of a better word -- pretty fucking necro.  But  it's  funny
     'cause now black metal has  gone  so  many  different  ways  and
     Impaled Nazarene are more Impaled Nazarene than  anything  else,
     if you know what I mean, which is a good thing.

ML: Ja...

CoC: Would you say you try, or try not to,  associate  yourself  with
     that, sort of, 'tag' and that, sort of, 'scene', if  that  scene
     even exists?

ML: Well, I don't actually think that exists anymore. I mean, it  was
    in the beginning of the Nineties and we were part of that at that
    time but, you know, then it became so huge trend and...  But,  if
    you look at it, most of these  bands  have  either  changed  into
    completely different directions, or then they have  split  up  --
    and we are still here. So I feel  that  we  are  doing  something
    right here. And there is one band that I look  up  to  completely
    and that's Motorhead, of course, because this is a band that  has
    proven, at least to me, that you  can  do  your  own  thing.  And
    there's been times when they have been selling like  hell,  there
    have been times when their sales have been a bit lower, but  have
    they given up? No, absolutely  not.  They  have  been  continuing
    doing the records, they have been touring, they have  done  their
    own shit, and it earns them, in the long-run,  the  respect  they
    deserve.

CoC: Motorhead: they're just that special band where even though some
     of their songs seem -- when you kind of try and analyse  it  too
     much -- to sound the same, every song is great  when  they  play
     it. All the old  stuff  is  great.  And  when  you  go  and  see
     Motorhead live it's that thing where they  come  on  stage,  the
     show begins, and three seconds after they take the stage,  Lemmy
     just goes: we're Motorhead, and we're gonna kick your ass!

ML: Yeah, exactly.

CoC: And every time you know that he's going to be right. <laughs>

ML: Yeah, absolutely. <laughs>

CoC: It's that Motorhead vibe. It's weird though, 'cause a band  like
     Motorhead -- and even a band like Venom -- in their day, made  a
     lot more money and sold a lot more records than Impaled Nazarene
     and black metal bands did.  Do  you  think  the  spirit  is  the
     same even though the actual  amount  of  commercial  success  is
     completely different?

ML: Yeah, I think so. I mean, of course you must also  remember  that
    when the bands like Motorhead  started  they  were  one  of  the,
    basically -the- forefathers of the whole movement. So, of course,
    it was easier for them to break commercially. But, I  mean,  when
    we started it already started to be fucking hundreds or thousands
    of bands and shitloads of little record companies and  of  course
    when there is too much product on the market it's  going  to  eat
    from everybody, from everybody's sales it's going to affect.

CoC: Absolutely.

ML: And things have changed also,  you  know:  everybody  is  burning
    CD-Rs and shit, at home. And so we cannot estimate  how  much  we
    actually sell because how many illegal copies are there?

CoC: How  much  would  you  say  the  CD-R  burning  thing  bugs  you
     personally considering that when you guys started  there  was  a
     big tape-trading network and that was a big thing as well?

ML: Yeah, but the tape-trading was still different,  you  know:  with
    these computers you can do even the covers and stuff.

CoC: Yeah, totally, but I would still contend that at the moment  the
     actual market for people buying burnt  CDs  is  small.  So  it's
     still a case of home copying. The difference  might  be  whether
     people  bother  to  buy  the  albums  now,  but  I  don't  know.
     Personally, I do feel that what Osmose has done with  their  CDs
     in making them non-computer-readable --  you  know  about  this,
     right?

ML: I don't... They have done this, or not?

CoC: Yeah, they have done it. They've been doing it since about  June
     when the Absu album came out.

ML: Well, it's about time, if you ask me.

CoC: On one level I can agree with you in the sense that it can  take
     money away from bands, but what I've found in my  experience  is
     that people -- like in my case, for example  --  whether  it  be
     taping albums or copying them, if I actually like the album...

ML: ...You'll go out and buy it, yes.

CoC: And the amount of people you can expose to a form  of  music  by
     distributing it I  think  generally  tends  to  increase  bands'
     profiles rather than lower them. So I think it's  one  of  those
     weird things where it's really difficult for a record company to
     tell -- or difficult for a band to tell. The problem is that  in
     the end it all looks like lost sales. And I agree with you  that
     you can't tell how many you sell, but you also maybe can't  tell
     how many more you might not have sold if people hadn't been able
     to trade with each other.

ML: No, well... You have a valid point, I must say.

CoC: You were saying earlier about worshipping  beer  and  pussy  and
     things. And in the back of the album cover, and just  generally,
     there's this sort of ethos, this continuous thing  with  Impaled
     Nazarene with having beers and  middle  fingers.  Is  that  just
     directly from the Motorhead ethos or is that even further  back,
     like punk?

ML: No, it's not really a punk thing. I mean,  it's  always  been,  I
    think, our attitude from the very beginning --  even  if  in  the
    very beginning it was more like the Satanic  kind  of  shit.  But
    even still we were showing the middle fingers on the photos,  and
    it's basically the "fuck off and die!" attitude. This is  a  band
    that doesn't give a fuck about anybody else because we have  been
    doing our own shit. And we have been ripped off, lots  of  people
    have been talking shit of us, but in the end you ignore  it,  and
    you just say: "Fuck off and die!" And  that's  something  that  I
    just understood: because I was  going  through  all  our  CDs,  I
    understood that we haven't done  a  song  called  "Fuck  Off  and
    Die!". So we are going to rectify this situation. We are going to
    do a 7" EP, probably recorded in January. The EP is called  _Fuck
    Off and Die!_. There will be a song called "Fuck  Off  and  Die!"
    which will be our original song, and then we are covering on  the
    flipside the Voivod "Fuck Off and Die!", then we  are  doing  the
    Broken Bones' "Fuck Off  and  Die!".  We  haven't  [yet]  chosen,
    'cause there are shitloads of "Fuck Off and Die!"  songs  around.
    So, it will be like the ultimate statement from us.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

       T H E   M E T A L   M A C H I N E   C A R R I E S   O N
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
               CoC chats with Tom Angelripper of Sodom
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     In twenty  years  of  existence,  Sodom  singer  /  bassist  Tom
Angelripper and his band have put  out  fifteen  albums,  toured  the
world and stayed true to their primary goal: play thrash metal music.
And the tradition continues.
     It is no surprise that the band's latest album,  titled  _M-16_,
is knee-deep in thrash metal speed and excellence,  a  strong  record
that many are heralding as one of  the  German  band's  best  albums,
right up there with 1986's _Obsessed by Cruelty_  and  1989's  _Agent
Orange_. While truly proud of _M-16_, Angelripper just sees it  as  a
continuing stepping stone in their crusade for metal music.
     "When we started this band in 1981 I really wanted to play metal
music for a long time, but I never imagined that it would have lasted
this long. This is a real dream come true, especially now that I  can
live from making music. After the release of _Agent Orange_  we  were
able to go out and tour and party. We could record when we wanted  to
and just have fun. The energy and excitement that the fans provide us
with also inspires us. It is a great feeling to  play  before  people
who love your music. I just can't believe it has been twenty years."
     "I'm 38 years old now and it has been such an amazing thing  for
myself to be doing this job for so long. It is indeed  the  best  job
that anyone could have. <laughs> I used to work in a coal  mine  back
in the early days and it was a  tough  job,  but  ever  since  _Agent
Orange_ I have had to become a bit more professional  and  take  this
somewhat seriously if I want to make a living from our success  as  a
band."
     And how do you feel about the prestige  and  respect  that  many
fans and bands give to Sodom?
     Angelripper responds: "It makes me feel good knowing that a  lot
of these black and death metal bands were inspired by the  old  Sodom
material. It makes me feel proud to know that even though bands  like
Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir  sell  a  lot  more  than  Sodom  in
Germany, that our records still sell and our fans  are  still  behind
what we do. It makes me feel good knowing that people  still  believe
in what we have brought and continue to bring to metal music."
     "When we started off in this music business, we never cared what
other bands were doing, and we are still that way.  A  lot  of  bands
come and go, with a lot of  these  bands  signing  contracts,  making
money, playing for two years and then disappearing. It has never been
that way for Sodom. We believe in our music and what we do."
     "Back in the '80s a lot of the  metal  bands  were  like  a  big
family. We all worked as a team and had a lot of  fun",  reveals  the
singer. "Nowadays there is so much going on in metal music, many  new
genres and just bands making music for money. It  is  too  commercial
now. In the early days I used to buy all of  the  bands'  albums  and
keep up with them, but now there are so many bands  coming  out  with
mediocre music, and I don't want to spend money on crap."
     The topic shifts to the new album, _M-16_. A lot of  people  are
assuming that by looking at the album title,  the  cover  artwork  (a
Marine carrying a rotten corpse of a fallen companion and  toting  an
M-16 rifle) and song titles ("Napalm  in  the  Morning",  "Among  the
Weirdcong" and "Marines") that the new  record  is  a  concept  album
about Vietnam. Well, according to Angelripper, it isn't. He  explains
the album.
     "A lot of people think this is a concept album about the Vietnam
war, but it isn't. I am always writing lyrics about events that  have
occurred in the world  and  historic  things  that  interest  me.  We
traveled to Vietnam to get information about the place  and  talk  to
the people and just become influenced by what went on there  and  how
things really are. We just used certain symbols of the Vietnam war to
fuel some ideas. There are a lot of hidden messages  on  this  album.
This really is an anti-war album. We just used the artwork  to  shock
people. This album is like "Apocalypse Now" or "Full  Metal  Jacket",
two movies that were anti-war movies that wanted to show people  what
reality is like. People are comparing this to _Agent Orange_ as  well
because we used Vietnam themes there, but is has nothing to  do  with
it. It is a new album, with fresh ideas and thoughts." He  continues,
"I look at great metal bands like Judas Priest  and  Saxon  and  read
their lyrics, and I just can't write like that. I need to write about
historical events and things that happened."
     It seems as though each new album by Sodom is like a new chapter
for the band.
     "I think each album we do is different, in regards to the themes
or the way it was produced, but the core sound  of  Sodom  has  never
changed. I would never  let  it  change",  assures  Angelripper.  "We
always make an effort to play thrash metal music and just do the best
that we can. Our albums get better as the years go  on  and  I  think
once you hear this record a few times you'll remember the songs (i.e.
"Napalm in the Morning"). I think many of these songs will be classic
Sodom songs in years to come."
     "This album isn't the heaviest record we have done,  that  would
be _Masquerade in Blood_ (1995), but I think it is a solid  one.  Our
line-up is solid and it just seems to be going good for us."
     While Sodom plans to head out  on  the  road  with  Kreator  and
Destruction (an amazing bill of the three classic German thrash metal
bands) in Europe, chances are very slim that such a tour will  happen
in North America.  Though  there  have  been  rumours,  according  to
Angelripper it most likely won't happen.
     "I know we are going to go out on tour for five weeks in  Europe
and then take a break and possibly head to South  America  and  Asia,
but so far no promoter in North America  has  decided  to  book  this
tour", he says.
     Really? This seems like a killer tour! Why not?
     "I really want to tour North America and have a huge tour, but I
want to work with a promoter that is really  serious  about  handling
this tour and helping support us and to get us to play lots of shows.
We played three years ago at the Milwaukee MetalFest and it  was  the
first time we had ever played in the US. We got no support, no money.
We only played for half an hour and we weren't even allowed to  bring
our own instruments. We had to go as tourists 'cause we couldn't  get
the papers in order. [MMF's] Jack Koshick is a really  bad  promoter.
We are currently looking for a promoter to help us there. I  am  sure
the fans liked the show, but we didn't have fun at all. We only had a
backdrop with our name on it. We needed  good  instruments  and  Jack
Koshick wouldn't even help us out. We got nothing. It was just a real
nightmare for us. I hope in the future we can find  a  good  promoter
worthy of helping us out. When we  came  to  play  Milwaukee  we  had
another show booked for Canada, but he [Koshick] told us he wanted us
to come and play and go home. He didn't  want  us  to  tour.  It  was
awful. He asked us to play March Metal Meltdown in  New  Jersey  last
year, but we said "No way!" Never again will we deal with him."
     He ends, "Next time we come and play North America we are  going
to do it right. We are going to show North American fans  that  Sodom
plays real thrash metal and we do  it  all  for  the  love  of  metal
music."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                     B A C K   F R O M   H E L L
                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                 CoC talks to Schmier of Destruction
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     Not much has changed for  Destruction  ringleader/singer/bassist
Schmier since I last spoke with him two years ago, when  the  classic
German metal outfit released their much-anticipated  comeback  record
_All Hell Breaks Loose_ on Nuclear Blast.
     Since that point in time the band toured non-stop in support  of
that record, played festivals and even found time to head back into e
thstudio once again to rekindle the metal magic that  had  re-entered
their lives -- a fire that had been dormant for more than a decade.
     Their new album,  titled  _The  Antichrist_,  finds  Destruction
tighter, faster and hungrier to  spread  the  word  of  metal  music.
Schmier is excited to be back with a solid new disc and  a  fan  base
that has once again been rejuvenated.
     "I think our return to the metal scene was  very  important  for
metal. It seems almost impossible for a metal  band  to  write  their
best album after almost a ten  year  absence,  but  we  did",  starts
Schmier. "We needed to come back into the scene with a really  strong
record like _All Hell Breaks  Loose_  and  to  show  people  that  we
weren't coming back for the hell of it. We came back  showing  people
that we still love metal music. It was important to come back with  a
record like that and then go onto a disc like _The  Antichrist_.  The
last record brought us back into the spotlight;  the  new  one  shows
people that we are here for good."
     About the experience of having to come back into  the  grind  of
things as a band and the last recording experience, Schmier notes, "I
think the last record was  a  learning  experience,  because  it  was
somewhat new to us, to get back into the studio as a band and to find
out how things were going to be.  We  knew  the  last  one  had  weak
production, but that was something we noted and made sure we  focused
on this time around. We knew what we had to tell Peter Tagtgren  [who
produced _All Hell Breaks Loose_ and the new one -- Adrian]  to  work
on, and what needed to be omitted. He is a great producer and  really
made an effort to make us sound good."
     "On the last record, our guitarist Mike Sifringer was  a  little
skeptical about the studio work at the beginning and how things would
turn out, but it turned out great right  after  the  first  sessions.
Peter was a great producer for us, because he just let  the  band  be
the band. We did what we wanted to do in the studio and he just  gave
us some great ideas and helped add to the sound. That is why we chose
to work with him again on the new record.  He  knew  we  didn't  want
a typical death  or  black  metal  production  sound,  but  rather  a
Destruction metal feel to it. He succeeded on the last record and the
new one as well."
     "I am really excited about this record and the songs on it",  he
points out. "We toured for a year and a half for the last record  and
wrote a lot of the songs during the breaks on tour. Things were  just
flowing out of us and we had to capture them. We were back and we had
to keep things going."
     He adds, "The good thing about what we were doing  was  that  we
weren't pressured by anyone to write this material or sound a certain
way. There is a lot of pressure when it comes to making music, but it
is something that every musician must  face.  Making  music  is  like
having sex. You get together, have fun and  try  new  experiences.  I
think the best thing about all  of  this  was  that  we  didn't  tour
continuously for ten months and then come back and go into the studio
and write. We were doing small tours, returning home and heading into
the studio if we needed to. Had we toured for such a long  period  of
time, we might have not wanted to create music at the  rate  we  were
doing. Having those stop-gaps to create was really cool to  grow  and
try new things. In the future, we will for sure use this same formula
to create music."
     It seems almost impossible for a band to fade away and come back
after ten years and ignite such interest.
     "I know, I know", he agrees. "It was weird, but we felt  it.  We
got together and just started  to  create  music  and  play  the  old
numbers and you could feel the fucking magic. I am a metal  fan  with
taste I think and if I had started to see things turning  out  really
shitty for Destruction, when we were recording  the  last  album  and
coming back into the scene, I would have stopped it  right  then  and
there. I am a fan of good music and  I  wouldn't  want  shitty  music
bringing down the name of Destruction. I was pretty  sure  that  this
three-piece [at the time Destruction  was  rounded  out  by  recently
departed drummer Sven -- Adrian] would be able to make music and  try
new things, but still maintain that Destruction sound that metal fans
have known and loved over the years.  When  we  started  off  playing
again at festivals, it was us against all the new heroes in metal and
we had to prove ourselves. And we did. I was pretty excited  when  it
all started to work for us and we were recording demos again. I  knew
that our music was sounding good,  especially  with  early  reactions
from the label, the fans and the  fanzines.  It  was  great  to  have
people excited about Destruction again."
     Is there a special way Destruction writes material?
     "I can't really explain how all of this happens, really", laughs
Schmier. "It just does. The music of Destruction, then  and  now,  is
full of character. You know what to expect and you can always tell it
is us playing this noisy, thrash metal music. Even though when we all
come together to work  on  songs  ideas  and  we  all  bring  in  new
approaches to making music for the band, it always  ends  up  with  a
real heavy, gritty sound. A Destruction sound. I recently re-mastered
an  old  Destruction  demo  from  1983  and  it  is  so  amazing  how
Mike's guitar sound today is  so  similar  to  back  then.  The  same
characteristics are there and it is his  original  sound  that  helps
make Destruction still sound so good."
     Why do you think  this  new  record  turned  out  so  rabid  and
vicious?
     "This is a very hateful record. It really is full of  a  lot  of
anger and just  allowed  me  to  vent  my  ideas  and  thoughts",  he
responds. "I hate religion. I think it just causes so  much  conflict
in the world today. We did a lot of travelling around  the  world  in
places like Colombia, Turkey and other  countries  on  the  last  few
tours that have so much  turmoil  regarding  religion  that  it  just
really helped fuel our thoughts on religion and what  we  brought  to
_The Antichrist_. We felt that anger and it just  carried  over  into
the songwriting for this new album. It made the record,  really.  I'm
glad we channeled into that sound and those emotions."
     "We kind of knew what we wanted with this record, as  did  Peter
[Tagtgren]", continues Schmier about the production of the new  disc.
"Early on with the writing of the material, Peter had  asked  to  get
advance work of the music in pre-production so he could listen to  it
and get some ideas flowing. He'd call me up and say, "Killer!  Better
than the last record!" We were well prepared before we went into  the
studio and the band was in the right frame of mind. Everything was in
sync. We made notes, as I mentioned before, and we wanted to make the
guitars better. Last album they sounded like shit and  we  wanted  to
fix that for sure. And also, I have noticed that things  seem  to  be
going too well for the band in the studio and I am a bit scared  that
it is "too well". But, I think that just goes to  show  that  we  are
developing as a band and getting better as the years go on."
     Do  you  ever  compare  the  old  Destruction   with   the   new
Destruction?
     "When we write songs together, Mike and myself,  we  go  through
the ideas and see if we can use them for Destruction and not  try  to
copy what we have done before. As a songwriting team, we  have  grown
and become very honest with one another and about what ideas work and
don't work for Destruction. It is important to have  the  two  of  us
working as a team. We don't purposely go out and try to  match  ideas
with past Destruction songs, we try to make music that flows  out  of
us."
     "We'd be foolish to try anything else, really. The fact that  we
can still make good music  after  all  of  these  years  is  a  great
feeling. I am excited about what we  have  done  here  with  the  new
record and what we plan to do in the future."
     And how do you know when a record is done  and  have  the  right
songs for that recording?
     "When you have been doing this for such a long time as we  have,
you just become very close to what you do and can feel the energy  of
the recording process", he says. "You just experience the  record  as
it comes along. It is up to the fans to decide if  it  is  your  best
record or if it is great. As musicians, you always  try  to  do  your
best. We basically tried to do the same thing with this record as the
last one, though we had a few new ideas to try out. We didn't  change
much. It is still the Destruction way in the studio.  We  are  a  lot
more sure of what we are doing now. Some people are  saying  this  is
the best record we have ever done. I say this is one of the best  and
could be compared to our _Infernal Overkill_ disc [1985], which  many
say is our classic record. We got along really well for  this  record
and it shows. Any band that doesn't get along within the studio or as
a team, it shows. We were tight in  the  studio  when  we  went  into
record and people can hear that."
     Learning to work as a team in the studio was something that  you
had to learn all over again with the _All Hell Breaks Loose_  record,
right?
     "Yes. The last few releases of Destruction more  than  a  decade
ago was us just coming to the end  of  the  energy  between  us.  The
_Cracked Brain_ [1989] record was an average release for Destruction,
but nothing great. That was a time when I was learning about creating
music within the band, being a musician and understanding  the  music
business. It  just  all  fell  apart.  Back  in  the  early  days  of
Destruction, I got goosebumps when I played our music  and  that  was
what pushed us forward. We lost that feeling and  now,  more  than  a
decade later, I  am  getting  goosebumps  again  and  that  makes  me
know deep down inside that  we  are  on  the  right  path  with  _The
Antichrist_."
     And while things are going fine and dandy for Destruction  right
now, Schmier admits that this won't last forever.
     "The scary part about all of this that is happening  for  us  is
that it won't be like that forever. Every  one  is  excited,  critics
love the record and our sales are up -- but how long will that  last?
I'm scared not knowing if I'll be able to  make  this  kind  of  good
music in the next few years. I might be able to, I might not."
     He ends, "Even though I am thinking about all that could  happen
in the future to the band, right now I  am  excited  to  be  creating
music and being inspired to make Destruction sound as good as it  did
back in the '80s. Making music for Destruction has been  a  rewarding
experience, with these two past albums  being  very  special  to  me.
These albums proved that we as a band still have it in  us.  It  also
goes to show that we have at least one album left in us. If I have my
way, we'll be making records for the next ten years. We came back  to
the scene a few years ago and I'm not going to fade away that fast. I
just won't have it."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

       E N T E R I N G   A N   A G E   O F   A N T I Q U I T Y
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                 CoC interviews Quorthon of Bathory
                          by: Adam Wasylyk


     It's been a lengthy wait for Bathory's brand new studio album --
about six years, in fact, not including the re-worked _Blood on  Ice_
opus. _Destroyer of Worlds_ [reviewed in this  issue]  is  a  mix  of
sounds and styles from the  past  ten  years  (give  or  take),  from
epic-sounding atmospherics to thrash-tinged moments. Those  who  felt
that _Octagon_ and _Requiem_ were disappointments and  the  Viking  /
epic metal era was their shining moment in  time  will  find  partial
solace in the new Bathory release. However, those who appreciate  the
aggressive thrash tendencies of Bathory will find  individual  tracks
worthy of hearing. One's individual tastes will  play  a  significant
role in potential enjoyment of _Destroyer of Worlds_.
     A lengthy chat with Quorthon took place shortly before I had the
chance to hear the record for  myself,  so  many  specific  questions
about the album had to be omitted for obvious  reasons.  What  turned
out to be a more retrospective  chat  than  anything  else,  I  found
Quorthon to be his usual self -- soft-spoken, polite  and  articulate
at times. After a preface discussion on hockey, centering around  the
Swedish player Mats Sundin -- who incidentally plays on  the  Toronto
Maple Leafs -- our interview began.

CoC: So what song did you record today? Has it been titled?

Quorthon: Well, the chorus goes  "Black  death,  pestilence",  so  we
          haven't quite decided  yet.  It's  like  when  we  recorded
          _Requiem_, we actually printed the album cover  out  before
          we were 100% sure on  the  titles  of  the  tracks.  So  we
          haven't entirely decided on the exact title as of yet.

CoC: It's needless to say that Bathory fans are  wondering  what  the
     new material will sound like.  Would  it  be  a  mix  of  styles
     covered throughout the career of Bathory, or an extension of the
     last Bathory studio album _Octagon_? Perhaps you could  describe
     the  aura  of  _Destroyer  of  Worlds_  as  you're  writing  and
     recording the new material.

Q: It'll contain one  piece  of  each  sound  and  style  we've  gone
   through. Eighteen years  down  the  line,  you're  bound  to  have
   learned something about the studio shit. But each time I  go  down
   to the studio these days, there are  all  of  these  technological
   revolutions since the last  time  I  was  there.  Now  when  we're
   recording,  everything  is  basically  done  through  a  computer,
   and I can't  even  fucking  surf  [the  Internet]!  Not  that  I'm
   non-technical, but all of this computer language...  it's  not  my
   thing. It's different than the early Eighties, when you'd stand in
   your garage with a small 20-watt Marshall and you'd record, making
   sure your neighbour's lawnmower wouldn't end  up  on  tape.  Today
   it's very clean; it's very technical. Being  down  in  the  studio
   today is different, but hopefully it'll  turn  out  like  the  old
   Bathory but with a new sound. I'm reluctant to say it'll  be  more
   intelligent as well, because that would be  like  saying  we  were
   stupid in the old days. But back then we would record  albums  and
   wouldn't care if a solo was played wrong, or my voice would  break
   up. These days CDs are more expensive, so you want a quality piece
   to release. Not like "Ah, it's Bathory, just put it out. We  don't
   care much about production or  anything."  _Destroyer  of  Worlds_
   sounds basically like the lost compilation album. One track sounds
   like it  came  off  _Hammerheart_,  another  sounds  like  it  was
   recorded during the _Twilight..._ sessions. A couple of songs will
   remind you of  _The  Return..._,  so  you  have  everything.  It's
   difficult to please all of your fans, but hopefully they will have
   at least half of the record pleasing them.

CoC: Tell me about your vocal approach to the album.

Q: Actually, I never rehearse my vocals. We don't  have  a  rehearsal
   space, so we just go to the studio and try it out.  About  95%  of
   all of the Bathory songs, at least in the last ten years, goes  in
   B [as in B note? -- Adam]. I've never been able to figure  out  if
   that's too low or too high for me, so I just scream and wait until
   blood fills in my mouth and I get a headache. I would  just  stand
   there and scream.

CoC: As some of the lyrics deal with topics like war and  death,  are
     there any underlying concepts or  themes  that  tie  the  tracks
     together on _Destroyer of Worlds_? Or do the tracks co-exist  on
     their own?

Q: No, I wouldn't say there's a  particular  theme.  The  whole  idea
   behind the title _Destroyer of Worlds_ deals with Oppenheimer, who
   while standing in the Nevada Desert saw the  mushroom  cloud  from
   the first atomic  explosion,  remembered  a  quote  from  a  Hindu
   script. "I have become death...  I  have  become  a  destroyer  of
   worlds." The title track is about Enola Gay, dropping the bomb  on
   Hiroshima. And having spent so much time in Berlin, because  Black
   Mark used to be Berlin-based, although it's always been a  Swedish
   label, I could vaguely imagine Berlin  in  rubble.  One  track  is
   called "Death From Above", which is about the air force of Berlin.
   There's another track dedicated to the 109 Fighter, so  there's  a
   lot of air warfare on the new album, but there are  no  themes  to
   connect the songs.

CoC: Fans  have  always  found   an   attractive   quality   in   the
     mysteriousness of the Bathory image. Was that something that was
     practised and purposeful,  or  something  that  just  came  into
     being?

Q: I remember up until '86/'87, during the time when I  was  actually
   trying out a tonne of bassists and drummers, I found Sweden to  be
   not such a good place to form a band like Bathory. First, you have
   Europe that sets the standard for what a metal band  was  supposed
   to look like, to get up on stage and get a record  deal.  So  then
   people would come down to the rehearsal place and say "If  I  have
   to play this song, or do what you're telling me to do, I'll  sweat
   and won't be able to get laid afterwards." So we wouldn't  release
   any pictures, and for all of the interviews to fanzines  would  be
   my  pictures.  And  that  came  out  of  a  necessity  of  contact
   with our small fanbase in those  days.  The  whole  anonymity  and
   mysteriousness just came out of it,  and  we  realized  that  some
   people were attracted to the mysteriousness. Then there was all of
   this talk of a one-man band. Of course I played 80% of the bass on
   _The Return..._, I played 50% of the bass on _Under the  Sign..._,
   I played all of the bass on _Hammerheart_  and  _Twilight..._  and
   stuff like that, but there's never been a one-man band  situation.
   But then we realized that every time people had to make a  comment
   about Bathory in magazines, they always had to print a picture [of
   just me]. But we didn't do much to  dispel  the  rumour.  We're  a
   project. We're two guys having fun in the studio once in a  while.
   We don't feel the pressure of trying to make people  believe  that
   there's a band behind the Bathory name. So for the mysteriousness,
   we just kept our mouths shut. And since then  I've  realized  that
   people have more problems with my image than I  do.  People  think
   I'm living in a bat cave in Sweden,  eating  babies  and  drinking
   blood. That's one of the more stupid rumours. I've heard some more
   serious rumours as well. They're great as long as there's a little
   tongue in cheek in them. And about 50% of the  time,  I  won't  do
   anything to kill those rumours.

CoC: What other rumours have you heard over the years?

Q: All kinds  of  things.  I'm  going  through  town  dressed  as  an
   SS Officer on  a  Harley  Davidson.  Hmmm...  there's  just  about
   everything. <loud sigh> And from all that, you have fans send  you
   the stupidest things. I've had people send me their  kid  sister's
   decapitated cats. Particularly during the  mid-'80s,  the  Bathory
   fans in America -- who were twice as many as our European fans  --
   I would have girls  send  me  their  pictures  naked,  covered  in
   nothing but pig's blood. One girl would  send  me  a  plastic  bag
   containing earth. I had to read her letter to understand  why  she
   had sent this. She said: "I went to this graveyard  under  a  full
   moon, I masturbated, and I figured that this earth would be  great
   for your magical ceremonies." You start to wonder, "Man. I'm  just
   a hockey-loving, Harley Davidson-riding, long-haired hard  rocker.
   And that's all."

CoC: Fans usually always take an image too seriously.

Q: One night I was out with this girl, and I was on the subway. There
   were these three or four teenage guys dressed up in black  leather
   coats, black  boots,  spikes,  black  leather  pants  and  Bathory
   T-shirts. Their faces were as pale  as  sheets,  with  long  black
   hair. They just looked at me and went, "UGGH! Quorthon!" How do  I
   explain that to a girl who doesn't even know I can play guitar? At
   least 80% of my friends don't even know I  can  handle  a  guitar.
   Whenever something like that happens, when  business  creeps  into
   your private life, that's when it aches. It's difficult to handle.
   I don't want any part of that. That's another reason why we  don't
   photos. I communicate to those who enjoy my  records  through  the
   music alone. But they want this guy dressed up  in  black  leather
   underwear and spikes and blood all over the  place  like  some  of
   pictures from the early '80s or something.

CoC: I heard that an ex-Bathory drummer  now  directs  music  videos,
     with recent work including Madonna and Metallica. True?

Q: That's Jonas. Yeah, he was the first drummer of Bathory.

CoC: I also heard that he's semi-interested in making a Bathory video
     one day.

Q: Well, he didn't tell me about making a  Bathory  video.  I  bumped
   into him some time ago. The one thing he told me was after he  had
   done some shots one  day  with  Metallica  for  their  video,  the
   Metallica guys were in the studio playing some Bathory  songs  and
   were asking him for autographs and asking him if he could  ask  me
   for an autograph. I don't know of any of  that  is  true,  but  in
   order for him to get any more  jobs  over  there  he  wouldn't  be
   saying stuff like that if it weren't true.

CoC: How do you look back at your self-titled project,  which  saw  a
     couple of releases in recent years? Will future  releases  under
     the Quorthon name be realized?

Q: After _Twilight..._ I wanted to take a  one-year  sabbatical  from
   music, and get on my Harley and ride around Europe or the  States.
   The record label sorta freaked out and said "Hey,  you  guys  stay
   active or you're going to find out that  there's  more  things  to
   life than being locked up in the studio." They  told  me  to  take
   what I needed -- a guitar, a bass and a drum machine -- to go into
   the studio for a week and  a  half  and  record  whatever  shit  I
   wanted, to see if anything turns out worth putting out on  a  solo
   record. That sounded very challenging, because having  being  tied
   to a band like Bathory for a decade or so [at the  time],  all  of
   the sudden you find yourself wanting to answer the  question  "Who
   the hell am I? What do I sound like when  writing  something  that
   doesn't have to fall under the Bathory umbrella  either  sound  or
   style-wise?" I grew up listening to the Beatles and  Sex  Pistols,
   so I figured, why not go in with my musical roots and go in  there
   and freak out  for  a  week  and  a  half  with  no  ambitions  or
   expectations? And the nature of the critic is that if someone  did
   buy that CD, and if they thought it sucked, they wouldn't write  a
   letter saying so. When you go see  a  movie,  you  don't  write  a
   letter to the director to say the movie is shit.  You  just  don't
   recommend it to a friend. But if you do  see  a  good  movie,  you
   recommend it. For those who enjoyed the first record,  they  wrote
   to me and said "This one took me by surprise",  so  they  are  the
   ones who asked for a second one. But 95%  of  the  reactions  were
   confused. I was very happy that I  didn't  receive  any  downright
   awful criticism like "Stop milking the legend" or "Call it  quits"
   or "Produce a real Bathory album". I probably  won't  release  any
   other material under the Quorthon name,  though.  The  second  one
   would never had happened if it hadn't been for 3000 people writing
   to me asking for a second one. And I emptied my testicles  at  the
   time, since it was a double CD with 23 tracks. I sort  of  made  a
   point -- not everybody gets to make a record. Not  everybody  gets
   to make twelve records. Not everybody gets to make three solo CDs.
   If you can do it, why not try?

CoC: When was the bulk of the new album  written  and  composed?  Had
     ideas for the new album been gathering for weeks, or months?

Q: Hmm... that's a good question. Actually, I  wrote  about  a  dozen
   tracks and went into the studio, and I did so not to hear what the
   songs would sound like, but rather what the studio sounds like.  I
   then went home and into my basement, where I  wrote  a  couple  of
   more songs. The  sound  and  atmosphere  of  the  studio  is  very
   important. Sometimes you realize a song is really going to suck no
   matter how you record it. When you get a feeling for  the  studio,
   you can see how a style could fit a  studio  perfectly.  <Quorthon
   takes another moment to compute in his head> I've written a  total
   of 28 songs since the beginning of the year, in which  I  scrapped
   all of them except for one. And in the past month the majority  of
   the album was written.

CoC: So does studio work, after almost fifteen  years,  still  excite
     and thrill you?  Is  it  what  you  consider  the  true  Bathory
     environment?

Q: If Bathory had promotional  tours,  live  concerts,  groupies  and
   drugs and whatever, I wouldn't be in this business at all. All  of
   this work is for the studio. I mean, Bathory is a  studio  project
   and has been so since 1986. The studio is a happy  place.  It's  a
   place where you can walk around in your underwear, eat peanuts and
   watch a video. At least 80% of the time when we're in  the  studio
   we're laughing and not recording! Some of the greatest  jokes  and
   some of the funniest moments I've had  in  my  life  were  in  the
   studio. Then at the end of the day we'll go "Uh, should we  record
   something today?" "Okay, let's record a guitar or something",  and
   the rest of the day we'll spend laughing.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                        M E T A L   P R I D E
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
             CoC chats with Dave Ingram of Bolt Thrower
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     While  the  new  Bolt  Thrower  album  _Honour,  Valour,  Pride_
[reviewed in this issue] may not be my favourite Bolt  Thrower  album
(I just can't get into some of the material), it still does have  the
strength and  stamina  that  can  been  found  within  their  classic
releases, like 1992's _The IVth Crusade_ and 1994's  intense  _...For
Victory_. The music, while taking in  some  new  ideas,  pretty  much
stays true to the Bolt Thrower form and allows  the  war  machine  to
roll on.
     One new addition to the band that is bringing  some  changes  to
the sounds of Bolt Thrower  is  ex-Benediction  singer  Dave  Ingram,
who replaced singer  Karl  Willets  after  the  recording  of  1998's
_Mercenary_. No doubt Ingram knew that him joining Bolt Thrower was a
big deal and put a bit of pressure on him and how things  would  work
out with fellow band members Gavin Ward and Baz Thomson (guitarists),
drummer Martin Kearns and bassist Jo  Bench.  He  isn't  complaining.
He's been a fan of the band for years and was excited to be a part of
this monstrous musical force.
     As the call comes in from Dave Ingram from his home in  Denmark,
I reveal to him that it had been  a  long  time  since  we  had  last
spoken. The last time I had spoken to him was  for  CoC  #2  (a  long
fucking time ago, folks!!!) during the summer  of  1995  and  he  was
doing press for his old band  Benediction  and  their  Nuclear  Blast
release _The Dreams You Dread_.
     "Oh", Ingram says. "You know I am in another band now, right?"
     We both laugh.
     The topic quickly turns to Bolt Thrower's  new  album,  _Honour,
Valour, Pride_, the first with Ingram on vocals. "I am very proud  of
the end results. I am very happy with the new record, as is  everyone
else in the band. If we weren't happy with the end result of _Honour,
Valour, Pride_, we wouldn't have left the studio", says  Ingram.  "If
we were completely unsatisfied, we would have wiped it all clean  and
started again. We are of that mind. We do take a lot of pride in  our
work; it is hard work, but it was a lot of fun. We  all  worked  hard
and we all did our part."
     "We had a much bigger range with what we could do as a band this
time around. This was my first recording with the band,  but  I  have
had loads of experience in the studio with my previous band,  so  all
of that helped make the recording experience  a  bit  different  this
time out."
     Any first time jitters when starting off the  recording  with  a
new band?
     "No", states Ingram. "It felt really, really comfortable.  There
was never any tension at all or  any  trepidation  or  holding  back.
Regardless of me being in the band or someone else, Bolt Thrower is a
war machine that keeps rolling on and I am just glad to be a part  of
it on this record and for future recordings with the band.  The  band
just rolled with what they had. There weren't any false starts when I
came aboard. It was all still pretty much in motion. It  was  totally
smooth."
     What did you bring to the recording of _Honour, Valour, Pride_?
     "We tried a lot of things in the studio with this  album",  says
Ingram. "I personally used three different  type  of  microphones.  I
used ambient ones, handheld ones and even sang in the control room to
get certain sounds. We tried different ways to get  the  parts  down.
Some didn't work out, but others did sound awesome. What we  did  was
take parts of songs, lines or even words that  held  up  and  put  it
together. So in fact, we recorded all the vocals like four times, but
just took from each technique."
     He adds, "Even though new things are implemented into the  sound
and direction of the band, it still  remains  Bolt  Thrower.  I  have
always been a fan of the band, well before I joined, and I knew  what
their ideology was and what they always set out to do  with  each  of
their albums. I knew that they always  strived  to  keep  this  theme
running throughout. When I was in Benediction  we  toured  with  Bolt
Thrower, so I knew everyone, and that made it  an  even  easier  move
into the band when I joined."
     And what songs on _Honour, Valour,  Pride_  do  you  think  best
represent Bolt Thrower currently?
     "I'd have to say all of them", says Ingram in  typical  musician
fashion. "Really, I think all are a great representation of where  we
are now as a band. But on a personal level, I'd have to say the  song
"Suspect Hostile" because of the lyrics. For me, some of  the  lyrics
in the song, I haven't seen before. I wrote that song with Gavin.  We
tossed around a lot of ideas for that song, back and forth,  and  the
end result is superb. I love the way the lyrics ended up. I  actually
got a huge buzz when we recorded that track in the studio."
     So music really affects you?
     "Yes, it does. It really gives me a high", exclaims the  singer.
"I have been a huge fan of heavy metal since I got into Black Sabbath
when I was seven years old. I have followed music through many genres
growing up, and I always wanted to do be in a band and record  albums
and tour. I got to do this, and it just makes me feel so good  inside
knowing that I accomplished something  I  always  dreamed  of  doing.
Being in a band is great. I don't care if this band gets  good  news,
bad news or just gossip talked about us. It is  showing  that  people
know who we are and it makes me feel good. The whole band is proud to
have been doing this for so long and still be part of the scene."
     You'd think after years of playing in Benediction  and  non-stop
recording and touring that Ingram would  have  grown  tired  at  this
point in his career of making music and everything  else  that  comes
with it. That isn't the case -- more like  the  opposite  of  how  he
feels.
     "It kind of feels like  home",  says  Ingram  exuberantly  about
being in Bolt Thrower. "I don't want to use  the  word  "comfortable"
again, but it just does feel that way for me. It  just  fits  like  a
jigsaw puzzle, really. I am glad that this is  all  working  out  and
that I know what to expect with Bolt Thrower. Bolt Thrower has  never
taken any outside influence from anybody.  Bolt  Thrower  has  always
been Bolt Thrower and that is the way things are continuing  for  the
band into 2002."
     He ends, "Bolt Thrower isn't arrogant at all, but  we  see  Bolt
Thrower's music as one of a kind. There is  nothing  out  there  like
this and there never will be. Our crusade continues and we invite our
fans to come along for the ride."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

           H E A R S E   T O   Y O U ,   W I T C H E R Y !
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
             CoC interviews Sharlee D'Angelo of Witchery
                           by: Aaron McKay


     You  gotta  admit,  there  are  some   bands   you   just   like
unquestionably. Well, this Swedish five piece outfit is one  of  them
for me. Thundering bass and vicious riffs with gravelly, raspy vocals
-- I had little choice in the matter; these  morbidly  amusing  gents
pulled me in like a traveling black hole from Hell. Complete  with  a
twisted comedic sense, Witchery unleashed _Symphony  for  the  Devil_
(get it? Think Rolling Stones) onto a unsuspecting  fanbase.  I  like
it, but then again there is little here not to like. Talk about  your
contorted humor -- "Hearse of the Pharaohs"?
     "Yea, it is kinda like a tradition that  we  have",  begins  the
ever-talented bassist. Sharlee  continues,  "We've  always  done  the
wordplay thing. Why not have a little something there, ya  know?  The
people who react to it are kind  of,  ya  know,  "our  people"",  Mr.
D'Angelo spells it out for me very clearly.
     What! Two instrumentals on _Symphony for the Devil_? "The  thing
was, the first one that came about, "Bone Mill", that was one of  the
songs that basically wrote itself with Martin [Axe], who was  playing
some kind of drum pattern, and then Jensen [guitar] came up with  the
riff to it", my interviewee conveys. ""Hearse of  the  Pharaohs"  was
not  originally  intended  to  be  an  instrumental  track",  Sharlee
continues, "but before we came around to writing the lyrics for it, I
called Hank [Sherman, of Mercyful Fate fame]  and  asked  him  if  he
wanted to come over to the studio and gang out. He said yea, and  I'm
like could you bring  your  guitar?"  <we  laugh>  Sharlee  goes  on,
"People think having Hank on the album was my idea, but it was really
Jensen's idea. Also, for Toxine [vocals], Hank has  always  been  his
favorite guitar player -- all categories."
     And after Mr. Sherman went wild over the  whole  thing?  Sharlee
told me, "Well, then there was really no room for vocals [on  "Hearse
of the Pharaohs"]. Why not just let it be an instrumental  track?  It
makes for a nice change of pace [on the album]".
     Originally intended only for release as bonus tracks for  vinyl,
but the European label (Music for Nations)  for  Witchery  wanted  to
include them; Witchery agreed, but they wanted those  two  songs  for
the US version as well. I'll have  to  confess  something  here,  the
bonus tracks on _Symphony for the Devil_ are out of this  world.  How
did they come about? Weren't "Enshrined" (killer bass opening, by the
way) and "The One Within" old Satanic Slaughter songs?
     "Exactly", Mr. D'Angelo confirms. "All the other  guys  were  on
that [self-titled] album except  for  Martin,  of  course.  This  was
before my time and I always -loved- that album -- I think it  is  one
of the most overlooked pieces of black metal ever. It was a treat for
me to come in and do my part on some of those songs."  I'll  tell  ya
folks, I honestly believe that the -only- thing SS  was  missing  was
the cavernous bass sounds of Sharlee D'Angelo!
     There is -always- one song, at least, on a  release  that  tells
you, hell yea -- this is what I like! Well, "Omen" was that track for
me. I asked for Sharlee's thoughts on that piece. "In  this  instance
here, I think great minds think alike -- it  is  my  favorite,  too",
confesses  the  bassist.  "You  know  what  it  is  with  that  song?
Instantly, when we were playing it, and especially  when  we  got  it
recorded and we could sit down and listen to it, the image that  came
up in my head was like driving down the highway in the dark  and  you
only have the light from the dashboard. It is a great driving  song."
Not only that, Sharlee, my friend, but your bass is  kickin'  ass  on
that track, too, brother!
     Jensen once alluded to Martin Axe's age in an interview I  read.
I asked Mr. D'Angelo how old the drummer was. "He's  21",  comes  the
reply. Wow! He's got a real handle  on  his  instrument.  "Especially
"Called for by Death", Sharlee elaborates. "That song is a very, very
good example of how Martin works. It's got a bit of  a  Judas  Priest
feel to it. Ya know, the -old- Seventies type Judas  Priest".  Do  I?
_Rocka Rolla_ (and its cover) is beyond explanation.  Ultimately  Mr.
D'Angelo says, "He's so young and he -knows- his metal history!"
     Some guitarists are seemingly incapable of laying  down  a  good
solo, and Sharlee and I talked a little bit about that, but  such  is
-not- the case with the soloist supreme, Richard Corpse -- right, Mr.
D'Angelo?
     "He put so much more effort into the leads this time and  really
thought it through. He came up with  some  great  stuff",  Witchery's
bassist advises me. "Solos are an expression thing and if you  aren't
in the mood, you aren't going to come up with anything good. This  is
[Richard's] best lead work to date, I think." I  agree.  Some  pretty
concentrated leads on _Symphony for the Devil_; very inspired.
     Vocals play such a huge part  in  music,  I  believe.  From  the
bowels of the indecipherable like most on any Abyss  track  to  using
vocals as an  instrument  as  John  Tardy  did  with  early  Obituary
releases, how it is sung matters. So, that said, what about Toxine?
     "With the type of vocals, sometimes with all the screaming [with
other bands] it is just there to make the music more extreme",  comes
my answer. "We come from the same school, I guess. With Toxine,  he's
got impeccable timing  and,  in  that  sense,  rhythm  and  all  that
expression". So true. Sharlee continues, "It is  not  only  what  you
sing, but it's also the inhales and the exhales and their  rhythmical
context -- what you do with it. With this album, [Toxine]  is  trying
different things, more lows and  more  highs.  I  think  he  is  just
starting  to  sound  more  and  more  evil."  Even  though  I  agree,
especially with Toxine's efforts on this effort, I'd -love-  to  hear
it when he masters it -- and I think he's almost there...
     What about you, Sharlee? Tell us about your style and  emphasis.
He replies, "I don't really care that much if I can be heard  or  not
as an individual player. I'm  more  concentrated  on  whether  I  add
something to the music." Sharlee goes on. "Ian Hill [Judas Priest] is
a very, very big inspiration to me. The way he is  also  very  simple
and the way that he works with the drums."
     Intermittently I am permitted the rare opportunity  to  say  the
current album from a particular band has exceeded the  previous  one;
_Symphony for the Devil_ has provided that opening. An uncommon treat
for me to have a sensible conversation with someone so  knowledgeable
as the good-natured Sharlee D'Angelo. An album well worth  your  time
and  consideration.  Momentous  thanks  for  the  enlightening  talk,
Sharlee. And permit me to say that I am so very glad you  guys  write
music and are into metal instead of long  fairy  tales,  'cause  they
have a tendency to DRAGON... Get it?!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

       C R E A T I V E   B R U T A L I T Y   U N L E A S H E D
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                    CoC talks to Alex of Sinister
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     The world of death metal music, and the bands that make  up  the
genre, have continued to  evolve  over  the  years,  some  more  than
others. One of the bands that has continued to crank out death  metal
mayhem, but evolve and bring new ideas into  their  sound/style  each
time out, is Dutch act Sinister.
     From the early days of  1992's  _Cross  the  Styx_  onto  1995's
brilliantly violent _Hate_ [CoC #2] and 1998's _Aggressive  Measures_
[CoC #37], the band has continued to push the envelope for the  realm
of death metal music. That hard work  and  persistence  continues  on
with the latest offering, and debut for Hammerheart  Records,  titled
_Creative Killings_ [reviewed in this issue].
     Chronicles of Chaos caught up with longtime bassist Alex to talk
about the new album, the hiring of female  vocalist  Rachel  and  the
impressive artwork adorning the new album. We begin...

CoC: Line-up changes seem to have plagued the band  over  the  years,
     but yet the band carried on. What do you think that  says  about
     the band and the music you make?

Alex: The most important thing for us is that everyone is on the same
      level in the band. There has never really been  any  discussion
      between the members about the musical direction of the band. We
      all stand 100% behind our style and our albums. This is why  it
      is possible to create a good product like _Creative  Killings_.
      All the people that have left the  band  throughout  the  years
      were in some way not motivated to carry on with the  music  and
      the way we wanted to as a band. The musical heart of  the  band
      was never damaged in any way. Most members who  left  the  band
      weren't really involved with the  songwriting,  so  their  loss
      could easily be replaced by someone with a better attitude  and
      motivation.

CoC: Obviously with Rachel on vocals, the new disc has a new vibe and
     flow to it. What do you think she has brought to the band and to
     the new album _Creative Killings_?

A: What we all like about Rachel's voice is  that  it  is  a  classic
   death metal grunt. She really sings and bring a vibe  to  all  the
   new songs. I think that  that  is  a  great  achievement,  because
   nowadays lots of the new singers just  want  to  sing  as  low  as
   possible, which results in a lot of bands having a monotone  sound
   in the end.

CoC: With more than a decade gone by, what do you think Sinister  has
     to offer to the metal music scene? What  do  you  think  of  the
     current metal music scene?

A: I'm not really thinking about what our music could  contribute  to
   the  current  metal  scene.  First  of  all,  we  make  music  for
   ourselves. We don't follow trends, like a lot of others  did  with
   the black metal hype in the middle of the '90s. We just aim to get
   better at what we do. Our drummer Aad is totally  devoted  to  the
   American death metal music. I also  like  bands  from  the  United
   States, but I also appreciate bands like The  Kovenant,  Rammstein
   and Cradle of Filth.

CoC: Musically, I don't think the band has been any tighter  or  more
     brutal in sound. Was this  a  conscious  decision,  to  be  this
     brutal and aggressive?

A: No, not really! Like I said before, musically we just do  what  we
   are good at. I think each Sinister album is always a bit different
   from the others. _Hate_ was a record with dark atmospheric  parts,
   while _Aggressive Measures_ was based on brutality and aggression.
   _Creative Killings_ combines all of these aspects, which  results,
   like you said, in a tight, brutal and fresh record.

CoC: Talk to me about the artwork adorning the cover. Most  bands  of
     this music genre go for grotesque or flat  out  violent  images;
     this album cover is indeed a work of  art.  Why  was  the  image
     chosen?

A: We always think up the  covers  ourselves.  Our  drummer  Aad  has
   always had some great ideas. We think it's crucial to have a  good
   album cover. For this album  we  chose  Jon  Zig  [Averse  Sefira,
   Houwitzer]. He drew a fabulous piece of work  for  us.  The  cover
   really matches the album title.

CoC: Do you think Sinister has influenced  any  bands  of  the  metal
     genre over the years? If so, where do you hear it?

A: Indeed, some new bands see us as  an  inspiration  for  their  own
   music, which is a big compliment. But still, there isn't really  a
   band that has the same recognizable sound as we do.  I  think  you
   can say the same for a band like Immolation. They  have  a  unique
   sound within the genre. I'm sure that lots of bands are influenced
   by Immolation, but there hasn't really been a band with  the  same
   musical aspects. I think the same goes for Sinister.

CoC: Most veteran bands have slowed things down a bit  and  forgotten
     their metal roots. It seems the opposite has  happened  to  you.
     What do you have to say about veteran bands altering their sound
     and style?

A: What I hate is that  even  now  people  label  death  metal  as  a
   secondary music style. Even bands that played death metal  in  the
   past are pissing on the genre that made them well-known. There are
   bands that pissed on the scene a few years ago that now, with  the
   higher popularity of the genre, are coming back with a  new  death
   metal album and saying that they want to go back to  their  roots.
   Sinister will always be a band that makes  brutal  music.  If  the
   motivation to play the music this way  ever  disappears,  then  so
   will Sinister.

CoC: Where do the song ideas and lyrics come from? What inspires such
     devilish, evil thoughts?

A: I find inspiration in movies, books and philosophy. I  think  it's
   important that the lyrics match with the music. In  short:  brutal
   lyrics for brutal songs.

CoC: Is this a 24 hour a day job, or has the band had to  juggle  day
     jobs to keep this going? How does that affect things?

A: We lived a couple of years without having jobs and putting all  of
   our time and effort into the music. However, I wouldn't  recommend
   doing that. There is a lot of pressure to  tour  and  make  albums
   when you do this full-time. The sad thing about playing this  kind
   of music is that it is hard to earn a good living. In 1998 we  all
   decided to get jobs and keep the band as a serious hobby.  It  was
   the best decision we ever made, because now  we're  playing  in  a
   band more then ever. Touring and playing live is a vacation for us
   now. Plus, we don't have to worry about money problems anymore.

CoC: Is this the best disc Sinister has put out or  is  this  just  a
     continuation of Sinister's career?

A: To me it's just a continuation of our previous work, but  I  think
   that we did a fine job with the new album.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

     V O M I T   T O   V A N Q U I S H   T H E   V A T I C A N !
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
            CoC chats with Alex Wank from Pungent Stench
                          by: Paul Schwarz


I first heard the name of Pungent Stench five years ago. I was in  an
Italian restaurant at a friend's birthday  dinner.  A  slightly  late
guest arrived, made his apologies to his host, and produced a CD from
his jacket. On the cover of the CD was a grisly image  depicting  the
severed, putrefacting heads of two aged persons  French  kissing.  He
waved the CD at one guest, inquiring as to whether  he'd  ever  heard
it. When the answer came back as a negative, he exclaimed  excitedly:
"These guys are sicker than Autopsy! They talk about  chiseling  your
mother's eyeballs out!" The album in question  was  Pungent  Stench's
second album, released in 1991, _Been Caught Buttering_. The  episode
above is quite illustrative of Pungent Stench's status  back  in  the
early Nineties. With the death metal scene  stuffed  full  of  bands,
separating yours from the crowd was of  paramount  importance.  Bands
tried to claim various accolades for themselves -- Mortician's  "most
brutal" self-labelling was born out of this climate.  Pungent  Stench
were sold substantially on  the  twisted,  gore-and-perversion-soaked
nature of their visual presentation and lyrics.  This  naturally  put
them alongside Autopsy -- although for my  money,  there  is  nothing
astounding about Pungent Stench's musical material  for  the  various
eras in which it was made. In 1995, Pungent Stench split. In 1998,  a
compilation entitled _Praise the Names of the Musical Assassins_ [CoC
#29], which collected all the  rare  and  unreleased  Pungent  Stench
material available, was finally released by Nuclear Blast as  a  sort
of farewell to the band. Many in  the  underground  came  forward  to
praise Pungent Stench's career, and bemoan their passing.  That  wave
of praise was what prompted me to  pick  up  various  Pungent  Stench
albums and check the band out. Though I discovered nothing  that  was
musically revelatory, I was  consistently  impressed  with  how  well
presented Pungent Stench's albums were, and  how  consistently  their
lyrics managed to cover subject matter that side-stepped  dumb  death
metal norms. Then, completely out of the blue, a new  Pungent  Stench
album turned up in the mail last Autumn: _Masters of  Moral  Servants
of Sin_. Over repeated listens, I was not only highly impressed  with
how much Pungent  had  sharpened  up  and  compressed  their  musical
material into tight and powerful Haunted-esque  blasts  of  thrashing
intensity -- which nonetheless retained the creepy, 'necro'  feel  of
the Pungent Stench of old -- I was also amused and enthralled by  the
twisted, strongly taboo themes they covered in their lyrics this time
out -- which, through a gruff but  clear  vocal  delivery,  could  be
substantially understood even on casual listens. Lines like "Pull  on
my trenchcoat, and grab my fathers gun" (from "School's Out Forever")
or "They crown me: paedophile rex" (from "Rex Paedophilius") made  me
sit up straighter in my seat -- they also had me laugh  out  loud  on
more than one occasion. Though I was pretty sure that  the  band  had
their tongues planted in cheeks, I still wondered what Pungent Stench
were ultimately trying to say with _MoMSoS_: whether there  was  some
serious point being made. Thus it was,  with  many  questions  and  a
genuine interest  in  Pungent  Stench  2001,  that  I  conducted  the
following interview with Alex Wank.

CoC: What prompted the original Pungent Stench split, in as simple or
     as complex terms as you wanna go into?

Alex Wank: Why we, more or less, split up,  hmmmm...  Well,  I  don't
           know, it's... Back when we released the  last  one,  _Club
           Mondo Bizarre_, we did a European tour. Originally it  was
           fine and then we had a short break  and  we  composed  the
           next record. Then we did the US and the US tour was really
           long. After three months we had a really bad mood  between
           each other and we were just sick of everything.  We  ended
           up at the point of no return and then we just didn't  feel
           comfortable, had no more fun and said: fuck it, you  know.
           Then we just stopped. We split up in '95, six years ago.

CoC: Six years down the line, what prompted you  to  bring  the  band
     back together? What sparked it off?

AW: Well, I never thought that we would ever reform the band  anyway,
    because I thought: why? For what reason? And I couldn't  believe,
    myself, that I would enjoy starting everything again.

CoC: That's why you put out the _Praise the Musical Assassins_ CD?

AW: Exactly, in '97, and I thought: this is it, this is  the  epitaph
    of us, and adios, you know. But then, I don't know, in 2000 I got
    a phone call from Nuclear Blast: they wanted to re-release  stuff
    and remaster stuff and blah, blah, blah. And, you know,  for  all
    their classic bullshit series they need bonus songs. And I  said,
    "I have no bonus songs, we used them for _Praise  the  Names..._.
    What do you want?" And then they said, "Ah, maybe you can  record
    one." I said, "What should I record? I  mean,  we  have  no  more
    band." And then I talked  with  Martin  and  I  mean,  it  was  a
    ridiculous question of Nuclear Blast's. And then,  you  know,  we
    talked and we met more and more and then we did sessions  for  us
    and we enjoyed it. The bassist was not interested in metal  since
    we split. He finished doing music at all  and  he  finished  with
    metal and everything. So it was just me and Martin:  we  met  and
    played around and enjoyed it and we said, "Before we  record  one
    or two songs for shitty re-releases, we  reform  the  band."  And
    then we just reformed.

CoC: Alright, fair play. So now that you have reformed and you've got
     the ball rolling, is there some sort of purpose:  do  you  think
     something missing from the scene that you wanna  bring  back  to
     it, something particular?

AW: Nah, I don't think so. There's so many bands out,  nobody  misses
    Pungent, I think. <laughs>

CoC: OK, that's interesting, because I  do  remember  when  you  guys
     split up and especially when _Praise  the  Names..._  came  out,
     there were a lot of people who, sort of, almost came out of  the
     closet to praise Pungent Stench.  And  people  were  like:  this
     [_PtNoTMA] is brilliant and it pays tribute to this amazing band
     and stuff.

AW: Really?

CoC: Yeah! Because I mean, the death metal scene tends to have  that,
     you know, tends to have this way of remembering  the  underdogs,
     the unusual bands, I guess.

AW: Yeah.

CoC: Why did you decide to sign with Nuclear Blast again?

AW: Well, they showed interest, of course, from day one  'cause  they
    asked about the re-releases, and then we said, "Yes, we can do it
    in a proper way -- but we also reformed, by the way." And  Markus
    [Staiger, Nuclear Blast label boss -- Paul] was  extremely  happy
    because he outed himself as a Pungent fan ages ago.

CoC: Yeah, he always seemed to support the band.

AW: Yeah, he really loves us. I don't know why, but he just enjoys us
    and he thinks even the new one is killer. We've always  had  very
    good support and very good friendship with him  and  the  company
    and the company grew with us and we grew with the company back in
    the very old days. And he's  thankful  for  us,  until  now,  and
    that's great of him. Why  should  we  change?  It's  the  perfect
    company for us. We always worked together with them. They are not
    too far away from us, etc., etc. So: perfect.

CoC: Nuclear Blast always worked well for you, I think.

AW: Yeah, and plus they need some heavy stuff  again  'cause  there's
    too much... too much... useless metal on their company. <laughs>

CoC: Definitely. It's interesting because some bands  had  real  kind
     of... some of the death metal bands who started at the same sort
     of time as you, Nuclear Blast kind of  ran  out  on  at  various
     times. But I think  they  started  running  out  on  them  after
     Pungent Stench split up, like in about '96/'97. Like  Dismember,
     and a couple of other bands who'd been on the label for  a  long
     time.

AW: That's right. The whole scene  really  suffered,  I  think,  with
    sales and the sales of these  bands.  They  went  back  and  they
    focused on other stuff  and  now  the  range...  it's  a  totally
    different range of stuff they have and there's hardly  any  death
    metal. They asked me about a split 7" or whatever they wanted  --
    a gimmick -- and I said, "With whom?" They said,  "Pick  a  band,
    you know, from Nuclear Blast." And  I  said,  "Come  on,  there's
    nothing on your label which I want." <laughs> Nothing fits to us.
    I mean, there's still Benediction, they have a pretty nice record
    now out, of course, but there's not much left. Yeah?

CoC: Yeah, I know what you mean. It's got very sparse compared to how
     it was. Why the title "Masters of Moral Servants of Sin"?

AW: Why?

CoC: Yeah, what's the idea of the title, if any?

AW: Well, of course  there  are  meanings:  there  are  meanings  for
    everything.  I  mean,  you  have  just  a  promo,  so  you  don't
    understand the whole concept of the whole thing.

CoC: That's one of my next questions, actually.

AW: The whole thing is -- hmm, where should I  start?  --  the  whole
    concept, the whole image, the whole lyrics,  the  whole  artwork,
    everything, all photos, everything of us  is  absolutely  in  one
    direction. It is about religion -- Catholics -- about the church,
    about the Vatican, about preachers and popes  and  whatever.  The
    title stands for it, and it  stands  also  for  us:  we  are  the
    Masters of Moral and the Servants of Sin, of course. And  as  you
    see on the promo at least, there's this new symbol --  this  logo
    of ours -- which is also from the church. It's the "t" cross  and
    we just put the "s" on it and you have a nice symbol,  also,  for
    the band. The "s" is a snake... whatever that means. <laughs> You
    have many lyrics about it, of course -- not all, but almost  all.
    And it's better if you read and get the whole one, you know.

CoC: Yeah, that's what I wanted to do, but unfortunately  I  couldn't
     do that before I talked to you.

AW: Okay okay, I see.

CoC: Fortunately, the record's production -- which  is  exceptionally
     good, by the way...

AW: Thank you.

CoC: ...means that I can understand a number of bits of  the  lyrics,
     so I can -try- and get into the lyrics.

AW: You can understand. It's pretty clear. <ha ha ha>

CoC: Yeah, it's pretty clear the whole way through. Will this  cover,
     this simple cover [featuring the symbol Alex mentioned above  on
     a black background], be the cover for the album?

AW: No. There was a plan for a very limited edition with this  in  an
    embossed print on a leather box, but I think it's  too  expensive
    for them so they don't wanna do it: whatever.  So  they'll  do  a
    digipak and a regular CD with a very nice  photo  of  us.  So  it
    looks different.

CoC: The one on the back of the promo with you as priests?  [standing
     around a young girl dressed in white: an ambiguously  disturbing
     image.]

AW: Nononononononono. This photo is just for the promo. We  had  more
    than a thousand photos done in two  days  and  we  have  so  much
    material that we have, for every magazine, a different photo. <ha
    ha ha>

CoC: Wicked! Great!

AW: So there's so much material that there will be a photo booklet --
    it's just full of photos -- and  we  have  an  additional  lyrics
    booklet 'cause for the German market Nuclear  Blast  don't  wanna
    include the lyric booklet [Pungent Stench are on 'the  index'  in
    Germany: media on 'the index' is only  available  on  request  to
    over 18s -- Paul] so they only get the photo booklet and the rest
    is getting both booklets.

CoC: Oh, right. That was the other thing I was gonna ask you: whether
     the lyrics were gonna be included.

AW: Sure, sure: very important thing.

CoC: In comparison to your older albums --  although  a  lot  of  the
     covers got edited for different markets, like the  _CMB_  cover,
     for the American market, was shrunk, and various things  --  why
     did you decide for this one not to do something  that  would  be
     more offensive or gruesome or what  have  you?  Was  it  because
     you've been so censored in the past?

AW: No, no, no. Not at all, no. I mean, we had problems but  I  don't
    care too much, you know,  if  it  doesn't  hurt  the  sales.  The
    problems came so late with the band split up already, so I didn't
    care, to be honest, you know. No, no. I don't know: we got  older
    and we think different now and when you read and see  everything,
    believe me, this record is the most extreme in the message, yeah?
    <ha ha ha> But it's done in a more...

CoC: Subtle?

AW: No, in a more  serious  way,  maybe,  and  everything  is  better
    presented, you know, and more hidden  maybe.  There's  almost  no
    chance for the Germans or whoever to try to censor us  'cause  it
    is done in a clever way, more or less. You know what I mean?

CoC: I see what I mean: you're being less obvious about it...

AW: Yeah, but on the other side it's super-extreme, you know?

CoC: Yeah, absolutely: but it's the kind of  extreme  that  the  fans
     will get but the censors will miss.

AW: I hope so, at least.

CoC: But that's the idea.

AW: But still, Markus fears some problems here in Germany, that's the
    reason why he asked about, you know, "Leave the  lyrics  for  the
    German market." And I said, "OK, we do an edition for the rest of
    the world, of course, the rest of Europe, with lyrics and we  can
    do it without in Germany, no problem." But even the  Germans  can
    order  it  from  us,  or  from  Nuclear  Blast  maybe,  with  the
    additional booklet. We'll put it on our page, you know, and  they
    can download it: whatever.

CoC: Absolutely, yeah, that'll work. I'm gonna talk about  the  music
     and then we can go back to the  lyrics.  This  new  album  takes
     a somewhat altered  musical  direction.  It's  still  distinctly
     Pungent Stench -- especially some of the  delivery  --  but  the
     actual pace is different. It seems a bit more thrashy. Something
     about it sort of reminds me of  the  way  The  Haunted  do  very
     pristine, violent trash. Did you consciously try  to  make  this
     album a break from the old albums?

AW: Well, we got better, as musicians, and we tried also to be...  we
    tried to make our best, you know. I mean of course, we  love  The
    Haunted. This is a great CD; the last one is a great, a  -killer-
    record -- and Martin  likes  it  too  --  and  I'm  sure  we  got
    influenced, somehow, by them, you know. I mean we didn't go  into
    a room and say: come on, let's do a Haunted song. But, you  know,
    if you listen to stuff you know you like  then  it's  somehow  in
    your brain and maybe, you know...

CoC: ...it influences you.

AW: Yeah, somehow, you know? But we only tried to be... to make it  a
    very aggressive record and a  pretty  fast  record.  And  Pungent
    always is different from record to record.

CoC: Yeah, definitely.

AW: If  you  go  through,  everything  sounds  different.  The   most
    important thing for me is that you recognise the band and I think
    you do recognise the band.

CoC: Definitely, yeah.

AW: Absolutely. But it's something new and it's  how  Pungent  should
    sound like in 2001, I think.

CoC: Yeah, that's what I think. It's very sharp. I mean,  technically
     it is much sharper than your earlier albums.

AW: Yeah.

CoC: You crammed a lot more in, I think.

AW: You can't deliver a record like we did ten years ago, now.  Maybe
    a new band, a newcomer band or whoever, but not the band who  did
    it already ten years ago, you  know.  'Cause  people  would  say:
    pschk, OK, that sounds like ten years ago. <hehu, hehu>

CoC: Exactly. I think it's  good  though,  that  you  have  tried  to
     develop, 'cause some bands who come back from the grave,  as  it
     were, do sort of try an' do just old things  because  a  lot  of
     them are trying to appeal -only- to their old fans...

AW: Yup, yup, yup.

CoC: ...'cause, I find, a lot of  older  death  metal  fans  sort  of
     object to things that sound even  vaguely  different  from  what
     they expect.

AW: Yeah.

CoC: So there you go. _MoMSoS_ is technically very cool and it's  got
     a lot of, I don't know: I really liked some of the melodies...

AW: There are more melodies, for sure.

CoC: Really cool, really sharp.

AW: Great.

CoC: It's definitely my favourite album by far.

AW: Thanks.

CoC: But yeah, OK, going onto the sick lyrics thing. You've done "Rex
     Paedophilius", for example.

AW: Yeah.

CoC: It covers this deeply  taboo  subject  of  paedophilia  to  some
     degree.

AW: Yeah.

CoC: I assume it's paedophilia in the church, but I'm not quite sure.

AW: Yeah, of course.

CoC: Do you worry that this is gonna get you in some sort of trouble,
     for example, in England, or...

AW: No. Why? I'm very sure  that  it  happens  many,  many  times  in
    England.

CoC: Totally, I'm sure it does.

AW: So... it's just the truth.

CoC: Oh, definitely.

AW: Actually, when we recorded in July I got a phone  call  like  the
    second day we were in the studio, and  my  girl  called  me  from
    Vienna and she said, "A new, big scandal. A preacher was  caught.
    He had sexual intercourse with children from five to ten for  the
    last seven years." And what happened to him? Nothing. He  went...
    of course they threw him out of this church, but  he  went  to  a
    convent and he doesn't even go to jail, you know. Nothing happens
    and after a week the story was gone,  you  know.  No  news:  they
    tried to hide it. You know, I think this is unbelievable. I mean,
    in what kind of a society do we live, you know?

CoC: I know, it's one of those subjects which gets covered every  now
     and again. I mean, Immolation did it  on  their  last  album  as
     well...

AW: Uh huh.

CoC: ...and it's incredible. There's all these things about  the  way
     the Catholic church can protect itself.

AW: It's one of the cruelest things you can do, you know, to kill  or
    have sex with a child, whatever age. I mean, it's unbelievable. I
    mean, that's really, totally extreme. It's a very good idea  what
    the English did, to put the faces on  the  newspaper.  Very  nice
    idea. <ha ha> Nobody did that in Austria, you know. I don't  know
    why. Maybe the laws are different, maybe they  can't,  you  know,
    but I think it's a good idea, you know. I mean,  these  guys  are
    pigs and it's strange: it's always guys and many, many times it's
    people involved in the church, you know.

CoC: The thing is that you've written the songs, as far as I can tell
     from what I hear of the lyrics, from the perspective of the sick
     person rather than from the, sort of, "You're bad!" perspective.
     Why in particular did you decide to write it from that angle?

AW: <sharp inhalation> Well...

CoC: To offend people and make them think, for example?

AW: <abrupt sigh> Of course, yeah, of course, I mean,  this  is  very
    important for us. I mean, we try to be very offensive, but on the
    outside also very much -- you  know,  we  try  to  entertain  our
    people more or less,  yeah?  But  there  must  be  --  -must-  be
    <self-scoldingly> -- there -should- be  a  message  or  something
    in-between the lines, you know?

CoC: Yeah.

AW: This is important, I think, so that people which really  do  like
    our music and our image, they will have a good laugh,  they  will
    be really entertained, but they will also read, they will  think,
    "You know, on the other side, it's true  what  they  write."  You
    know? "They write it maybe in a harsh way but it's exactly what I
    just saw last night in the news." You know?

CoC: Yeah, totally. Moving on to "School's Out Forever".

AW: Yeah.

CoC: This sounds like it was inspired by the  Columbine  high  school
     shootings...

AW: Yeah yeah, Martin did this, and he  was  said:  absolutely,  it's
    from this Denver happening.

CoC: Did you hesitate in writing such a song?

AW: I have no idea. To be honest, you'd need to ask him. <hahahaha>

CoC: OK, fair play. Well, put it this way -- this is what  I  thought
     was an interesting question:  have  you  ever  decided,  in  the
     history of Pungent Stench, that a  subject  is  too  extreme  or
     taboo to be included, or would that be kind of to miss the whole
     point of the band, that something -could- be too extreme for it?

AW: I don't think so. I think one of the most extreme things  we  are
    talking about is -now-. I  mean,  "Rex  Paedophilius"  is  pretty
    extreme, I think, and... What  should  be  more  extreme,  to  be
    honest?

CoC: Yeah, well, I can't think of anything but -in theory- would  you
     ever, sort of like, shy away? Is the idea of Pungent Stench,  in
     a way, to kind of not have those sort of boundaries?

AW: No, there should not be boundaries, to be honest.

CoC: OK.

AW: I mean, if something is happening in life, you should be able  to
    talk about it and of course also write a text about it.  I  mean,
    it always depends -how- you write about it, you know?

CoC: Yeah.

AW: I hope that we succeed somehow, you know,  that  it's  not  -too-
    positive for something. But I  think  we  succeed;  I  think  the
    people know exactly what we're trying to say.

CoC: What you're saying, in a way, is that you  don't  wanna  glorify
     things as such...

AW: Absolutely not, but you know, on  the  other  side,  if  somebody
    reads lyrics like these of ours and this person's got nothing  to
    do with this death metal scenery, then of course this person will
    be shocked. <huh, huh, huh> Totally, yeah. So, what  can  you  do
    then?

CoC: I know, it's difficult. Do you see Pungent  Stench  outside  its
     context in the death metal scene? Is part of the idea of  making
     the album, making the kind of album that  -will-  offend  people
     outside of the scene?

AW: I mean, I don't wanna offend people in the scenery and I think  I
    can't succeed anyway. <huh huh> So  it's  statements  for  people
    outside, yeah.

COC: Pungent Stench was pretty much seen as the sickest band  at  one
     point. I remember one incident about six or seven years ago when
     a friend of mine had of a copy of _Been Caught Buttering_ and he
     was talking to another friend of mine and saying, "Yeah yeah,  I
     got this, man. It's like, sicker than Autopsy! They  talk  about
     chiselling your mother's eyeballs out." And  this  was  kind  of
     what people went for at one point, you know?

AW: Uh huh.

CoC: I think at first that was possibly what  marked  Pungent  Stench
     out more than their music.

AW: Mmhm hmhm.

CoC: The fact that it was sooo sick.

AW: Well, I think Autopsy were pretty sick guys. I mean, for instance
    the first record of Mr. Reifert under  Abscess  is  unbelievable:
    _Urine Junkies_. What a crazy idea! I mean,  perfect,  yeah,  for
    them. It's a pretty sick band, Autopsy and a lot of these guys.

CoC: I think Autopsy are great!

AW: We will bring them over next year with us.

CoC: Oh really!
  
AW: Yeah, I talked to Reifert already last month and they would  love
    it. So they will come -- not under Autopsy but under Abscess. But
    that's OK, you know.

CoC: Oh, right, fair enough.

AW: But I don't know. Nowadays, to be honest, there are so many  sick
    bands around.

CoC: Sure.

AW: The underground, the -real- underground, is a huge  scenery  with
    extremely sick and twisted bands. I mean, you can't top any more,
    you know, nothing.

CoC: It has sort of plateaued a bit...

AW: Yeah, I mean, absolutely: nothing can get grosser and  more  sick
    than it is nowadays. Back in our days it was  maybe  easier;  not
    too many write about it, not too many tried to be  very  extreme.
    But maybe that was the reason why  we  changed  and  nowadays  we
    have, you know, a different way of offending.

CoC: Exactly, and I think part of the point for bands like yourselves
     who realise that you can't just -be- X, Y or Z sick is that it's
     how you actually portray it that matters. 'Cause  just  to  have
     sick lyrics doesn't actually cause that much effect.  It's  kind
     of how you frame it...

AW: Exactly.

CoC: ...and how you present it that makes it interesting.

AW: Exactly.

CoC: What I like about the _Masters..._ album is  that  it  is  quite
     sinister, you know, it doesn't just sort of jump  out  and  say,
     "Look, I'm offending you!" There's something a bit sinister  and
     a bit twisted about it, which is what's -good- about it.

AW: Great, great: that's what I would love to  reach,  you  know,  so
    hopefully I succeed somehow. <huh huh>

CoC: Would you say a Pungent Stench album that didn't  offend  people
     could exist? Does a Pungent Stench album have to  do  a  certain
     amount of shocking?

AW: Well... we are almost marked with it, so... We have our fun,  you
    know, we entertain ourselves with it, you know.  I  mean,  if  we
    write a lyric like "Rex Paedophilius" and I have a good laugh  --
    and I -had- a good laugh -- then it must be a good one, you know.
    <huh huh> And if it's packed very well -- you  have  to  see  the
    finished product, it will be very, very nice and many people will
    like it. I believe even  if  they  don't  like  the  music,  they
    will... hopefully they will  like  our  images.  Yes,  it's  very
    important.

CoC: It always seems to have been very important  to  you  to  create
     both a coherent image and...

AW: Absolutely.

CoC: ...something that's interesting. You work on  it  a  lot  harder
     than some other bands.

AW: I mean, I hate these regular promo  shots  of  bands  where  they
    stand there in their T-shirts and -- I don't know  --  watch  the
    sky. I mean, what's up? I mean <huh huh>, I wanna  see  something
    interesting. I don't watch any movies where nothing's  happening,
    you know? I mean, I wanna see some images and I wanna get somehow
    impressed, or shocked, or whatever; that's the reason why I  like
    the better movies more.

CoC: Unlike a lot of bands who just put the emphasis  on  the  music,
     you put the emphasis on the whole image and the whole...

AW: The music is important too, of course, sure,  but  it  must...  I
    think to release a CD or to make a band...

CoC: Come alive?

AW: No,  umm,  everything  is  important,  you  know:  the   artwork,
    the presentation  of  the  whole  thing,  the  images,  the  live
    presentation. Everything. I mean, it's a whole: the  art  is  the
    whole thing, if it's perfectly done, you know. Not  like,  "I  do
    good music, but everything else I don't care." I mean, that's  to
    less, I think. At least for us...

CoC: How much is all the stuff you put in fantasy  and  made  up,  to
     you? For example, on _CMB_ you covered a lot of S&M and  deviant
     sex and things: how much of that is part of what you are like as
     people, and how much of it is just an image, or whatever?

AW: Aw <a huh>, that's hard to say. I mean, with _Club  Mondo..._  or
    with all records?

CoC: With _Club Mondo..._ in particular. I was just sort of  focusing
     on that because that's the kind of thing you could do without...

AW: <hah huh huh huh huh>

CoC: Well, some of it, without being arrested.

AW: OK, I got you, yeah. Umm. Well ummm... I like  many  things,  you
    know, but there are many things  also  included  which  are  just
    too... maybe not too extreme,  but  which  are  not  my  kind  of
    interests, you know? It's half and half, you know; it's  hard  to
    say. But Martin, I don't know. He used to love the  shit  movies.
    He was totally obsessed with it. I don't know what he's doing  at
    home. You have to ask him. It's not exactly my cup of  tea,  but,
    you know, it's OK. I mean, I can watch it, of course,  but  I  am
    not an -experienced- person.

CoC: What are the lyrics to "Viva il Vaticano" about?

AW: Well, look at the Vatican, I mean, there are so many stories  you
    could write about it. It's unbelievable what is happening  there.
    And I'm very sure that we get maybe one percent in the news,  and
    ninety-nine percent gets by. This year I saw in  the  news  --  I
    heard it once -- that finally after -years- of trying to hide the
    story, it came out that loads of Vatican priests raped -- I don't
    know -- -hundreds- of nuns in Africa. You know, missionaries. And
    they tried to hide this ridiculous story for two or three  years,
    but this year it came out somehow -- and it was  a  week  in  the
    news and then it was gone. And I thought it was unbelievable  and
    it just gave me the idea of the Vatican, how sick and twisted  it
    is. And now this black guy, this preacher -- you remember him? He
    married this Chinese girl and then he went to  this  "moon  sect"
    and he married there and then they tried to get him back  in  the
    Vatican, and they got him back and then he said he  doesn't  want
    to leave the Vatican anymore and doesn't want to see his wife.  I
    mean, it's unbelievable! It's decadence! Pure decadence since the
    beginning! And I was also in the Vatican this year and I  visited
    everything and  I  loved  it  there.  I  mean,  even  the  visual
    decadence is great there, yeah? And then it gave me the idea  for
    these lyrics and then I just wrote a story about what  could  be,
    you know, possible, and what my imagination is telling me  about,
    you know, the boys in the Vatican, and all this.  <huh  huh  huh>
    And then it's just nice rhymes and, you know, in an  entertaining
    way.

CoC: And while you're listening to it -- if you're not vulnerable  to
     the offensive stuff -- it is very funny,  but  it's  also  quite
     shocking 'cause you don't expect to hear this kind of stuff even
     on metal albums -- or at least you don't expect to  be  able  to
     -hear- people saying it: usually they just barf out this kind of
     stuff.

AW: Perfect. I mean, that's exactly what we wanna do, you know?

CoC: Yeah, totally. I think it will have a really good  effect  live.
     When are you guys coming over [to the UK]?

AW: We are trying to set up our tour for April/May  and,  as  I  said
    before, we have had talks with Mr. Reifert and we will bring over
    Abscess, I guess. I mean, he said that you can have  Ravenous  or
    Abscess, whatever you want. But I  think  Abscess  is  even  more
    known and I think they will release a new CD on  Peaceville  next
    year in the Spring, he told me. So I think it's perfect for them.
    We have to seek for another band. There are some which  we  would
    love to tour with. We will bring one or two over, you  know,  and
    then find maybe another support and have a  nice,  good  tour  as
    long as we can and wherever we can play, you know. So, I do  hope
    we come back to England.

CoC: Yeah. Well, I certainly hope so.  I'll  be  looking  forward  to
     seeing you.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

               H Y M N S   O F   P R O G R E S S I O N
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
             CoC interviews Justin Broadrick of Godflesh
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     Just ask Godflesh  singer/guitarist  Justin  Broadrick  what  he
thinks about leaving his longtime home  base,  Earache  Records,  and
signing with Music for Nations (licensed  in  North  America  through
Koch Records) and he'll go on and on.
     "A lot of the bands on that label felt  like  they  were  locked
down and couldn't really do much,  so  they  decided  to  leave",  he
starts. "It is a real joke amongst a bunch of the bands that left the
label, that when they get off Earache they go onto bigger and  better
things. <laughs> I mean now with us going onto Koch  we  have  better
exposure and are just able to do things on Godflesh's terms. It  took
us a year or so to get off Earache."
     What happened? Was it just the legalities?
     "Yeah, it was just a bunch of heavy contract stuff. We basically
found a clause in the contract that said that  the  label  needed  to
approach us about doing another record and they never really did.  We
took the contract to a lawyer who put it into layman's terms. We  had
a few more albums with them, maybe  two  or  three,  but  they  never
approached us within 90 days or whatever it is to  see  about  a  new
album, so we were able to walk away from  them.  It  is  a  bit  more
detailed than that, but that is basically what it comes down to.  The
label tried to fight it and say that we still had  to  record  albums
for them and what have you, but we managed to get out of working with
Earache."
     "I'm glad we left", Broadrick says pointing out that  a  lot  of
their bigger name bands like Napalm Death, Cathedral and Pitchshifter
have left already. "It is a sinking ship, really. I don't know who is
left or what they have to offer, really. I know Morbid Angel is still
on the roster."
     "I am just glad that we were able to sign with Music for Nations
and express to them how important it was to be on a label that  would
help get our new album over to North America. They are hooked up with
Koch over there and it seems to be working out real well for  us  and
them. Everything seems to be going great  and  I'm  very  happy,  the
longest I have been in some time."
     The new album  _Hymns_,  which  also  features  the  talents  of
longtime collaborator/bassist G.C. Green and  now  full-time  drummer
Ted Parsons, is a much more stripped down and abrasive Godflesh. Like
each Godflesh album, the musical exploration of the music on  _Hymns_
finds the band just taking charge of their ideas and not being afraid
to expand and dissect sounds. The overall feel of the  record  is  an
abstract sound, with lots of things going on  at  once,  but  nothing
ever really staying put for too long.
     On the subject of the new record, Broadrick  says:  "This  album
feels like it is a new beginning for the band. We feel really excited
about having Ted Parsons in the band and working in the  studio  with
him. There are two noticeable differences with this record  than  any
past albums we have done. Unlike past albums, Ted  recorded  with  us
live in the studio this time around and was also an important part of
the writing process for _Hymns_. Also, this album was recorded  in  a
professional studio (at Foel Studio in Wales, UK) rather than our own
studio. This was a huge studio with  lots  of  engineers  and  people
helping us  get  the  exact  tones  we  wanted.  This  was  quite  an
experience for us. This album represents exactly where we want to  be
with Godflesh right now."
     "I have been hearing a lot of  people,  all  across  the  board,
saying that this is a diverse and  strange  record  and  not  just  a
Godflesh record as they have come to know it. We never  set  out  for
this record to end up a certain way because we were on a new label or
whatever the case may be. We made this record  exactly  how  we  made
every other Godflesh record. When I write riffs, I just  write  them.
Nothing influences me. I'm still as selfish as I  have  always  been,
really. I just write what I want to write."
     The question is  tossed  out  to  Broadrick:  what  about  those
Godflesh fans that won't like what they hear with _Hymns_?
     "You know what? I have  learned  so  much  from  being  in  this
business for so long and I know that you can't satisfy everyone.  You
just have to satisfy yourself. For a band like us, we  appear  to  be
very confrontational on every aspect and we just like to write  music
and take risks. We are not willing to make the same record each  time
out."
     "I like to hear what people think about Godflesh's music. I find
it interesting because I am so immersed in what I do that sometimes I
can't even describe it", he states. The main thing  for  me  when  it
comes to making music is that at the end of a song's  creation  if  I
can't put my finger on what is going on, then it is fine  for  me.  I
think I have always tried to maintain that with what we do.  As  long
as I can't pick out what genre the music can  fit  into,  then  I  am
pleased."
     "We  want  every  album  that  we  make  to  be   a   liberating
experience", points out Broadrick. "We want to be focused on the task
at hand so that we can shake off any pressures  that  may  be  coming
with it. We need to feel something from the recording experience  and
know that we have put all we can into it."
     He adds, "We always faced a  lot  of  problems  in  the  studio,
whether it be looking for the perfect  guitar  tone  or  getting  the
drums to sound right. We constantly work at making  everything  sound
how we want it to sound. We have to go through all of the  long  days
with checking mics and fiddling with knobs to get the sound. I wanted
a particular sound with my guitar for this album, but after five days
of trying to find it in the studio, I settled with a sound  that  was
90% close to what I wanted. Studio work is a menace most of the time.
There were times in the past when I was hitting my head  against  the
wall trying to get things going for us and with this new  studio  and
all the help, it seems to be less of a burden.  You've  got  to  work
hard still, but at least there are others helping you find  what  you
are looking for."
     Has the band found success in what they  do,  other  than  being
able to put out albums?
     "I don't think we have ever hit the limelight with Godflesh, but
then again we wonder if our music is even suitable for a mass  market
to digest. We are always looking for ways to get to more  people  and
for them to hear what we are doing, and hopefully working with  Music
for Nations and Koch, they will be able to help us out  a  bit  more.
Nu-metal is the big thing right now, but it all seems  to  be  really
watered down right now. Sure rock is big right now, but it  seems  to
be weak interpretations of what it should sound like. We  are  hoping
with some exposure that kids will hear Godflesh and get something out
of what we do that they aren't getting from all of  those  hard  rock
bands flooding the market right now.  With  Godflesh  they  will  get
something real, whereas with these poseurs they won't."
     "We generally think we are needed,  we  think  the  world  needs
Godflesh. We don't mean that arrogantly,  we  just  think  the  music
world needs a viable alternative. I say to all of  these  music  fans
out there that music like this (that is  flooding  the  market)  will
come and go but Godflesh will always be there. That is the way it has
always been and will continue to be."
     Looking at the evolution of the band and the music,  the  band's
last album (1999's _Us and Them_) seems like it was  as  far  as  the
band could take their sound and music, though _Hymns_ seems  to  have
rejuvenated the Godflesh camp. Now after legal hassles and jumping to
a new label, the band is ready to roll once again. About  the  makeup
and recording of the new disc, Broadrick reveals: "This turned out to
be a really long record for us. We put everything on this record that
we had recorded. We just couldn't decide what to take off. We  racked
our brains on what should go and what needed to stay and it was  just
so hard to decide so we kept it all on. In this end,  we  said  "fuck
it!" We did eventually cut just one song, but that  was  more  of  an
experimental song with beats that sounded like something from _Us and
Them_. I didn't want anything  like  that  on  the  record  'cause  I
absolutely fucking hated that album."
     Really?
     "Yeah. I wanted nothing to sound like _Us and  Them_.  What  was
going on at the time of my  career  with  Godflesh  was  an  identity
crisis. I'd spent a lot of time  making  that  album  and  it  almost
sounded like it was a remix of a remix  album.  There  were  so  many
changes going on and it was just a regurgitation of what I  had  done
before. It was really fucking tiresome. I did a  lot  of  that  album
by myself,  in  a  very  hermit-like  state  of  mind.  I  was  in  a
technologically obsessed state of mind  and  I  lost  sight  of  what
Godflesh should be. The end result was something  very  eclectic  and
ambitious that didn't even sound like a Godflesh album. That album is
the sound of an identity crisis and we did it in public. I am glad it
wasn't promoted well."
     Ooh, another jab at Earache?
     "I guess you could say that they did a favour for  us.  <laughs>
I'll be the first person to stand up and say that I don't  like  that
album."
     It's weird to hear a band  say  they  don't  like  their  recent
records. Usually bands hate their older releases instead.
     "Yeah, that is the way things go for us  in  Godflesh.  We  take
risks and some people don't like everything we do, but  that  is  the
nature of Godflesh: to explore. We have grown up in public and people
have seen us try a lot of different things. Some  work,  some  don't,
but at least we are proud  enough  to  admit  when  we  do  something
wrong."
     Broadrick ends saying, "_Us and Them_ needed to happen for us to
get where we are right  now.  I'm  glad  we  got  that  shit  out  of
Godflesh's system and we are moving onto bigger and better things. It
gave birth to the new  Godflesh,  a  full  band  and  just  having  a
positive outlook on what we want to achieve. We're ready for more."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                        S P L I T   T H I S !
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           CoC chats with James Plotkin, about Atomsmasher
                          by: Paul Schwarz


James Plotkin's name may ring a bell with those  of  you  who've  not
been exposed to his more experimental work, but do own a few CDs from
the very early Earache days. You see, the first  officially  released
record to feature Plotkin was Old Lady  Driver's  self-titled  debut.
With a name change enacted after  the  first  album,  James  combined
groundbreaking guitar work with the possibilities of sound processing
and (with a little help from a friend -- avant-garde  New  York  jazz
saxophonist and  part-time  noise  terrorist  John  Zorn,  known  for
pushing the boundaries of musical extremity  with  such  projects  as
Naked City and Painkiller) created much  extreme  and  unusual  music
with OLD's next four albums. To date Plotkin made over twenty albums,
including a number of direct collaborations with other artists,  and,
it is said, has experimented with various styles "from ambient drones
to progressive pop". He is  currently  involved  in  making  what  is
apparently some of most excruciating  and  nasty  --  yet  thoroughly
brilliant -- doom on the planet in Khanate with OLD [sic] buddy (har,
har) Alan Dubin and ex-Burning Witch [sic] and Sun 0)))  man  Stephen
O'Malley, and with the assistance  of  drum-insanity  harbinger  Dave
Witte and DJ Speedrach, Plotkin has  delivered  a  frenzied  mass  of
quivering insanity in the form  of  Atomsmasher's  self-titled  debut
album. Trying to describe the experience of _Atomsmasher_ (HydraHead)
yields hopelessly inaccurate and often misleading -- not  to  mention
overly lengthy -- results, so I won't bother even  getting  into  it.
Suffice it to say that this is a CD you -should- hear, especially  if
you have  a  mind  to  hear  music  that  truly  deserves  the  label
"extreme". Whatever your opinions on Atomsmasher, I suggest you  read
what James Plotkin has to say, for it is  not  only  interesting  and
amusing but, I believe, also profoundly insightful.

CoC: What led to  your  collaboration  with  Dave  Witte?  Have  many
     people mistaken him for a drum machine?  Are  there  many  other
     drummers you would have felt confident could have performed  for
     Atomsmasher?

James Plotkin: Atomsmasher was a direct result of  Witte  and  myself
               wanting to collaborate for many years. When I got into
               hard-disk recording I was finally  in  a  position  to
               start something up. It's hard to  imagine  this  group
               without each of its individual parts.

CoC: Would you  describe  Atomsmasher  as  unique?  I  myself  might,
     but I  don't  claim  any  extensive  knowledge  of  the  extreme
     electronic/noise scene.

JP: I should hope so, what point would it make to go on if it wasn't?
    It's not all  that  difficult  to  be  unique  as  it  is  to  be
    worthwhile. There's too much music  in  the  world  that  doesn't
    really need to exist.

CoC: Would you estimate Atomsmasher  to  fall  outside  the  category
     of "music" because it  is  so  wildly  divergent  from  what  we
     traditionally think of as music, and because  it  is  so  taxing
     (yet, I say, marvelously rewarding) to listen to?

JP: Any reasons why Atomsmasher would not be referred to it as  music
    would be due to the limitations of the listener's imagination, as
    opposed to the vast imagination of its  creators.  Personally,  I
    don't really care to speculate at what point sound becomes  music
    and vice versa. I consider some naturally occurring or incidental
    sounds to be more musical than some of the shite  that  is  being
    passed on as music these days.

CoC: Some people have chosen to compare Atomsmasher with other  bands
     such as Fantomas or Dave Witte's collaboration with Chris Dodge.
     Others have described Atomsmasher's music as "an insane  mix  of
     Extreme Noise Terror meets Thelonius Monk, playing the  weirdest
     noise jazz that you're ever gonna hear" or as "what you get when
     you combine grind and noise (in the  Merzbow  sense)"  or  as  a
     "unique combination of music that helps bridge the  gap  between
     electronica and new punk metal -- it's the shit!" Would you  say
     comparing Atomsmasher to other bands is  a  fruitless  exercise?
     Have any of the  attempts  at  expressing  of  what  constitutes
     Atomsmasher you've read or heard seemed accurate  or  insightful
     to you?

JP: Some of the reviews I've read have been very insightful,  but  in
    truth people will always get different things out of a  piece  of
    music or art. Atomsmasher can be successfully compared  to  other
    music, visuals, personal experiences etc. It's all about what the
    sounds means to the individual listener. This sounds pathetically
    pretentious, of course,  but  it's  actually  true.  For  myself,
    Atomsmasher is about having a blast  with  extremely  absurd  yet
    challenging sound manipulation.

CoC: Would you say Atomsmasher's music agenda could be compared  with
     the direction material  from  labels  like  Warp,  Ninja  Tunes,
     Ambush or D-Trash is exploring? Would you say Atomsmasher  could
     be "allied" with the output of any of  these  labels,  or  other
     so-called "tech noise" act? What do you think of "tech noise"?

JP: Certain aspects of it definitely  fit  in  with  forward-thinking
    electronica and this "tech-noise" which I've not heard of before.
    It  basically  comes  down  to  the  available  tools  for  sound
    recording/processing, and since they are constantly  changing,  I
    suspect  the  music  created  and  inspired  by  it  will  change
    accordingly.

CoC: Would you say that  the  manipulation  of  electronic  noise  is
     as respectable, or  possibly  a  more  respectable,  skill  than
     traditional instrumental musical skills?

JP: I think they are two completely different  skills  and  shouldn't
    really be lumped together for a simple, surface base  comparison.
    As far as respectability goes, it should be the level of skill --
    not the type of skill -- that  should  be  subject  to  scrutiny.
    Having said that, it should really be the results of whatever  is
    trying to be achieved that should be ultimately scrutinized. Some
    barely-competent people make better music using horrid  technique
    than virtuosos that make skillful yet mind-numbingly-boring music
    after decades of training. Yawn.

CoC: How much of the _Atomsmasher_ album was recorded  live  and  how
     much of it  was  sampled  and  electronically  arranged  in  the
     studio? Generally speaking, to what degree  does  the  music  of
     Atomsmasher rely on studio-based tampering, and to  what  extent
     can you perform it live (with electronic  devices,  but  without
     using large, pre-recorded sections)?

JP: Without hard-disk recording  and  processing,  Atomsmasher  would
    not  be  possible.  All  parts  are  recorded  live,  though  not
    necessarily to the music. Most bass and guitar is recorded to the
    arrangements while drums and vox are  previously  supplied,  then
    everything is subject to  brutal  manipulation  and  rearranging.
    Live situations will be developed  as  they  occur.  Thus  far  I
    have only  done  laptop  sets  of  live  manipulations  and  live
    reconstructive mixes  of  existing  material.  Future  sets  will
    consist of  a  live  unit  of  three  or  more  people  combining
    instrumental performance with  electronics  and  real-time  sound
    manipulation. It's difficult to fly everyone out when the gig fee
    is 200 bucks or less.

CoC: Is the sample at the  end  of  "Placebo"  actually  from  Sesame
     Street or did someone mimic the voice? Also,  may  I  just  say:
     WHHAAAT THE FUUCK!?

JP: None of the sounds in Atomsmasher are stolen. The vox in question
    either belong to an old friend or possibly my father, whose tapes
    I'm constantly debugging  for  assimilation  into  our  gridwork.
    Thank you for your exclamations.

CoC: Generally speaking, what sorts of sources are your samples from,
     and do they have any purpose other than making the experience of
     _Atomsmasher_ thoroughly weird?

JP: Every sound  adheres  to  the  basic  rock  guitar/bass/drums/vox
    formula. With modern PC and Mac  tools,  you  really  don't  need
    outlandish sound sources to develop really  bizarre  sounds.  The
    sounds are carefully chosen though,  maybe  moreso  than  someone
    might think. Generally, it's a very dense overall sound so a  lot
    of attention is paid to giving each sound its own  space  in  the
    mix. I tend to dislike sonic clutter, and density doesn't usually
    mean clutter if you know how  to  cover  the  frequency  spectrum
    efficiently.

CoC: In what way does the visual presentation  of  the  _Atomsmasher_
     album fit with its music? How important is  good  and  extensive
     visual presentation to Atomsmasher, and if it is important,  why
     is it important?

JP: Imagine it as a new toy, or a delicious piece of  candy.  Colors,
    lines and scribbles, stimulation... presto! We  get  excited  and
    want to scratch the wacko-spot.

CoC: What can we expect next from Atomsmasher?  Will  it  sound  like
     "the band who made _Atomsmasher_" made it?

JP: The next CD is for  IPECAC  records,  home  of  the  Melvins  and
    Fantomas. Same attitude, different sounds.  I  need  to  keep  it
    interesting for myself foremost, so  it  will  always  expand  at
    least a bit to  each  release.  Also  look  for  a  HydraHead  7"
    featuring a remix by Venetian Snares as well as a track from Jack
    Plotkin's Atomsmasher...

Contact: mailto:jimbalaya9@earthlink.net
         http://www.hydrahead.com

For an extensive article on, and downloadable  discography  of  James
Plotkin: http://www.musiquemachine.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

  S P E N D I N G   H O U R S   B L E E D I N G   F O R   M U S I C
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 CoC chats with Tobias Martinsson and Joel Lindell of The Provenance
                          by: Chris Flaaten


The Provenance is a young band from Sweden  currently  debuting  with
the wonderful _25th Hour; Bleeding_ [reviewed in this issue]. If  you
listen to their album, however, you may notice that they sound as  if
they have been making music for decades. From the song structures and
arrangements to the production  and  execution,  these  young  Swedes
express a level of maturity rarely seen in even the most  established
bands. They explore a myriad of different genres and influences,  but
don't lose focus where 99% of other bands would fall into  a  web  of
digression and distractions. This sounds interesting, doesn't  it?  I
thought so, at least, so I contacted the band to find out more.

CoC: How would you describe your music?

TM/JL: Oh, that's a tricky  question.  We  usually  call  it  "flutie
       metal" ourselves... But on a more serious note, I would say it
       is a blend of '70s symphonic rock and goth goes metal...  sort
       of. A Portuguese guy once called it "multidimensional metal".

CoC: That's not far from my  impression,  albeit  from  the  opposite
     perspective, perhaps. I'm thinking more like "metal with goth  /
     death / prog / symphonic rock flirtation"... You're not easy  to
     describe, and that's a good thing! How happy are you  with  your
     debut, then?

TM/JL: Very happy, considering the  circumstances.  It  has  actually
       been a long time since we recorded it. We recorded it after we
       were finished at work, so we had about three hours each day to
       record.

CoC: The production is quite strong, so that's impressive!

TM/JL: Thank you. Joel, our drummer, works in the studio so we got  a
       very good deal...

CoC: How about the writing? How was the material written?

TM/JL: We wrote it over a period of a couple of years,  actually,  so
       there are a few really old songs on the album,  but  some  are
       also brand new. "Listening" and the title track are among  the
       new ones, while "All of Reality" and "Ignominy  Embodied"  are
       older. We write the music together,  but  of  course  we  also
       present individual ideas to each other. We have tried to write
       complete songs individually, but we  came  to  the  conclusion
       that the songs turn out much better if we write them together.

CoC: Does every band member have similar musical interests?

TM/JL: Yes and no. Everyone likes the metal scene, but some more than
       others, I guess.  Everyone  is  open  to  new  influences  and
       musical styles.

CoC: I noticed you are all born  in  1979.  How  did  the  band  come
     together? Old class mates, perhaps?

TM/JL: Me and Joel have known each other since we were about one year
       old. The others are people we have stumbled across during  the
       years, thinking: "This person would fit in the band". The last
       one to join our little family was the bassist, Jonnie.

CoC: So it is a coincidence of sorts that you are all  of  the  exact
     same age?

TM/JL: Yes, it is.

CoC: So, over to the music again. I hear a lot of different impulses.
     Some are quite distinct, e.g. the My Dying  Bride-like  part  on
     "Listening" where you even seem to imitate Aaron's vocals.

TM/JL: The part on "Listening" was done on purpose. <laughs> Sort  of
       a tribute to one of our main influences.

CoC: What about other influences? I hear  progressive  rock  elements
     (flute and Hammond organ) as well as Arcturus-like moods.

TM/JL: Anglagard is a band that all of us like very much, and  so  is
       Arcturus.

CoC: I still feel that you certainly have developed  your  own  sound
     and are in no way a clone of any of the aforementioned bands.

TM/JL: I guess we have developed our own sound, but we can  still  do
       better.

CoC: Since it's been a long time since you recorded this,  I  imagine
     you have new material on the way?

TM/JL: Of course, we've got dynamite material! About eight new  songs
       already, actually. We are planning to enter the studio in June
       to record the next album.  It  will  be  produced  by  Roberto
       Longhi (Transport League, LOK) and we're going to record it in
       the Oral Majority studio. It will be heavier and fresher and a
       bit more complex, but at the same time easier  to  grasp.  The
       dynamics in the structures are even bigger and more refined.

CoC: Sounds very promising! You will remain  on  Scarlet  Records,  I
     imagine. How do you like the record company so far?

TM/JL: We signed a deal for three albums. The  budget  will  be  much
       bigger for the next two albums. So far we're very pleased with
       them.

CoC: I feel the production on your album is, as I  said,  impressive.
     All elements are  heard  easily  --  even  the  bass.  The  only
     drawback is perhaps a slight lack of punch in the guitar  sound.
     I don't know how you feel about that, though...

TM/JL: Well, we had only one and a half days for mixing, so the final
       result could be much better, we  think.  I  think  we're  most
       disappointed about the drum sound. But we only have  ourselves
       to blame for that, right? <laughs>

CoC: How has the feedback on your album been so far?

TM/JL: The only bad review we got so far is from Kerrang. The  others
       have been very good!

CoC: Nothing to worry about there, since Kerrang  today  isn't  worth
     the paper it's printed on anymore. Any feedback from your record
     company?

TM/JL: Well, not yet, but I guess they're too busy working...

CoC: Do any of you have any higher musical education?

TM/JL: Yes, Joakim and Joel both have three years  worth  of  musical
       education, and so does Jonnie.

CoC: I see on your  webpage  that  Emma  also  seems  very  artistic,
     playing several instruments plus directing, dancing and whatnot.
     I guess you have a solid musical fundament to build from despite
     being a somewhat young band?

TM/JL:  Yes, we do.

CoC: I know this is  quite  a  heavy  question,  but  could  you  say
     something about each track on the album, like  how/when  it  was
     created, things you were hoping to achieve, concepts you  wanted
     to include, etc.?

TM/JL: As I said earlier, all songs are written by  the  whole  band.
       The oldest songs on the record ("All  of  Reality",  "Ignominy
       Embodied" and "Painted a Life") feel, at least to  us,  a  bit
       distant. We hadn't quite found our sound back  then.  I'm  not
       saying  I  don't  like  them,  though.  We've  never  set  any
       particular goals when writing. Our aim is, and always will be,
       to make music we can feel proud of playing.  As  for  concepts
       and elements, the lead guitars at the beginning of "For Whom I
       Bleed" was actually written by Joel and Jocke for a minor soap
       opera, while on "Deluded Into Delirium" I borrowed some  ideas
       from Mr. Doctor of Devil Doll.

CoC: I was actually going to  mention  that  the  intro  and  opening
     vocals are very Devil Doll-ish.

TM/JL: Thank you, we take that as a compliment.  On  "Shut  Down"  we
       wanted a slight touch of the '70s. That is something  that  we
       have developed in our new material as well.

CoC: Yeah, "Shut Down" certainly has the strongest  prog  rock  feel,
     followed by "Ignominy Embodied"

TM/JL: I can only agree, but "Iggy", as we  call  it,  is  also  very
       folkish.

CoC: I actually like the first two tracks best.  Don't  know  exactly
     why, but one reason could be that  I  find  them  somewhat  more
     "focused". They're more straightforward with  moving  riffs  and
     generally has a refreshing heaviness.

TM/JL: That's why we put them first... <grin>

CoC: What are  your  ambitions  with  the  band?  Where  do  you  see
     yourselves in three years, for example?

TM/JL: To rule the world, get laid and get drunk...

CoC: Words to live by! But seriously?

TM/JL: To go on a good tour and make even better music.

CoC: Speaking of concerts, do you have any tour plans?

TM/JL: No, but we really want  to  play  live  and  are  looking  for
       opportunities. We're going to talk to our label about  touring
       soon.

CoC: Well, thank you for the interview and good luck for the future!

TM/JL: Thanks for your time  and  interest.  Don't  forget  to  visit
       www.theprovenance.com for the latest news!

CoC: Yeah, you do have a nice homepage. Who made it?

TM/JL: Me [Tobias]. A new one is coming very soon! So... we're  done,
       right? We can go and drink some beer now?

The Provenance is indeed metal!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                W H E R E ' S   T H E   S H O W E R ?
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
          CoC chats with Jan and Jerzy from April Ethereal
                          by: Paul Schwarz


April Ethereal's _Advent_ album of last year intrigued  me  from  the
very first time I listened to it  because,  though  it  was  slightly
rough in the production department, it was anything but  predictable.
Compositions imbued with  atmosphere,  infused  heavily  with  synth,
progressive in tendency and generally non-linear  in  nature  brought
one band above all others to my mind: Opeth.  Of  course,  what  with
"April Ethereal" and "Advent" being the titles of  two  Opeth  songs,
one might say that this was not a surprising thing, but other factors
about April  Ethereal  might  have  steered  you  away  from  such  a
presumption. April Ethereal are from Poland, and  represent  somewhat
of an anomaly for a country which -- as far as the metal  underground
goes -- is only substantially noted for its well-populated -- and  in
a number of cases very good -- death metal scene. The unusual  nature
of April Ethereal's music considering their  national  origins  along
with that music's unusually frequent propensity for  suggesting  that
the band behind it had serious potential to do great  things  in  the
future, helped encourage me to seek them out.  The  following  e-mail
interview -- answered by Jan (drums and vocals  on  _Advent_;  guitar
and backing vocals in April Ethereal) and Jerzy (guitars, basses  and
keyboards on _Advent_; guitar and bass in April Ethereal) -- was  the
result. Adrian is the band's current vocalist.

CoC: You  are  a  Polish  band.  Poland  has  become  known  in   the
     underground primarily for death metal -- and a little for  black
     metal. You fit into neither genre,  strictly  speaking.  Do  you
     find that the reputation Poland has today in the underground  is
     more a help to your career, or more a hindrance?

Jan: Greetings. It's difficult to say if it will help us or  not.  We
     have observed that the Polish  underground  has  really  extreme
     opinions about our music -- some people love us and some  others
     just hate us. Today's Polish underground is reviving  the  death
     metal boom and all the bands who are playing other  music,  more
     melodic and of course  less  brutal,  have  some  problems  with
     existing in the underground. What will help us for sure  is  the
     fact that the Polish underground is big and a lot of people have
     a chance to listen to our music. I can't really say if  it  will
     help us or not, because for me the Polish underground is  really
     chaotic and you don't really know what to expect.

Jerzy: For us it's sometimes difficult to exist in  the  underground,
       because for example when we play live, we're  usually  playing
       with two or three  brutal  death  metal  bands  and  with  our
       melodic and atmospheric music we create some kind of  contrast
       with the other performers. This contrast is often  a  help  to
       our career, because our band is seen as an original one in the
       mass of death metal bands, but in other cases, people who come
       to see a death metal show don't really understand our music...
       Personally, I think that being  an  original  band  is  a  big
       advantage and that the death metal reputation  of  the  Polish
       underground will only help us -- people will  say,  "Have  you
       heard this Polish band! Wow, they play  brutal  -but-  melodic
       metal, and -not- death metal."

CoC: I liked your latest album, _Advent_, I thought it showed  a  lot
     of -potential-. However, I did think it showed a lot  of  areas,
     particularly with  respect  to  the  album's  production,  which
     needed improvement. I think you show the  potential  to  make  a
     great album in the future if given sufficient  time  and  money,
     but at present I think you have only succeeded in making a  good
     album, not a great one. How do -you- feel  about  _Advent_,  and
     how much of April Ethereal's potential do you think it realises?

Jerzy: I'm really happy that you liked _Advent_. You're right  saying
       that we could improve the production and the  whole  sound  of
       this album, but I think that an artist can improve his work to
       infinity, always finding something he could do  better  or  in
       another way. We had limited time and a limited amount of money
       to record _Advent_ and I think we have done it the best way we
       could at the moment. This recording shows our  musical  style,
       our potential and our ideas. Personally, I like the sound  and
       the production of this record -- I've heard a  lot  of  albums
       with worse production! You can hear all the instruments and  I
       think that this record has its own atmosphere. Of course,  our
       next album will have  better  sound  and  will  be  different,
       because we're still getting more experience as  musicians  and
       composers and we  have  fresh  ideas  --  it's  some  kind  of
       artistic evolution. Our potential is growing  along  with  our
       experience.

Jan: For me _Advent_ represents a giant step forward  in  our  music.
     Before, at the time of our demos,  we  have  jumped  on  various
     kinds of music and tried almost all styles.  Nowadays,  we  know
     our path and we know how our music will sound like. As a  writer
     of _Advent_'s lyrics, it was a big step  too,  because  I  wrote
     literally what I thought. I knew what the principal  theme  will
     be and I exploited it to the end.  I  won't  be  able  to  write
     another _Advent_ lyrically. We know now that we haven't recorded
     the album of our lives yet, so _Advent_ is not representing  our
     full potential, but it represents the  April  Ethereal  band  AD
     2001. The best one will come for sure. <he, he>

Jerzy: Adrian likes this record too, but he already has new ideas  he
       wants to put on our next release.

CoC: Do you  have  plans  to  extend  the  band's  permanent  line-up
     further, to include a permanent drummer and keyboardist?

Jan: We are actually looking for a bassist, but  in  the  case  of  a
     drummer it's very hard to find a good one in Warsaw. If there is
     a really good drummer, he is playing in five bands at  the  same
     time, so it's almost impossible  to  find  a  drummer  who  will
     understand and feel our music and will be able to sacrifice  all
     his energy for the band. A keyboardist, why  not?  But  for  the
     moment our goal is to find a bassist, then we will think about a
     keyboardist. For the drummer it will be our  last  thought  <he,
     he> and maybe we won't feel the need to find one.

Jerzy: We started as a duo, me and Jan. Now we are three with Adrian.
       Maybe one day we'll find appropriate musicians to  extend  our
       line-up. For now we feel very comfortable playing as  a  trio,
       we're  able  to  play  live  and  we  know  exactly  what  way
       artistically we want to go.

CoC: The influence of Opeth shows in your recorded work, yet  you  do
     not sound merely like you mimic the band. This is good.  In  the
     future, do you have a particular musical direction you intend to
     follow? Will you try to avoid going down the same roads as Opeth
     have?

Jan: A lot of people, at hearing that the main influence  for  us  is
     Opeth, say that we are copying this band. It  doesn't  make  any
     sense; Opeth is just an inspiration for us, we are not trying to
     sound like Opeth or to play like Opeth. We won't follow the same
     roads. We know what music we are playing and what music we  want
     to compose. Our next album will be, for sure, more  progressive.
     I think that we will use less drum blasts. It will  sound  heavy
     but it won't be as brutal as _Advent_.

Jerzy: Opeth is one and only,  and  it's  impossible  to  copy  their
       unique style. And we never thought of copying  them.  We  have
       chosen the name April Ethereal as a 'tribute' to Opeth, that's
       all. Our guitar arrangements are harmonic, we  use  a  lot  of
       acoustic guitars, but we follow our own path. We'll  introduce
       new elements to our music, our songs  will  probably  be  more
       progressive and more complex, but we defined our musical style
       on Advent and we will improve it for now. I  think  our  songs
       will always have a unique April Ethereal atmosphere.

CoC: How important is playing live to April Ethereal? Your  music  is
     complex and disjointed in structure, and  seems  like  something
     that would be difficult -- but very interesting -- to play live:
     what do you do live?

Jan: Personally, I love playing gigs. It's so powerful and  it  gives
     me real satisfaction. That's true, our music is complex  but  we
     are able to play it live. When preparing our set list,  we  have
     chosen  the  songs  which  sound  good  live.  For  example  the
     "Hologram" track is too progressive to play it live and we  will
     probably never play it live. Our live set is powerful and really
     kicks ass!

Jerzy: We compose the songs in order to be able  to  play  them  live
       later on -- we don't record five guitar tracks in studio.  Our
       live show is powerful because we express emotions and  because
       Adrian is a very good  frontman.  Our  music  is  complex  but
       communicates emotions and creates atmosphere, and I think it's
       the most important thing when playing live. Live gigs are  for
       us an important way to promote our music -- people that  never
       heard about us have the opportunity to hear our stuff. Playing
       live gives us so much energy that our songs are sometimes more
       brutal, sometimes more powerful and always different.

CoC: Who are your main musical inspirations  and  what  continues  to
     inspire you both to play music, and to head in specific  musical
     directions?

Jerzy: I started to listen to music with Pink Floyd, then came AC/DC,
       some thrash metal bands, Slayer, Entombed and  finally  Opeth,
       which is for me the most innovative band in  the  death  metal
       style. I think that every record I find interesting in  a  way
       inspires me, but the main inspirations  are  Opeth,  Porcupine
       Tree, Tool, Dodheimsgard and the old Anathema with  Darren  on
       vocals. I think that our musical  style  is  a  mix  of  those
       inspirations with a big touch of our own  creative  power  and
       our own emotions. Adrian is inspired musically by Bathory  and
       lyrically by H.P. Lovecraft.

Jan: For me, the main inspiration is Opeth. Then, I may say Porcupine
     Tree, The Gathering, Limbonic Art,  Pink  Floyd  and  more...  I
     listen to different kinds of music, and  someone  one  day  said
     that when you listen to music just for fun, you get inspired.

CoC: How much do you worry about being musically original?

Jan: When we recorded _Advent_ we didn't try to sound as original  as
     possible. We have evolved through the years and we found our own
     style. The fact that we are playing other music  than  death  or
     black metal means in a way that we worry about  being  musically
     original, but only subconsciously.

Jerzy: For me originality in music is very  important,  because  it's
       the only way to communicate something  and  the  only  way  to
       create a link between the artist and his  audience.  When  you
       think of "Swedish death metal" you mean "Entombed,  Dismember,
       At the Gates..." -- you  remember  those  bands  because  they
       created something original. In that way we want our  music  to
       be original and innovative, but it comes out without any worry
       from us. You know, we never decided to reject a  song  because
       it didn't sound original enough. Some of our songs are  really
       innovative (for  example  "Hologram"  on  _Advent_),  in  some
       others you clearly hear some of our influences,  but  I  think
       this fact makes our record even more interesting.

CoC: Any final words?

Jan & Jerzy: We would like  to  invite  everyone  who  seeks  melody,
             atmosphere, power and emotions in metal music to  listen
             to our _Advent_ album. Visit our official website or our
             record label's website for additional information  about
             us, our releases, upcoming live gigs and our new  album,
             which we plan to release in April 2002.

Contact: http://www.aprilethereal.com
         http://www.conquerec.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

        D I R T Y ,   D I R G Y   M O T H E R F U C K E R S !
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              CoC chats with Chris Edmonds of Leechmilk
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     The world is full of a lot of surprises, isn't it?
     Just when you think  you  a  music  scene  has  somewhat  become
stagnant, a band like Atlanta, Georgia's Leechmilk  comes  along  and
adds some intensity and solid dirge-like atmosphere into the mix.
     While the band's split CD with Ohio's Sofa King  Killer,  titled
_Guilty of Sloth / Crusty Mother Fuckn Rock and  Roll_  (on  Tee  Pee
Records) may not be that well-known right now (though a  slight  buzz
has erupted), it will catch on if all things  go  properly  for  this
band. Good word  of  mouth  and  live  shows  will  no  doubt  propel
this band into the spotlight. Who  knows?  Maybe  this  interview  in
Chronicles of Chaos might just do the trick. I can only hope.
     While  there  are  a  lot  of  bands  nowadays  that  play  this
sludge/doom kind of music, rarely does any  of  them  exude  as  much
emotion as this band  does.  Other  bands  seem  to  go  through  the
motions, while Leechmilk makes an effort to deliver the  goods  in  a
blinding fury. Where does that emotional factor come from?
     "That's very kind of you", starts guitarist Chris Edmonds  about
my comments of the band's material. "The difference may be due to how
long we have been  doing  this.  I  am  from  the  New  Orleans  area
originally and have been playing this music for ten  years.  None  of
our pre-Leechmilk bands amounted to much, because there was so little
interest from the industry side of things. The newer bands  may  have
missed the early days when the excitement and impact  of  this  music
was more obvious. In recent years, sludge/doom or whatever  has  been
diluted quite a bit from its original form. The style that we play is
very stripped down and hopefully more intense, especially in  a  live
setting."
     Listening to the music of Leechmilk, as you can do  with  almost
any band out there right now, the  influences  are  obvious.  Edmonds
lets CoC know what bands helped fuel the sound of Leechmilk.
     "We all [the band is rounded out by drummer Charr,  singer  Greg
Hess and singer Dan Caycedo --  Adrian]  grew  up  on  Slayer,  Black
Sabbath, Discharge and basic thrash  metal  stuff.  That  was  a  big
influence. We fell in love with all the Southern  bands  right  away.
Bands like Dead Horse, Crowbar, EYEHATEGOD, Buzzoven and Harvey  Milk
were and still are heroes to us. I think it still shows in our sound.
We get canned as an EYEHATEGOD band pretty often, which  is  hard  to
take but also a compliment. I would like anyone  that  says  that  to
point out one single blues riff in any of our music. I try  to  steal
from lots of different  people,  not  just  one  single  source.  For
Christ's sake, I may be a scumbag, but I ain't lazy."
     So  how  does  Edmonds  feel  about  being  pigeonholed   as   a
sludge/doom band? Does it bother him?
     Blurts Edmonds, "It bothers the fuck out of me. The thing  about
being labeled like that is that it does drive off potential  interest
in our music. People feel safe when they can  mentally  store  things
away in that manner. They feel safer and  more  secure  knowing  that
nothing is getting by them. They  will  not  be  able  to  hold  that
feeling very long with this band. There are  many  surprises  yet  to
come."
     There has been a buzz about the band -- do you notice that?  "We
have heard that", answers Edmonds, "but we don't really know if  it's
true or not. It's hard to get an honest assessment when you're in the
band."
     How about reading record reviews, how do you respond to those?
     "The reviews can be difficult. We have only had a few really bad
ones. Those I can laugh at pretty easily. The ones that  really  piss
me off are when they [reviewers] form opinions and it seems like they
really never even listened to the music. A lot of the more  political
zines despise us immediately because we don't play their little game.
They slag us off because we don't print lyrics for them to inspect to
see if we fit their agenda. Fuck that! We  will  never  print  lyrics
now! We feel like it's no one's fucking  business  what  we  say.  We
don't say it for them anyway."
     While on the topic of songwriting, I ask Edmonds:  does  popular
culture and/or news inspire  the  material,  or  does  it  come  from
personal experiences?
     "It's all from personal  experience.  Sometimes  outside  events
will forge those experiences, but musically it's  all  personal",  he
explains.
     "Our music and lyrics are more of  an  exposure  of  scars  both
physical and mental, it's like this is what makes us tick, what about
you? We don't feel that we should respond to current events or  speak
down to the listener. We despise arrogance and you really have to  be
a real prick to think as  a  musician  your  opinion  means  shit  to
anybody. People don't need to be told how  to  think.  They  do  need
someone to provide them with an hour or so of fun. We try to  do  our
best in that regard."
     And how has the band evolved since the early days up to now?
     "We have slowed down quite a bit. We were always slow but we had
more fast parts. The dooming down was more of  an  unconscious  slide
than anything else", he reveals. "We are  really  influenced  by  the
Swedish hardcore and dis-core type stuff as much as we are  by  doom.
We have lost our way to a degree, and we will  be  returning  to  our
earlier sound soon enough. That is  not  to  say  that  we  won't  be
dropping the bricks. We will always play slow."
     Seeing that I have already worn  this  new  split  CD  out,  I'm
already looking for new Leechmilk material. The questions of when can
we expect new material from Leechmilk?, how does the material sound?,
any new ideas you experimenting with?, etc. get  thrown  out  to  the
singer, who responds: "You can expect it to be heavy as hell. The new
material will be the definition of Leechmilk. We will have  the  time
and support we need. We will release the next album and it  will  set
the standard as how we are perceived as a band."
     He ends, "Everything up to this point has  been  coming  from  a
different place. We really feel like our backs are against  the  wall
this time and we are going to come out swinging like a motherfucker."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
            _____       _                   _         _
           |     |___ _| |___ ___ ___ ___ _| |___ ___| |_
           |-   -|   | . | -_| . | -_|   | . | -_|   |  _|
           |_____|_|_|___|___|  _|___|_|_|___|___|_|_|_|
                             |_|
       _____     _                           _   _
      |     |___| |_ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___| |_|_|___ ___ ___
      |-   -|   |  _| -_|  _|  _| . | . | .'|  _| | . |   |_ -|
      |_____|_|_|_| |___|_| |_| |___|_  |__,|_| |_|___|_|_|___|
                                    |___|


                 D A R K N E S S   E N C L O S I N G
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
               CoC interviews Keith Powers of Aphotic
                          by: Pedro Azevedo


The USA may be more renowned for their death  metal  than  any  other
extreme metal genre, but as of late a few bands  have  been  emerging
within a doom metal style akin to what is more plentifully found upon
European soil. Aphotic, whilst showing their death metal roots,  have
given a more atmospheric, solemn and sombre twist to their sound, and
both of their demo CDs [the first of which was reviewed  in  CoC  #51
and the second in this issue] showcased a talented band waiting to be
given  proper  conditions  to  record  an  album  and  fulfill  their
potential. Judging by the quality of their  demo  CDs,  they  clearly
deserve such an opportunity by now, and hopefully the next time  they
are featured in Chronicles of Chaos will see  them  in  Album  Asylum
instead of New Noise, or  Deadly  Dialogues  instead  of  Independent
Interrogations. I advise you to get in touch with the band, as  their
demo CDs are well  worth  owning.  Hopefully  one  of  these  days  a
deserving label will open  their  eyes,  see  the  -light-  and  sign
Aphotic. The following is an e-mail interview  with  guitarist  Keith
Powers.

CoC: Aphotic is a somewhat unusual name for  a  band,  in  the  sense
     that it may not be  part  of  everyone's  vocabulary  --  whilst
     nevertheless carrying considerable meaning and  feeling  closely
     related to your music. Can you tell us more about this name  and
     how you decided to use it?

Keith Powers: I came up with it. It seemed to be perfect for what  we
              were doing musically. Aphotic is a  term  referring  to
              the absence of light, more specifically the part in the
              ocean that never receives any sunlight  simply  because
              of the depth. Sunlight can only penetrate so far... The
              name seems to set the  mood  to  our  music,  and  more
              importantly, it is one word and is easy to remember.

CoC: Your second demo, _Under Veil of Dark_, comes in  a  simple  yet
     rather smart package. Similarly, I'd say the music inside  might
     not be mind-blowingly complex or incredibly technical, but it is
     very effective and shows plenty of dedication  and  talent  from
     such a young band. What is your general approach to songwriting?

KP: We wanted a packaging that was simple, since it is  a  demo,  but
    yet something that catches the eye. It is also easier to send out
    in the mail than bulky jewel cases. If we ever get the chance  to
    record a full-length album,  we  want  to  have  it  released  in
    digipak form. As for our music, it isn't incredibly complex,  but
    there is a lot to it; the recording was somewhat  substandard.  A
    lot of things got lost in the mix because we didn't  get  a  good
    enough guitar tone. The  frequency  of  the  guitar  too  closely
    matched that of a lot of the keyboard parts. We only had two days
    to complete the recording, and that included mixing it.  We  felt
    very rushed, not to mention that  the  air  conditioner  was  not
    working, and with all the equipment running in the room,  it  was
    hell-hot. We let some things slide. We know how  to  improve  our
    guitar sound. Our guitars are fine, Steve and I both  use  Custom
    Shop Jackson guitars, good 4x12 cabinets, but our heads  are  old
    and we need new ones with more tone. Aphotic  is  trying  to  get
    farther and farther away from that  typical  death  metal  sound.
    More time in the studio would be  needed  too,  of  course.  Then
    people would be able  to  hear  the  complexity  of  the  guitars
    working through the multi-layered keyboards. When Aphotic  writes
    a song, it almost always follows the same pattern.  Steve  and  I
    come up with some guitar parts that  create  a  certain  mood  or
    atmosphere. The rest of the song flows out  rapidly  after  that.
    Steve then programs the drums, we both arrange it -- I usually do
    most of the keyboards, but Steve does help, just like how  I  add
    ideas for the drums. Chad then does the bass lines and writes the
    lyrics.

CoC: I think _Under Veil of Dark_ might be better appreciated by fans
     of the doom metal genre rather than death  metal  (I  mean  doom
     metal in the more European sense). Who would  you  name  as  the
     main influences behind the shaping of your musical direction?

KP: I listen mostly to Opeth, Katatonia, October Tide and Rapture.  I
    also listen to Anathema's first CD, old  Paradise  Lost,  old  My
    Dying Bride, and some others along those lines. I  like  to  draw
    influences outside of metal too. The Deftone's _Around  the  Fur_
    album is listened to quite frequently, as well as  early  Fugazi,
    and again, other bands of this style. Once in a while I'll listen
    to Hypocrisy, In Flames, or Nile too. Steve and Chad have  a  lot
    of other bands that they listen to as well, of course.  We  don't
    all listen to  the  same  stuff,  but  that  helps  us  get  more
    diversity in our music. The most important thing, though,  is  to
    be unique and not try at all to sound like anyone  else.  Aphotic
    has many influences, but ultimately we want to have our own place
    musically. I think that we are well on the way to doing this.  We
    do have a lot more songs than what we have recorded.

CoC: What is your opinion of the  American  metal  scene  in  general
     these days? And the more underground scene?

KP: I hate it, to put it quite simply. I like to distance myself from
    that as far as possible. As far as the underground here, I  don't
    really get into too many American bands, I guess. Not to say that
    they aren't good, but more so that they aren't  in  the  vein  of
    what I listen to.

CoC: You've stuck with the artificial rhythm section for this  second
     demo, even though I do find it adequate, I'd  be  interested  to
     hear your music with a human drummer. Are there any plans to add
     one to the band?

KP: Aphotic has a person lined up to play drums -if- we are to get  a
    record deal. I really desperately want a real drummer.  It  would
    add so much to our music. He would play on top of the  programmed
    ones, adding realness and a natural feel, yet keeping the  steady
    pace of the machine, also allowing us to keep the keyboards in  a
    live situation and keep our writing  process  the  same.  I  want
    people to understand that our two recordings are  just  demos  in
    every sense of the word. It seems that most people are  regarding
    them as true and real recordings, or in other words, "all that we
    are capable of". They were basically thrown together with  almost
    no budget, no time, etc. If we were signed and actually had  time
    to spend in the studio, we would have better guitar  sound,  real
    drums, more keyboard sounds, and better-programmed  drum  sounds.
    The ones that we are using now are very old and out-dated. So the
    programmed drums should hold no label back from signing us, since
    we would have a drummer immediately upon such an offer.

CoC: Even  though  there  are  several   other   remarkable   moments
     throughout  _Under  Veil  of  Dark_,  to  me  the  second  track
     epitomizes what I like best about your music:  your  mixture  of
     grim yet emotional music and dark atmospheric  passages  working
     at its best. Is there any particular track on the demo that  you
     are especially satisfied  with,  one  that  might  be  the  best
     indication of where Aphotic are headed?

KP: I'd have to agree with you on the second track. It does best show
    what Aphotic is. The first track,  "Precipice",  is  my  favorite
    song. The recording doesn't do it justice. There is an energy  to
    that song that cannot be  matched.  Hopefully  we  will  get  the
    opportunity to play it sometime  or  to  record  it  again  under
    better circumstances. It's hard to completely describe  Aphotic's
    direction, since only some things have been recorded. I  hope  to
    get the chance to record some of our other songs and the new ones
    that we are working on now. We are headed in  a  very  satisfying
    direction musically, though.

CoC: Going into more detail, what would you ideally like the music of
     Aphotic to grow into in the near future?

KP: Aphotic's music has already grown and continues to  do  so  every
    month. We seem limited by  our  programmed  drums,  our  lack  of
    keyboard sounds, etc. The music will continue to grow,  but  with
    label help, we would be more willing to spend more time and money
    on Aphotic. It's hard to  justify  spending  every  single  extra
    penny on equipment if we aren't ever going to go anywhere.

CoC: Is there  a  specific  characteristic  you  would  like  all  of
     Aphotic's music to share in the future regardless of  everything
     else?

KP: All of Aphotic's songs have an atmosphere or mood to  them.  That
    is the most important  thing.  They  have  to  be  brimming  with
    ambience and darkness. I like the feeling of building up  emotion
    in a song or in a part of a song, and then sucking it all out  in
    the next. I guess it's kind of hard to explain, but I can hear it
    in my head and you can hear it in some of our songs that we  have
    already recorded.

CoC: How have the label  negotiations  been  going?  Judging  by  the
     quality of _Under Veil of Dark_, I  imagine  it  won't  be  long
     before you find a suitable home for your band...

KP: It seems like everyone has been saying that, but it  has  yet  to
    happen. I guess it is kind of early yet. I have sent out  to  all
    of the labels, but I know it can take a while to actually  listen
    to them. I hope that it happens not too far away,  since  we  are
    ready now to record a full-length. Now is the perfect time. If we
    have to record another demo, it  won't  be  for  quite  a  while.
    I won't record  a  full-length  without  label  support.  I  also
    can't see continuing if nothing happens after  three  independent
    releases. I want to play indefinitely, but I can take a hint.

CoC: The final words are yours...

KP: If anyone wants to get a hold of our MCDs,  Relapse  now  carries
    both of them. Cursed Productions also has them for sale,  and  of
    course you can get them directly through  me  for  $5  each  with
    shipping in the US (add $2 per order outside the  US).  I'd  also
    like to thank everyone that has been involved with helping us  in
    the last year. We really do appreciate your  support.  Thank  you
    for the interview and I thank those that have taken the  time  to
    read it.

Contact: Aphotic, c/o Keith Powers, PO Box 8236, Green Bay,
         WI 54308-8236, USA
         mailto:kpowers-aphotic@new.rr.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

                 G H O U L I S H   M E T A L   F U N
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
               CoC talks to Gary Lyons of Ghoulunatics
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     All I could think about after hearing Montreal act Ghoulunatics'
new album titled _King of the Undead_ [see  review  this  issue]  was
"Woah! This is good!" It is a surprisingly  impressive  third  album,
seeing that I felt their debut _Carving Into You_ [CoC #34] and their
last offering _Mystralengine_ were both mediocre.
     After really getting into the new album -- a nice blend of campy
horror and groovy death metal --, I knew I needed to talk to the band
and find out what went right this time around. I  have  been  playing
the new album on a continuous basis and have even decided to take  up
French again -- well, maybe not. But I'm still cranking the disc!
     Ghoul/bassist Gary Lyons corresponded via e-mail with Chronicles
of Chaos about the band's "horror groove music" and what it takes  to
get noticed as an independent band in Canada.

CoC: Tell me about the music on _King of the Undead_  --  is  it  the
     best music you guys could be making in 2001? What  do  you  like
     about this album?

Gary Lyons: Yes, this album is definitely our best  one  to  date.  I
            think  it's  got  more  varied  influences  to  it:  some
            songs are more hardcore, some  even  a  bit  stoner  rock
            influenced,  but  we  never  plan  that  in  advance.  We
            [the band is rounded  out  by  singer  Patrick  Mireault,
            guitarists Patrick Gordon and Jarrod  "Buck"  Martin  and
            drummer Brian Craig -- Adrian] just play  music  that  we
            like. Everyone has their say on every song and it's  only
            when  everyone  is  happy  with  it  that  it  becomes  a
            Ghoulunatics song.

CoC: Why the love of horror themes? How important are those themes to
     creating songs and bringing ideas into the band?

GL: We don't create  songs  with  the  horror  atmosphere;  it's  the
    artwork and the lyrics that express all the creepy stuff. Somehow
    it seems that everything works well together. Also, horror brings
    out those great feelings called fear!

CoC: What bands influenced you? Do you still hear those influences?

GL: I don't think we were aware of any influences when we started the
    Ghouls; we just wanted to play heavy music and forget  everything
    else that we knew. Back then, other bands were copying bands like
    Death, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary or Slayer. We didn't want to  go
    that route. We wanted to play our own music. Not that we invented
    anything, but I think you can't say we are  this  style  or  that
    style. I guess were a  mix  of  a  lot  of  different  metal  and
    hardcore influences. Growing up we listened to  bands  like  Dead
    Kennedys, SNFU, Obituary, Faith No More, S.O.D and Black Sabbath.
    If I had to pick one band that influenced  us,  though,  I  would
    have to pick Dead Horse (R.I.P.). We're all really big  fans  and
    we became even bigger fans when our  former  band  Crypt  Keepers
    [which included original member singer Pat Mireault, bassist Gary
    Lyons and guitarist Pat Gordon -- Adrian] toured with  them  back
    in 1993. We've kept in touch ever since and it was an honour  for
    us to have Michael Haaga [ex-Dead  Horse  frontman,  now  playing
    with Phil of Pantera in his side  project  Superjoint  Ritual  --
    Adrian] do back vocals on  "Mobster  Fiesta  Extravaganza".  Mike
    also does the solo work on "Suspicious Minds" and recorded one of
    the guitar tracks on the jam at the end of _King of the  Undead_.
    Mike came up from Texas for a couple of days and  we  all  had  a
    blast (and a hangover) doing it! I hope we can do it again.

CoC: It seems as though it takes a lot  of  hard  work  for  Canadian
     metal bands to get noticed -- do you agree? What do you guys  do
     to get noticed?

GL: That's for sure! We have a lot of talent here, but we need record
    companies with a bit of cash to invest and belief in  a  band  to
    make it work. The only thing we can do is try and make the  right
    contacts and invest  whatever  money  we  can  towards  promoting
    ourselves. That's sadly what it comes down  to  these  days.  You
    could be the best band in the world, but without promotion you're
    nothing, 'cause nobody will notice you. We  just  try  our  best,
    have fun doing it and hope something will happen. If nothing does
    come out of this, at least we will have stayed true to  ourselves
    and that's really what is important to us.

CoC: Like a lot of French-Canadian bands, you guys sing in French and
     English. Which do you prefer? How do you approach each style  of
     song?

GL: We are an English band, no question about it. We will never write
    a whole album in French; that's just not what the band is  about.
    Some people might consider us a French-Canadian band  because  we
    are from the province of Quebec, but in reality four out of  five
    members are English. In the past we've had one  French  song  per
    album and one or two that were bilingual. We have one French song
    on this new one called "Melodrame". The reason for this, I guess,
    is that we are all bilinguals and that just comes out  naturally.
    When Pat (who writes all the lyrics) writes  a  song  in  French,
    it's because it just feels natural to him to write it that way.

CoC: Pierre Remillard did a superb job with the production, making it
     sound good but not too flashy. He really let the groove and  raw
     power of the band stay intact. When you  went  into  the  studio
     with him, did you both know what was going to come out of  this?
     What did you learn?

GL: First of all, Pierre has been a friend  of  ours  for  about  ten
    years and knows the band well. He played two or three  gigs  with
    us back in '96 when Jarrod left the band.  That  made  it  a  lot
    easier, because he knew what we wanted and where we wanted to  go
    with this album. We knew we wanted an album that would sound  raw
    an in-your-face with a live aspect to it. We recorded  everything
    live without any overdubs or cuts in two days and  then  recorded
    the vocals in a day and a  half.  Pierre  did  a  great  job  and
    understood where we wanted to go right away. Basically,  our  job
    was to play the songs, his was to record them -- that's  all.  No
    arguments, no fussing over the sound of this  or  the  volume  of
    that. We have our own sound and we wanted him to  reproduce  this
    sound on the album, which he did. Pierre later told us  recording
    _King of the Undead_ was one of the easiest projects  he'd  done.
    If we learned anything, it would be this: if you  come  prepared,
    everything will go smoothly.

CoC: Do you like the whole business side of being in a band  or  not?
     How involved in that does the band get?

GL: Basically, I manage  the  band  and  take  care  of  pretty  much
    everything with the help of our friend Eric Galy, who is also our
    booker and has been helping us out since day  one.  The  business
    side of being in a band can be tough and is not always  pleasant,
    but that is inevitable. Lots of people out  there  just  want  to
    profit from your band when everything is  good  and  when  things
    aren't so good, they won't ever talk to you. That's all  part  of
    the business, I guess. All I can do is be true to myself,  do  my
    best, try and respect a certain standard and try and gain respect
    from my peers. In the meantime, Eric and I are  working  hard  to
    promote the new album. We will be touring Ontario and  Quebec  at
    the beginning of 2002 and we are planning  a  Canadian  tour  for
    next Summer if all goes well.

CoC: There is a lot of imagery with Ghoulunatics and what you do.  Is
     it demanding to keep it fresh or is it rather easy to  keep  the
     ideas coming?

GL: It's something that comes easy to us. The horror side  of  things
    has always been part of Ghoulunatics, because we're all  fans  of
    horror movies and we always want to try something new.  Over  the
    years, we've had lots of help  from  friends  like  Eric  Gougeon
    from Illusion Tattoo here in  Montreal,  who  does  some  of  our
    merchandise artwork,  as  well  as  the  Elvis  Dead  Story  show
    posters. Pat Tremblay, who did the cover art  for  _King  of  the
    Undead_, also helps out a lot with posters and merchandise, which
    gives us time to concentrate on other things.

CoC: What horror movie(s) would  best  represent  what  the  band  is
     about? What are the band favourites? Mine would  be  "Susperia",
     "Halloween" and "Demons".

GL: "Frankenstein" would best represent the band, because he's  ugly,
    sensitive and brutal.  Our  favourite  horror  movies  are  "Evil
    Dead", "Brain Dead" ("Dead Alive" in  the  US)  and  all  of  the
    "Tales From the Crypt" series.

CoC: What is the local scene like over there in Montreal? Do you  get
     to play many shows? What bands, besides Ghoulunatics, should  we
     look out for?

GL: The local scene is really good here. Lots of  really  good  bands
    are out there  now,  like  Blinded  by  Faith  or  Neuraxis,  for
    example. The only thing missing would be serious record companies
    with money to invest in their bands, and I'm sure you'd see  lots
    of Montreal bands "making it". We can play about 20 to 25 shows a
    year on average in  our  province  of  Quebec;  we  play  in  our
    hometown of Montreal about twice a year. There are lots of places
    to play, all you need to do is get organized and make  the  right
    contacts.

Contact: The Ghouls Mansion, P.O. Box 47574, Montreal,
         Quebec H2H 2S8, Canada
         mailto:ghoul668@hotmail.com
         http://www.ghoulunatics.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                   _____  .__ ___.
                  /  _  \ |  |\_ |__  __ __  _____
                 /  /_\  \|  | | __ \|  |  \/     \
                /    |    \  |_| \_\ \  |  /  Y Y  \
                \____|__  /____/___  /____/|__|_|  /
                        \/         \/            \/
              _____                 .__
             /  _  \   _________.__.|  |  __ __  _____
            /  /_\  \ /  ___<   |  ||  | |  |  \/     \
           /    |    \\___ \ \___  ||  |_|  |  /  Y Y  \
           \____|__  /____  >/ ____||____/____/|__|_|  /
                   \/     \/ \/                      \/

Scoring:  10 out of 10 -- A masterpiece indeed
           9 out of 10 -- Highly recommended
           7 out of 10 -- Has some redeeming qualities
           5 out of 10 -- You are treading in dangerous waters
           3 out of 10 -- Nothing here worth looking into
           0 out of 10 -- An atrocious album, avoid at all costs!


Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_  (Sentinel, November 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (8 out of 10)

Irish death/grindsters Abaddon Incarnate  recruited  Nasum's  Mieszko
Talarczyk to handle production duties for _Nadir_, and  he  seems  to
have been able to achieve the sound  they  needed  to  unleash  their
aggression. This is one brutal, harsh, powerful piece of  death/grind
we have here, and one that is also uncannily long at 43  minutes  (24
tracks). While that length may work against Abaddon Incarnate to some
extent due to the record becoming a tad tiresome, it is not something
I am going to criticize, since it is not reached through  any  filler
tracks or clearly redundant  material.  Rather,  Abaddon  Incarnate's
thundering attack is usually quite reasonably varied, considering the
league they play in; add to that the fact that they can  create  some
considerably effective riffs and rhythms and deliver it all in a very
competent package, and _Nadir_ becomes a highly interesting  addition
to any death/grind aficionado's collection. Furthermore,  interesting
lyrics and stylish imagery  complement  the  music.  With  tracks  as
crushing and enjoyable as "They  Use  Dark  Forces",  "Aeons  of  Our
Dying" and "Traumatic Stress Solution", Abaddon Incarnate  cannot  be
denied the praise they deserve for having created something not  only
very competent but also interesting in such a saturated genre.

Contact: http://www.sentinelireland.com


Agathodaimon - _Chapter III_  (Nuclear Blast, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (8.5 out of 10)

If you like black metal and find Dissection to be  one  of  the  best
bands ever to walk upon this earth,  then  the  German/Romanian  band
Agathodaimon should be right  for  you.  This  is  a  band  that  has
developed a very atmospheric and unique  form  of  black  metal  with
acoustic interludes and beautiful melodies, but also plenty of  great
metal riffs and aggression. Another surprising feature on this  third
album from the band is the presence of some very good  clean  vocals,
providing a nice contrast with the rougher elements -- which  are  of
course the most prominent ones. If you are just looking for some fast
and furious black metal, then you don't have to worry either, because
that can also be found on this disc. Black metal  in  a  very  simple
form is not difficult to play, but it is very difficult  to  make  it
sound interesting and only a small number of  bands  manage  to  pull
this off. Agathodaimon is one of them and in my humble  opinion  they
are without a doubt the best German black metal band at  the  moment.
Production and sound quality are also  impressive.  If  you  want  to
listen to some remarkable and unconventional black metal,  then  this
is a great album to check out.

[Adrian Bromley: "While black metal at heart,  there  are  a  lot  of
 complex ideas and musical arrangements making  up  this  atmospheric
 metal outing. Most  black  metal  enthusiasts  will  probably  liken
 this band to Dimmu Borgir or  a  band  of  similar  ilk,  but  those
 comparisons, while warranted, are  not  really  close  to  the  real
 deal.  A  good  album  for  the  most  part,  _Chapter  III_  proves
 that Agathodaimon are on the right  path  to  keep  their  listeners
 interested and to help keep themselves from  going  stagnant  --  or
 worse, sounding like the hundreds of black metal clones going around
 in circles."]


Amputation - _Demo 1990_ 7"  (<Bootleg release>)
by: Alvin Wee  (9 out of 10)

An obscurity that even some of  the  most  die-hard  black  metallers
won't  know  about.  The  long-lost  demo  from   pre-Immortal   band
Amputation has finally been exhumed and immortalized  (sorry!)  on  a
bootleg 7", showcasing the roots of Norse death metal. Great  deathly
sounds on offer here, a far cry  from  Immortal's  pure-black  debut,
but equally impressive and atmospheric.  "Heavenly  Grace"  puts  the
overrated Old Funeral material to shame, reaching a level of  abyssal
darkness that Norse counterparts like early  Darkthrone  and  Cadaver
only scrape the surface of. More technically polished  than  Tiamat's
_Sumerian Cry_, yet  blacker  than  anything  Morbid  ever  put  out,
Amputation's demo deserves  to  be  hailed  as  a  classic  alongside
_December Moon_ etc., and it's a pity this rarity won't  be  reaching
the ears of many, even as a  bootleg.  Limited  to  100  copies  only
(aren't they all?), this one-sided 7"  slab  is  a  must  for  anyone
realizing the importance of the early Norwegian  death  metal  scene,
and worth any amount of effort to locate.


Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_  (Mordgrimm, November 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (9 out of 10)

I almost feel like -thanking- Anaal Nathrakh for not having forgotten
to re-record demo track "The Supreme  Necrotic  Audnance"  with  _The
Codex Necro_'s superior, powerful and abrasive production --  it  has
to be one of the best album openers I've heard in a very  long  time.
A  brief  build-up,  and  then  the  mayhem  is  unleashed  --  quite
literally, since Anaal Nathrakh have both been likened to Mayhem  and
complimented  by  the  Norwegian  legends.  Devastating  black  metal
blastbeats, remarkably infectious riffs, crushing slower sections and
the occasional dark atmosphere-building samples all combine into  one
of the most outstandingly vicious, violent and enjoyable  records  of
recent time. The brutality in Anaal Nathrakh's sound quite simply has
to be heard to be  believed,  and  then  in  addition  to  the  sonic
detonation there is the underlying subtlety  of  their  music,  which
guarantees a final result that is at  times  amazing.  The  extremity
often borders on the insane, but music itself has by  no  means  been
forgotten amidst the maelstrom of  noise.  Anaal  Nathrakh  had  been
threatening to fulfill their potential for  a  while  now  [CoC  #43,
#48], and _The Codex Necro_ is definitely something the band  can  be
proud of. A remarkable achievement in musical  aggression;  I  nearly
shudder to think what  could  come  next  from  this  band  if  their
progression continues.

[Paul Schwarz: "There was never a British band who could sonically be
 likened to Mayhem without  it  being  an  insult  to  the  legendary
 Norwegians  before  Anaal  Nathrakh  came  along:  a   flesh-ripping
 synthesis of biting, black metal blastbeats and  searing  industrial
 sprinklings. Just give "Submission Is for the Weak"  three  or  four
 spins: you'll understand."]

Contact: http://www.geocities.com/anaalnathrakh/main.html


Angra - _Rebirth_  (SPV, November 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8.5 out of 10)

While  I'll  admit  I  have  never  been  a  huge  fan  of  Brazilian
progressive/power metal band Angra, I am rather  impressed  with  the
band's latest offering _Rebirth_ with new  singer  Eduardo  Falaschi.
The album is just so passionately executed, from Falaschi's  powerful
vocals to the wonderful keyboard work or the solid guitar riffs being
played, that the listener gets swept up in the momentum  of  it  all.
And when the album comes to an end, like myself, you will  push  play
and let it start all over again. I'd hate to think that the  changing
of longtime singer Andre Matos is one of the reasons why I am digging
the new Angra, but that just may be the case. Falaschi's vocals  emit
so much strength and passion, at times similar to Bruce Dickinson (no
wonder he made the short list to front Iron Maiden in 1994; he was 22
years old then), but still showcase his own  style.  A  truly  gifted
singer who was quite obviously the best choice this  band  made  when
looking for a new frontman. One  of  the  tracks  on  _Rebirth_  that
really hits a nerve in me is the beautifully sculpted song (piano and
all) "Millennium Sun". Just the harmonies and Falaschi's vocal  range
make this an enjoyable listen  from  start  to  finish.  Other  songs
worthy of note are "Heroes of Sand" and the stellar "Judgement  Day".
Fans of the band will no doubt enjoy that Falaschi has brought a  new
sound/era to Angra, but still kept the same flow of ideas  and  sound
that made every fan of the band fall in love with them in  the  first
place.


Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_  (Osmose, October 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (9.5 out of 10)

What an improvement!  This  French  black  metal  band  has  released
several  semi-interesting,  synth-laden  discs  before,  but   always
seemed like they could barely keep  their  heads  above  water.  They
have obviously taken  swimming  lessons  since  then,  however.  _New
Obscurantis Order_ is an inferno of blastbeats,  crushing  riffs  and
intense orchestral arrangements. My first impression was "Whoa,  this
rocks!", and I have spent over two months  unsuccessfully  trying  to
find a flaw in my initial impression. _New Obscurantis  Order_  could
be described as a mix of Tartaros, Emperor's _Anthems to  the  Welkin
at Dusk_, Dimmu Borgir's latest album and typical French riffing  and
harmony styles. Yet you can hear that this  is  the  same  band  that
released _Drudenhaus_ [CoC #47], so their identity is  somehow  still
intact. The opener, "Mother Anorexia",  starts  off  much  like  "The
Drudenhaus Anthem",  but  it  quickly  becomes  clear  that  Anorexia
Nervosa has both matured and  turned  much  more  aggressive.  Driven
forth by the incessant drum inferno -- courtesy of the amazing Nilcas
Vant -- and massive orchestral arrangements, the music is as  intense
as it gets, and still epic and greatly interesting at the same  time.
Even in the midst of furious blastbeats and  hyperspeed  riffs,  they
manage to infiltrate harmonies and orchestral effects so the listener
never gets tired. Although I dislike the French chorus on  the  fifth
track, there isn't a weak song  on  this  album,  making  it  a  very
consistent record indeed. Some  excel  a  little  more,  though:  the
symphonic and  pleasantly  chaotic  "Black  Death  Nonetheless",  the
equally fast "Stabat Mater Dolorosa" with its choirs and  trance-like
chanting, and finally, the heavy and epic finisher: "Ordo  ab  Chao".
The album even comes in a limited edition digipak that also  includes
a cover of the classic "Solitude"  by  Candlemass.  Anorexia  Nervosa
presents no radical new ideas for black metal with  this  album,  but
they do have a unique sound  and  showcase  extraordinary  talent  in
terms of both musicianship and  composition.  In  a  year  when  more
famous bands fail to induce excitement, _New Obscurantis Order_ is  a
welcome surprise. Look for it on the number one spot  in  my  top  10
list for 2001.

[Paul Schwarz: "This dose of speedy, technical, symphonic black metal
 has really left me sitting on the fence. It's certainly an admirable
 achievement from a technical perspective, but though I've  found  it
 enjoyable enough, it's really not made the strongest  impression  on
 me, despite the fact that -- on the prompting of others who proclaim
 its excellence -- I have returned to it  multiple  times,  sometimes
 with headphones. It seems to be growing on me, but I'm not sure  its
 (currently limited) appeal to me won't start  to  fade  rather  than
 magnify in the near future."]


Bathory - _Destroyer of Worlds_  (Black Mark, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (7.5 out of 10)

Bathory have once again launched a new attack on the  world,  to  the
great joy of many loyal fans all over the worlds (how can I  be  sure
there is only one?). This review is for those of you who won't go out
and buy this album just because it is  a  new  Bathory  release.  The
legends behind this band are many, but Quorthon (the man  behind  the
music) is nowadays very eager to kill all  myths  and  weird  stories
about Bathory. One of the true stories is that very few  people  know
the real identity  of  Quorthon,  and  this  is  a  secret  he  won't
willingly give away. Another one is that the band once  featured  the
now famous video director Jonas Akerlund (Metallica,  Madonna,  a.o.)
on drums. Bathory has now been a one-man band for a  very  long  time
and Quorthon  is  solely  responsible  for  music,  lyrics  and  most
instruments, even though some of his friends help out when it is time
to record. Although he was one of the creators of modern black  metal
in the '80s together with Venom, the music he is now making is not as
black as before. However, there is still this cozy Bathory feeling on
every song on this album, with acoustic guitars, hypnotizing  rhythms
and a somewhat fuzzy sound. I am not very fond of Quorthon's  vocals,
though, since he doesn't really have the voice  for  it,  but  he  is
still doing the best he can. Tracks like "Destroyer  of  Worlds"  and
"Ode" make it clear that Bathory is still a band to rely on and  fans
of the band will not be disappointed. If you are not a  Bathory  fan,
you may still want to check this album out, since they are  now  more
atmospheric than black metal. _Destroyer of Worlds_ is  a  new  solid
release  from  Quorthon's  brainchild,  but  unfortunately  it  can't
compete with some of his previous works.

Contact: http://www.blackmark.net


Bolt Thrower - _Honour, Valour, Pride_  (Metal Blade, November 2001)
by: David Rocher  (7 out of 10)

At a first  listen,  _Honour,  Valour,  Pride_  comforted  me  in  my
_Mercenary_-induced belief that Bolt Thrower's works  in  my  shelves
would forever stop at _...For Victory_.  In  fact,  the  first  three
tracks on the legendary growling British  deathsters'  seventh  album
totally failed to fuel any form of enthusiasm in me at the time,  and
still feel, many a listen  later,  rather  subdued,  predictable  and
dispensable. However, as track four,  "Suspect  Hostile"  starts  up,
things take a turn for better -- love 'em or hate 'em,  Bolt  Thrower
are still on track, unoriginal and efficient as  ever,  although  the
seventh chunk of armoured death metal named _Honour,  Valour,  Pride_
is unfortunately plagued by a number of flaws which, I feel,  prevent
it from being able to rival with the grandeur of earlier Bolt Thrower
milestones such  as  _IVth  Crusade_  or  _...For  Victory_.  Indeed,
producer Andy Faulkner fails to deliver the  crunchy  trademark  Bolt
Thrower sound Colin Richards never failed to  achieve  or  which,  on
_Mercenary_, Ewan Davies somewhat  succeeded  in  attaining.  Another
problem is Dave Ingram's "I wanna be Karl Willets" vocals;  it  would
have been wiser by far to actually capitalise on the wholly different
texture of his vocals (which, for instance, are  particularly  brutal
on Benediction's _Transcend the  Rubicon_),  instead  of  having  him
attempt to imitate the gruff, threatening growls so typical  of  Bolt
Thrower's former vocalist. Finally, the other, more striking  problem
on _Honour, Valour, Pride_ is that... all in  all,  this  is  nothing
more than a competent, efficient, but totally  uninspired  rehash  of
standard Bolt Thrower trooper gear; even though some tracks fail  not
to showcase some  great,  powerful  moments  of  crushing  heaviness,
_Honour, Valour, Pride_ is globally samey and  rather  uninspired  in
the  long  run.  Sure,  if  you've  never  yet  heard  Bolt  Thrower,
this rasping baby will keep you  on  your  toes  for  quite  a  while
-- that is, precisely  until  you  discover  these  Briton  blasters'
former milestones, which will mercilessly relegate  this  chunk  into
the oft-forgotten shelf of deja-vu  releases.  This  very  honourable
attempt at keeping Bolt Thrower's raucous, trademark sound  alive  is
unfortunately doomed to fail to become  a  valorous  item  on  my  CD
shelf, and is ultimately a release I would only show modest pride in,
had I previously unleashed masterpieces like _The  IVth  Crusade_  or
_...For Victory_.


Borknagar - _Empiricism_  (Century Media, October 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (8 out of 10)

Borknagar is an oddity. Even through  frequent  line-up  changes  and
variations in musical  intensity,  Borknagar  still  manage  to  come
across as unique and true to their sound. This only proves how  vital
Oystein G. Brun's songwriting skill and ability to find suitable band
members are. Since their previous album, metal  relatives  Vintersorg
and Tyr have replaced Simen Haestnes. In addition to this,  Borknagar
has taken on a clearly mellower tone and _Empricism_ is comparable to
_The Archaic Course_ [CoC #32] in this respect. The first thing  that
struck me, apart from the new vocalist and improved  production,  was
that the songs seem more complete and evenly balanced. This  was  the
one  thing  I  found  lacking  on  _Quintessence_  [CoC  #48];  solid
songwriting throughout the entire album. Still, there are no songs on
their new album that can rival songs like "The Presence  Is  Ominous"
from _Quintessence_. Hopefully,  the  next  one  will  be  as  evenly
balanced as _Empiricism_, but with even better songs. As for the  new
vocalist, Vintersorg uses his clean vocals very often -- in fact,  he
uses them much  more  often  than  his  superior  vocal  predecessor.
Vintersorg is a good vocalist, but his clean  vocals  sound  somewhat
strained, whereas Simen's simply  flowed  gently  and  smoothly  with
twice the intensity. The rest of the performances are top notch, with
Tyr's bass lines and Nedland's Hammond  organ  adding  a  fresh,  yet
fitting, dimension to Borknagar's music. A very  good  album,  but  I
think they can do even better. Fans of both Vintersorg and  Borknagar
should have no reason not to buy this album.

[Alvin Wee: "As much as I'd like to insist that the self-titled debut
 is the band's best work, this new disc boasts a confidence and flair
 that's hard to refute.  Superb  melodies  and  stellar  musicianship
 sealed in with a breath of originality put this a notch higher  than
 last year's boring _Quintessence_."]

[Pedro Azevedo: "Rejuvenated by new  vocalist  Vintersorg's  stirring
 vocal delivery,  and  also  aided  by  Asgeir  Mickelson's  involved
 drumming  and  Solefald's  Cornelius'   masterful   keyboard   work,
 Borknagar have made one of 2001's most stunning returns to  form.  A
 clear improvement upon _Quintessence_, _Empiricism_ is  the  product
 of a band that currently  shows  great  songwriting  inspiration  in
 addition to their impressive technical skills."]


Brainstorm - _Metus Mortis_  (Metal Blade, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (8 out of 10)

Usually me and power metal aren't the best of friends, but I have  to
admit that when it is well done this subgenre  is  one  of  the  most
powerful around. Brainstorm is perhaps  not  the  best  German  power
metal band at the moment, but I was very impressed when listening  to
their latest release _Metus Mortis_, which displays a  very  talented
metal vocalist, backed up by some great  riffs  and  plenty  of  nice
melodies. Vocalist Andy B. Franck is new to the band and was formerly
a member of another German metal band, Symphorce, which some  of  you
probably know already. Brainstorm is not a new band  either  --  they
have been in existence since 1989 --, but it wasn't  until  now  that
they were able to impress me with any of their music.  The  music  is
close to  the  heavier  American  power  metal  sound  with  lots  of
traditional heavy metal riffs. They  actually  sound  a  little  like
Grave Digger minus the rough vocals and with more varied songs. There
are a few minor production flaws, but overall this album  is  one  of
the best power metal  releases  in  a  while.  The  choruses  on  the
first couple of tracks are  simply  amazing  and  this  album  should
be appreciated by everyone  with  a  love  for  power  metal  or  old
traditional heavy metal.


Carnival in Coal - _Fear Not_  (Kodiak Records, September 2001)
by: David Rocher  (erratically oscillating from 0 to 10 out of 10)

Talk about the thin line drawn between insanity and genius,  and  the
name of French act Carnival in Coal springs  to  mind  instantly.  If
you ever thought the disastrously  Cacophonous  band  Ebony  Lake  or
the incomprehensible Dillinger Escape Plan's  _Calculating  Infinity_
were  weird,  believe  me  --  they'll  sound  pathetically  orthodox
and predictable  once  you  check  _Fear  Not_  out.  The  sequel  to
Carnival in Coal's 1998 release _Vivalavida_ is a collection of  nine
heterogeneous, wonderfully genial, blatantly stupid, wildly grinding,
ludicrously funky, totally metal yet also totally  non-metal  tracks,
guaranteed to throw any even mildly  sane  mind  off  balance.  Track
titles such as "Yes! We have no bananas" or "Daaahhh",  say  it  all,
really. Blasting, keyboard-laden (yet  somehow  totally  unsymphonic)
grinding segues  abruptly  disintegrate  into  funky  beats  with  (I
suppose) wittingly silly  clear  vocals,  delirious  operatic  female
chants, before breaking down further into pure Cannibal  Corpse-style
blasting assaults,  complete  with  groovy  disco  handclaps  in  the
background -- all this, of course, in the space of 30  seconds  flat.
Sounds bizarre? Believe me, you haven't a clue. Whereas  tracks  such
as the delirious Sup cover "1308.JP.08" or the catchy "Gang Bang" are
potential metal hits in the vein of farcically  redesigned  Faith  No
More, the very tongue-in-cheek "Don't be happy, worry" is  a  journey
into shape-shifting weirdness you could happily groove /  headbang  /
tap a light foot beat  /  stagedive  /  breakdance  /  mosh  to.  I'm
clueless about the side-effects of prolonged exposure to Carnival  in
Coal, but I suspect they are one of the reasons why I  woke  up  this
morning, madly in love with a goddamn penguin. Help.

Visit http://www.carnival.fr.fm to be erm... saved?


Centurian - _Liber ZarZax_  (Listenable Records, November 2001)
by: David Rocher  (9 out of 10)

Now  that  the  ungodly  David  Vincent's  departure,  associated  to
creative  stagnancy  and  video  game-induced  close-mindedness  have
propelled the once glorious Morbid Angel into the  sullen  realms  of
dispensable death metal, the joust occurring around the accession  to
the much-sought Kings of (Death)  Metal  throne  is  subject  to  the
daily onslaughts of a massively plethoric troop  of  hairy,  satanic,
growling, grinding, blasting contenders -- so far,  however,  to  not
much avail. In the very, very black guise of one of the more lethally
convincing thanes to this throne come Dutch deathsters Centurian. One
MCD (_Of Purest Fire_) and one album (_Choronzonic Chaos Gods_)  into
their career, Centurian had already shown to many a soul  that  their
technical, blasting  death  metal  was  an  unhallowed  force  to  be
reckoned with. _Liber ZarZax_ pretty much picks up where  Centurian's
unholy and worryingly brutal _CCG_ left off -- this new release is  a
blasting, searing eleven-track death metal mauling session that  will
leave you with blood seeping from your ears and eyes, gasping  for  a
mere breath of burning air, which only comes  in  the  guise  of  the
choking, dark instrumental track "Feeding Flesh to the  Vortex".  The
Dutch deathsters' metal attains insane levels of complexity,  as  Rob
Oorthuis and Oskar van Paradijs' intricate light-speed  guitar  lines
intermingle with Wim van der Valk's deliriously  aggressive  rhythmic
blasts and time shifts. Jerry Brouwer's roaring vocals  and  growling
bass lines efficiently reinforce this monstrosity's assaults.  _Liber
ZarZax_ is one of the most utterly  intense,  devastating  chunks  of
death metal I've beheld since Nile's _Black Seeds of Vengeance_  [CoC
#50], and is beyond all doubt one of the largest, rustiest  nails  to
have been hammered into the Nazarene's wrists... ever!

[Paul Schwarz: "From a purely musical perspective,  Centurian  hardly
 define themselves as apart from their influences, but yet  something
 about them keeps  making  me  come  back  for  more.  Maybe  _LZZ_'s
 intense, deftly executed death metal acts  like  a  placebo  on  me,
 Covenant_ and _Retribution_-imprinted as I am; maybe the feeling  of
 pure conviction that Centurian's music emanates is enough to  define
 their individuality. I favour the former explanation, but that isn't
 stopping me from, at present, thoroughly enjoying _LZZ_."]


Chalice - _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)  (Modern Invasion, November 2001)

Wait a second... what is this I hear? A flute? And its  melodies  are
a nearly constant  presence  throughout  this  record.  Yet  I  could
almost swear Chalice's debut  _Chronicles  of  Dysphoria_  [CoC  #50]
featured quite a lot of violin! This  turns  out  to  be  just  about
the most  obvious  change  in  this  Australian  band's  sound  since
their debut, as this second full-length album  of  theirs  sees  them
following an otherwise predictable path.  Their  lightweight  melodic
doom metal moves  along  at  a  sedate  mid-pace,  whilst  the  flute
and occasional  keyboards  accompany  blue-eyed  Shiralee's  talented
soprano-like vocals. She does  convey  reasonable  variety  with  her
voice as well, ranging from a more  sombre  tone  to  some  competent
higher notes towards the end of "Catalepsy in Staccato Rain", in  one
of the best sections of the entire album. And  indeed,  Chalice  have
replaced their violin with a female flute player,  whose  work  seems
diligent throughout  the  record;  nevertheless,  I  did  prefer  the
violin, as the flute comes across as less expressive and to  my  ears
doesn't combine with their guitar sound as well as the violin did  on
_Chronicles of Dysphoria_. Still, driven forth by  some  good  female
vocals and all-  round  competent  musicianship,  Chalice  deliver  a
pleasant and melancholic record. It's neither terribly original nor a
competitor for best album of  the  year  in  its  genre  (that  title
definitely belongs to Madder Mortem's excellent _All Flesh Is  Grass_
[CoC #54]), but if what you are looking for is a relaxed, melodic and
mildly doomy record, then _An Illusion to the Temporary Real_  should
be a very safe bet. Chalice should really try to  aim  for  something
rather more daring and emotional next time, however -- pleasant as it
may be, _AIttTR_ is  still  a  somewhat  disappointing  follow-up  to
_Chronicles of Dysphoria_.


Various - _Colorado Colossus_  (Root of All Evil, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (7 out of 10)

I've been finding myself spinning  this  disc  more  than  one  might
figure for a compilation. Fifteen tacks of barbarity  await  on  this
fine sampler from Root of All Evil. Incredible cuts from  bands  like
Serberus (awesome beginning song),  Corruption  ("Hate  Disorder"  at
6:04 is a fine hardcore/metal crossover as  I've  heard  since  early
Crumbsuckers), Tirade (with their wonderfully eerie  initiating  feel
on "Zombie") and Silencer's "Mourning  Star",  providing  the  brief,
but heavily rhythmic final track.  Drudgery's  scourging  power  with
Voltaire's distorted and slicingly viscous offering  both  complement
the eclectic nature of this harsh metal potpourri. I think  with  the
right circumstances, Throcult, track six, may  have  a  consequential
future in this business. The only two handicaps this comp has, in  my
opinion, are Tread and Last Supper. Both  bands  presented  songs  on
this offering that were desperately tedious  and  altogether  boring.
Bleeding Faith and their "Deep Cerebral Paralysis" cut came close  to
the despondency of the other two aforementioned bands  but  for  BF's
nice passage about the 2:40 mark. Undecided is a spectacular band  on
this release, as they push the envelope of heavily ethereal  gateways
to the borders of imagination. Undecided could use some  coaching  in
the vocal arena, though, and my  advice  would  be  to  go  harsh  or
death-y -- the cleanish style is damaging  to  your  intense  musical
style. Dames Rocket's 3:15 was about 3:14 too long and accounted  for
a full point off this compilation's score, but Haddy Poppish, Joe  C.
Wails Gang, and Majority Rules, covered  over  Dames  Rocket  with  a
thick, viscous lacquer of insipidness that totaled the other negative
two points this CD received. Other than the metal trash platitudes  I
just mentioned, _Colorado Colossus_ gives a nice flavor of  the  true
(starving) underground. If you are adventurous enough, check  it  out
-- but beware the few pitfalls this endeavor lays open before you...


Converge - _Jane Doe_  (Equal Vision, October 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (9.5 out of 10)

Nearly seven years on from  their  _Halo  in  a  Haystack_  debut  --
thought by some to be the  origin  point  of  noisecore/metalcore  --
Converge have made what for my money -- and in my limited  experience
-- is their  finest  album.  _Jane  Doe_  is  a  powerfully  durable,
irresistibly  individual  compound  of  many  sounds  and  individual
approaches. Chosen from the kind of range that might seem unusual for
a traditional metal or hardcore crew but which is almost expected  of
bands from the noisecore crowd who  trace  back  to  Converge,  these
approaches are noticed like subliminal messages  which  later  prompt
the listener to peel off the layers and behold -where- Converge  seem
to have got their ideas from. The way great slabs of  Slayer  slither
through the cracks of "Bitter and Then Some". The way "Hell  to  Pay"
and "Phoenix in Flight" won't let you chill with Kyuss,  because  you
are being -chilled- by Neurosis. The band referenced don't  represent
the core sounds of Converge, but they seem to be part of the Converge
whole in some curious manner. Like many noisecore records, _Jane Doe_
gets  just  the  right  balance  between  clarity,  power,  and  raw,
close-quarters 'real' sound in its production to  give  almost  every
contrasting aspect of the music its full impact. There is an  attempt
at varying the balance and sound of different parts -- not  close  to
noticeable enough to affect the  record's  near-perfect  cohesion  --
which seems to seek their more clear and defined  expression  in  the
final result. Though they have a tendency to be  technically  insane,
Converge not only have the musicianship to pull everything  off  with
more than just a pinch of style -- and a megaton  of  power  to  boot
--  but  also  have  a  natural  aptitude  for  writing  impassioned,
finely-crafted songs  which  few  in  the  extreme  music  scene  can
surpass. From the pure,  furious  energy  of  the  opening  salvo  of
"Concubine", "Fault and Failure" and "Distance and Meaning",  through
the psychotropic grooves of "Hell to Pay", the grove-laden  catharsis
of  "Homewrecker",  all  the  way  to  the  intense,  eleven  minute,
gradual outpouring of anguish of  the  title  track,  _Jane  Doe_  is
simultaneously one the most brutally angry  and  one  of  most  truly
impassioned records of the  year  --  it's  among  my  five  personal
favourites, in fact.


Crematorium - _A World Where Only the Nightmares Prevail_
by: Adrian Bromley  (5 out of 10)  (Dismal Records America, 2001)

The intensity of Crematorium comes in small  doses,  and  that  is  a
blessing and a curse for the California act. Listening to the  band's
latest four-song EP, a mixture of aggressive hardcore  intensity  and
death metal endurance, the band just  steamrolls  through  aggressive
numbers  like  "Cast  the  Stone",  "Carved  From  Deceit",  my  fave
"Unlearn" and a solid cover of Metallica's "Whiplash" (taken  from  a
Dwell Records tribute to Metallica) -- but at the end of the day  the
listener is left with nothing really memorable about  their  numbers,
save for a few passages. The problem? A lot of  the  material  sounds
the same, save for the cover song, and that  itself  does  have  some
similarities with the way the vocals are delivered. Crematorium  does
have the intensity, they just need to  control  it  a  bit  more  and
deliver much more of a  punch  if  they  want  to  make  a  name  for
themselves. Right now, they've got something mediocre, when deep down
I can tell they could have  something  big.  A  few  more  months  of
planning could easily wield a truly  metallic  nightmare  to  contend
with. We'll have to wait and see if this comes onto  fruition,  won't
we?

Contact: Dismal Records America, PO Box 6488, Burbank,
         California 91510-6488, USA
         mailto:crematoirum@hotmail.com
         http://www.daggas.net/crematorium/


Darkness Eternal - _Satanchrist_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (7.5 out of 10)

First off, Darkness Eternal has produced an amazing album cover  this
time around, ten times better than the one that adorned the _Dawn  of
the Suffering_ CD [CoC #48]. The last album cover was  atrocious,  as
my review had stated, and it is good to see things improved. And much
like the new artwork that is vastly improved, so is the  musicianship
of this one-man band (George Valaetis). While the previous effort had
a pretty uneven pace to it, the new disc is well-balanced dark  death
metal with some great, violent death growls and some masterful guitar
riffs, as well as a real grim atmosphere to boot. The most impressive
thing is the fact that  Valaetis  plays  it  all,  yet  it  seems  so
effortless and well assembled, as if a full band  is  in  the  studio
blasting away at the music. Coating the death metal approach  with  a
real dark edge to it,  Darkness  Eternal  is  definitely  an  unknown
Canadian band that should see more exposure in the next little while.
At least the band should, as Valaetis  deserves  it.  You  see?  Hard
work, an abundance of passion and a little  bit  of  guidance  allows
most bands to find their best moments as the years go on. I've got my
eye on Darkness Eternal. Choice cuts: "Cross of Lives" and  "To  Save
the Lost".

Contact: mailto:darknesseternal666@hotmail.com
         http://www.deternal.darkgod.net


Darkthrone - _Plaguewielder_  (Moonfog, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (8 out of 10)

Once again a disappointment for punters hoping to point  an  accusing
finger  at  the  album's  commercial-looking  cover,  _Plaguewielder_
serves as a nonchalant reminder  of  who's  who  in  the  spluttering
Norse metal scene.  Opening  with  choked  whispers  a  la  _A  Blaze
in the Northern  Sky_,  "Weakling  Avenger"  showcases  the  cleanest
production  Darkthrone  has  achieved  thus  far.  Make  no  mistake,
however;  the  trademark  Celtic  Frost  worship   remains,   shining
surprisingly well through the incisive mix. Nocturno Culto springs no
unpleasant _Panzerfaust_ surprises here,  sporting  his  sore  throat
remarkably well. Musically, _Plaguewielder_ falls between  the  speed
of _Transilvanian Hunger_ and the  crunchier  _A  Blaze..._,  with  a
sound strangely modern yet classic. Not  surprising  for  the  enigma
that is Darkthrone anyway; few bands in the scene have  managed  this
level of consistency over so many releases without playing themselves
into a rut. The six long tracks prove that Darkthrone are capable  of
more complexity than their trademark monotony gives them credit  for,
and the variety attained throughout the album points a  stout  middle
finger  at  their  countrymates  having  to  turn  techno  in  search
of diversity  (read:  Dodheimsgard).  Long-time  followers  won't  be
disappointed with the vinyl version (some say that's the only way  to
listen to Darkthrone): a lavish gatefold in a brilliant matte  finish
shows off some unconventional, yet strangely apt cover  art.  One  of
the nicer Darkthrone packages, and might just be worth the  cutthroat
prices Moonfog are charging for their releases.


Deeds of Flesh - _Mark of the Legion_  (Unique Leader, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (7 out of 10)

This  is   the   fourth   full-length   offering   from   Californian
death/grinders Deeds of Flesh. Ultimately, there's not much for me to
say about this album. If you've heard one of their previous  efforts,
then you know exactly what to  expect  from  _Mark  of  the  Legion_:
brutal,  unrelenting  death/grind  with  growled  vocals  and  tight,
technical playing. Their riffs are very syncopative  and  percussive,
relying  almost  completely  on  rhythm.  There  are  no  atmospheric
sections, no female vocals, no acoustic guitars, very little  melody,
and unfortunately, very little to differentiate the songs  from  each
other. And that's a shame, because otherwise, this is a  good  album:
the production is good, the playing is excellent,  the  packaging  is
good, but the songs so  completely  lack  memorability  that  there's
nothing that keeps it in your head after the last song is done.  Fans
of the band will probably enjoy the album, but it  seems  I'm  burned
out on the style.


Destinity - _Supreme Domination's Art_
by: David Rocher  (2 out of 10)  (Psychic Scream, November 2001)

There are no words more fitting than  "atrocious"  or  "pathetic"  to
characterise Destinity's second release. This French  sextet,  signed
to Malaysian label Psychic Scream, are a massively  superfluous  poor
man's Cradle of Filth -- maybe a tad more death metal than CoF,  but,
over and all, undoubtedly a lot worse  than  their  British  mentors.
Despite the presence of at least one technically proficient guitarist
and a competent drummer in their ranks, Destinity  can  hardly  claim
to  do  anything  else  but  hopelessly  drown  in  a  grimy  sea  of
pseudo-symphonic black metal molasses, plagued as  they  are  with  a
vocalist who sounds just  too  much  like  Dani  Filth  for  _Supreme
Domination's Art_ (more Dimmu Borgir song titles, anyone?) to  awaken
anything else but nervous laughter whenever I try to  listen  to  it.
And believe me, I've tried, many a time. And hence, have spent  quite
a lot of time laughing nervously.


Diabolical - _Synergy_  (Scarlet Records, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (7.5 out of 10)

Sweden still has  a  lot  to  offer  when  it  comes  to  metal,  and
Diabolical are one of the country's most interesting young acts. Last
year they released an MCD through  a  small  Swedish  label,  and  it
showed that this was a band to be  taken  seriously.  They  have  now
released their debut full-length album on  Italian  Scarlet  Records.
Diabolical have developed further into an even more technical  style,
and with a bigger label behind them the sound quality is also  a  lot
better. I can't help comparing Diabolical to In Flames, as there  are
lots of beautiful melodies on this album, but Diabolical's  sound  is
rougher, darker and a lot closer to black metal. They sound closer to
Witchery, but a little less playful. Incidentally, the album's  fifth
track is called "Guidance of Sin", and I can't help wondering whether
this title was chosen as a tribute to the Swedish band with the  same
name. Anyway, if you think In Flames are moving away from the essence
of extreme metal but would still like to hear beautiful melodies  and
great killer riffs, then Diabolical is a band worth looking out  for.
If no major problems or obstacles lie ahead of this band, they should
go far in the near future.


Edguy - _Mandrake_  (AFM Records / The End, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (8.5 out of 10)

I won't lie to you; this is my very first encounter with  the  German
operatic power outfit Edguy, and I am duly  impressed.  Despite  five
other albums by my count, I am just now being exposed  to  this  band
due in no small part to The End's distribution of _Mandrake_ here  in
the States. Eleven songs of metal  driven  by  unmitigated  will  and
forcefulness thrust _Makedrake_ forward. I am  a  sucker  of  a  good
opening track, and Edguy hands one over with  a  great  track  called
"Tears of the Mandrake". Undertaking this strong effort with such  an
inspired song is exhilarating. Working  itself  from  a  quasi-techno
feel, "Tears of the Mandrake" congeals around  a  distinguished  bass
sequence (a la Tobias "Eggi" Exxel) to accompany a dynamically moving
guitar solo right  near  the  4  minute  10  second  mark;  viciously
effective. Vocals are complements of Tobias  Sammet  and,  at  times,
would  stir  up  Morgana  Lefay  reflections  or  thoughts  of  Blind
Guardian's vocalist Hansi Kursch. It goes without saying, Tobias  has
an impeccable range. "Jerusalem" is chalked  full  of  nice  passages
and, as it turns out, very relevant currently. Nice guitar  acoustics
precede "Nailed to the Wheel"'s campaign of  sheer  forcefulness  and
stunning guitar work. "The Pharaoh" is  the  very  next  cut  off  of
_Mandrake_ to more-or-less transfix this reviewer. It accounts for 10
minutes and 37 seconds of this disc, so you know beyond a doubt Edguy
had something profound to say with this ancient feeling song. I heard
it loud and clear! The eleventh track on _Mandrake_ is entitled  "The
Devil & the Savant". It is a limited edition  bonus  tack.  Bonus  is
absolutely correct in every sense of the word; a  fantastic  cut.  It
reminded me of a highly energized Iron Maiden song  off  of  _Seventh
Son of a Seventh Son_. "Wash Away the Poison", the album's ballad, is
a very weak spot, however. While doctored up with meaningful  lyrics,
the infirmity of the song is  nowhere  near  concentrated  or  potent
enough to detract from this effort's  spiritual  birthright.  Unearth
this, until now, buried, magical prize -- if not for  yourself,  then
for the sake of potency itself.

[Alvin Wee: "Certainly a surprise after the letdown of 1999's  _ToS_,
 bringing back the simplistic melodies of _Vain  Glory  Opera_  in  a
 comfortingly mature package, reeking of  Maiden  at  times.  Complex
 enough not to be chucked into the HammerFall camp, _Mandrake_  still
 retains the gloriously sing-along choruses  that  made  their  early
 work so endearing.  More  engaging  than  Avantasia  and  easier  to
 swallow than Taraxacum: simply  a  must  for  anyone  even  remotely
 involved in the genre."]

Contact: http://www.edguy.nu


Edicius - _Aeon_  (Deadsun Records, October 2001)
by: David Rocher  (7 out of 10)

French newcomers  Edicius'  first  release  strikes  me  as  being  a
surprising one indeed.  Despite  claims  as  unpretentious  (and  not
necessarily promising)  as  "grinding  black  metal",  this  outfit's
multi-facetted  onslaught  has  succeeded  in   landing   some   form
of  a  rusty  meat  hook  in  my  mind,  which,  for  a  considerable
period, had me  coming  back  time  after  time  for  another  lethal
dose of  vicious,  grinding,  atmospheric,  mid-paced,  black  metal.
Intrigued? _Aeon_ definitely had me feeling that way --  at  a  first
listen, Edicius' sound insanely fast and  blatantly  mean,  but  also
predictable and unappealing, owing to their harsh,  cybernetic  sound
and chaotic  songwriting.  However,  as  _Aeon_  unfolds,  distinctly
vicious  numbers  such  as  "Gothic  Breed",  chunks   of   frenzied,
grinding fierceness  such  as  "Bledemon"  or  "By  Cold  Anger"  are
somewhat  subdued  by  atmospheric  counterparts  such  as  the  very
Norwegian-sounding "Tremendous Unknown", or the synth-laden interlude
"At Mo S pHereS". This contrasted variety of styles is both  _Aeon_'s
strength and weakness: much as this first attempt  proves  to  be  as
efficient  as  it  is  addictive,  at  some  point,  it  unmistakably
turns out to  lack  consistency,  which  leaves  me  to  dwell  on  a
weird impression of listening to some annoyingly  unfinished,  albeit
extraordinarily efficient, chunk of totally extreme, warlike metal --
I guess  the  oft-shifting  production,  added  to  Edicius'  totally
underground/rehearsal approach, only comforts this peculiar feeling I
am left with. However, I find myself more attracted to the  unearthly
blackness and sheer harshness that emanate from every obscure  corner
in this recording than I ever expected to be, and can therefore  only
recommend that fans of extremist musical aggression cast an attentive
ear upon Edicius.

[Paul Schwarz: "French extreme  metal  has  a  curious  but  pleasing
 tendency to be quite at odds with what is going on in  the  rest  of
 the scene. Though _Aeon_ could vaguely be  fitted  into  the  "black
 metal" genre, this isn't because it is a stylistic  doppelganger  of
 the "black metal" style, developed or in its raw form. _Aeon_ likens
 itself to early black metal because it captures a sound that refuses
 to let you get comfortable."]


Enslaved - _Monumension_  (Osmose, November 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7.5 out of 10)

This one will require quite a bit of literary  paint  on  the  canvas
before a reasonably  accurate  picture  can  begin  to  form  in  the
reader's mind -- something that comes as no surprise after  _Mardraum
- Beyond the Within_ [CoC #50].  With  _Monumension_,  Enslaved  have
significantly changed their sound, yet it is still a somewhat logical
follow-up to _Mardraum_, in the sense that it expands on _Mardraum_'s
experimentation, which itself was based upon its  superb  predecessor
_Blodhemn_'s aggressive style. Unfortunately, while _Mardraum_ was an
enjoyable and highly impressive  record,  _Monumension_  occasionally
comes across as too over-the-top in terms of its experimentation, and
the album as a whole lacks some focus  and  consistency.  The  Viking
thread that ran through every Enslaved  release  isn't  very  upfront
here, and the vocals are now sung in English  instead  of  Norwegian,
which is a loss. There is also less black metal and more of  a  death
metal sound, and then there's all the atmospheric,  experimental  and
retro elements (in both a metal and rock sense)  that  Enslaved  have
thrown into the mix in a much higher  dosage  than  before.  Enslaved
treat you to  their  rocking  side  and  also  their  mellower,  more
atmospheric side, plus some older Enslaved to boot; what they fail to
do is put it all together as a cohesive record. Most of the album  is
still very enjoyable and certainly has some remarkable moments  worth
much more than a 7.5, but the major problem comes from the two tracks
Kronheim wrote, plus the outro and the folk-like track that  follows.
Four tracks totaling over 23 minutes of what is mostly  uninteresting
material that, in the case of Kronheim's mid-album  tracks,  severely
disrupts the flow of  the  record.  The  production  also  failed  to
impress me. Overall, this is a record where Enslaved  seem  to  tease
the listener with numerous fine passages, only to create a whole that
is less enjoyable than their previous output. Whether or not Enslaved
are going through an identity crisis, _Monumension_ does  prove  that
they can cover a lot of musical ground; but I'd -really- like them to
go back to creating reasonably focused and  truly  enjoyable  records
again.

[Paul Schwarz: "Personally, I found _Mardraum_ [CoC  #50]  an  overly
 incongruous affair: I didn't get it -- though I intend to go back to
 it now. _Monumension_ I have come to really like a lot.  It  manages
 to combine hypnotic intensity --  which  occasionally  nods  towards
 Pink Floyd-esque psychedelia -- with a  clear  but  gritty  metallic
 thrust which is unpredictable  enough  to  keep  you  on  edge,  but
 grounded enough to draw you in. The best Enslaved since  _Eld_  [CoC
 #20], in my view."]


Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_  (Beyond... Prod., 2000)
by: Brian Meloon  (9 out of 10)

Italy's Ensoph have finally released  the  full-length  follow-up  to
their 1998 EP _Les Confessions du Mat_ [CoC #40]. _Bleeding  Womb  of
Ananke_ is similar in style to that album, though more refined. Their
sound is somewhat hard to describe, in that they take elements that a
lot of bands use -- female operatic vocals, black metal vocals, clean
guitars, electronic influences, and classically-influenced  keyboards
-- but are able to combine them in a way that's unique and  original.
Their sound is quite  gloomy,  even  in  the  parts  which  are  more
up-tempo. I guess they could fit in the  "atmospheric  metal"  genre,
but closer to the  Decoryah  /  In  the  Woods...  side,  as  they're
more atmospheric and less metal. Actually,  the  mix  is  about  half
metal, half more atmospheric sections, but I  tend  to  remember  the
atmospheric sections more, as their influence permeates  all  of  the
music. Their sound is also quite diverse, and it's hard to  think  of
anyone in particular that they sound like, though the  elements  they
blend together  aren't  completely  original.  Overall,  this  is  an
excellent offering from a band with the courage to define  their  own
sound, and is worth tracking down for fans of the  atmospheric  metal
genre.


Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_
by: Pedro Azevedo  (8 out of 10)  (Rage of Achilles, 2001)

The debut EP by Sweden's Forest of Shadows contains three  tracks  of
melodic doom/death lasting a total of over half  an  hour.  Slow  and
mournful, Forest of Shadows combine death and clean vox, and also add
an array of other instruments for a mildly orchestral feel. The music
isn't  overly  complex,  yet  contains  enough  variety  and  changes
frequently enough to avoid any monotony if you  enjoy  this  kind  of
doom metal. Simultaneously funereal  and  catchy  enough,  the  music
contains a strong emotional charge as well  as  a  pleasant  kind  of
unpretentious quality.  Forest  of  Shadows  manage  to  successfully
gather influences from several of the European doom metal giants  and
use them without coming across as very derivative, especially  for  a
debuting band. An impressive debut by these northern doomsters, and a
smart signing by Rage of Achilles.

Contact: http://www.rageofachilles.clara.net


Forgotten Tales - _The Promise_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (7.5 out of 10)

I was actually very excited when this record landed in my mailbox.  I
had seen Quebec's Forgotten Tales in  their  early  stages  of  their
career opening up for Nightwish in Montreal in November  of  2001.  I
distinctly remember being blown away by the powerful presence of  the
band and the wonderful arrangements that  they  played  during  their
short, but well received, set. Finally, a year later,  _The  Promise_
is here and fans of power metal music will no  doubt  want  to  check
this young band out. With some great production on their side (thanks
to ace producer Pierre Remillard), Forgotten Tales get the  most  out
of their epic power  metal  numbers,  especially  when  singer  Sonia
Pineault hits the high notes. What a voice. Fast paced and very tight
(a la Stratovarious / Blind Guardian), the music of  Forgotten  Tales
coats itself with some slick guitar solos  and  fancy  keyboard  work
(check out numbers "World of Truth", "Far  Away"  and  the  four-part
epic "The Tale of Neeris"), rarely losing momentum.  Sure  this  band
may be inexperienced, in regards to touring and studio work, but they
have their chops down. Give this band a little more time to  hone  in
on their skills and a label that believes in them, and the sky is the
limit for these power metal warriors and fair maiden.

Contact: http://www.forgottentales.com


Gardy-Loo! - _Socially Unacceptable_
by: Adrian Bromley  (2 out of 10)  (Crook'd Records, December 2001)

What the hell is this? Since  1990  (and  from  the  ashes  of  Nasty
Savage), Gardly-Loo! has been reeking shit  (literally!)  with  their
shows and albums, but yet, I have never heard of them till  now.  Now
explain that? Is there some underground metal scene more  underground
than the one now that I would have missed them?  I  don't  think  so.
File this under GWAR-like material, but maybe  a  few  notches  down.
Obviously the bad lyrics and themes make this even less enjoyable for
me, a culmination of early demos from 1991 and newer material.  While
the music is okay at small doses, songs like "You're  Nothing  But  a
Piece of Shit", "I Like Shit" and "Garbage Dump" do  nothing  for  me
but make me irritated. I'm guessing that  crowds  into  GGAllin,  The
Mentors and GWAR will be all over this like, um, flies on  shit,  but
for the average metalhead, no one will care. At least I hope not. But
guess what? Crook'd Records is going to release their  older  records
_Stool Sample_ and _Perverts on Parade_! Can't wait...

Contact: P.O. Box 25, Jamestown, NC 27282, USA
         http://gardyloo.50megs.com/gloopg.html


Ghoulunatics - _King of the Undead_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (9 out of 10)

I have always had a love/hate relationship  with  this  Quebec  metal
outfit (which goes back to their _Carving Into You_ demo [CoC  #34]).
While I like the overall groove and grind of their death metal style,
I have always had problems with the band's production and overall end
result of material. That is until now. Obviously, years of hard  work
and some feedback has allowed this band to pick up the  momentum  and
actually assemble a solid recording. Pierre Remillard (of the  great,
but now defunct, Obliveon) did a superb job in  bringing  the  band's
sound to the forefront without polishing it too much.  Still  raw  at
times, the music is allowed to breathe a bit instead of being held to
one certain sound or style. _King of the Undead_  has  a  real  cool,
kind of campy horror death metal feel to  it.  Catchy  guitar  riffs,
somewhat clean death metal growls and a  tight  rhythm  section  help
make songs like  "Mobster  Fiesta  Extravaganza"  and  "Oh  God!  The
Stench" seem like rock 'n'  roll  anthems.  I  kid  you  not,  folks!
Looking for a good time where you can sit back, have a beer and  just
rock out to good metal music? Then be sure to check out Ghoulunatics.

Contact: The Ghouls Mansion, P.O. Box 47574, Montreal,
         Quebec H2H 2S8, Canada
         mailto:ghoul668@hotmail.com
         http://www.ghoulunatics.com


Gorelord - _Force Fed on Human Flesh_
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)  (Baphomet/Relapse, October 2001)

One of  the  first  releases  on  Baphomet/Housecore  (label  run  by
Pantera's Philip Anselmo and Necrophagia's  Killjoy  and  distributed
through Relapse Records) is the ultra-sick 'n' twisted  album  _Force
Fed on Human Flesh_ by Gorelord. Soaking itself up  in  horror-filled
themes and dirty metal riffs, Gorelord pounce on  the  listener  with
its abrasive onslaught and wickedly creepy soundclips. With  a  crisp
production and an vibrant attitude to back it up, Gorelord  makes  an
impact with songs (destined to be classics) like  "Crushed  Skull  on
Christian Shoulders", "Alive When Fucking  the  Dead"  and  "Chainsaw
Ripping Skin". While veteran Relapse act Mortician  may  be  somewhat
stagnant with their horror-themed musical masterpieces of late, it is
good to see a band like Gorelord kicking the shit out of us in such a
maniacal frenzy. Note: this album comes with a  18+  warning  sticker
that says this album may be "too intense for some  listeners".  Good!
Let Gorelord scare off the pansies  and  keep  making  uncut,  brutal
music for us die-hard metal music sickos.


Headhunter DC - _And the Sky Turns Black (The Dark Age Has Come)_
by: Aaron McKay  (9 out of 10)  (WWIII, 2001)

Not often do I say this, but  I  don't  believe  that  I  would  even
consider comparing this outfit  to  anyone  else.  Headhunter  (Death
Cult)'s label, WWIII, feels it necessary  to  draw  a  similarity  to
Krisiun and Raebelliun; not me. This Brazilian four-piece is rich  in
both craft and skill. Deeply strained but clear  vocals,  accentuated
by phenomenal drum work, are a couple of mighty  big  selling  points
for these longhairs. Even more attractive is this group's practice of
involving the listener in each of the nine tracks by  developing  the
material from good to better to great from start to finish. The  bass
is evident, as I like it, and the wreckage is ubiquitous. "From Dream
to Nightmare" is all I need to say to  represent  the  aforementioned
attributes on this astounding  CD.  With  the  addition  of  the  two
bonus tracks of enlightening truculence, you  are  sure  as  hell  in
for a  rude-ass  awakening!  Discover  something  new  and  find  out
why Headhunter DC are  called  the  "forefathers"  of  the  Brazilian
underground.

Contact: http://www.ww3music.com


Various - _Hellion Promo Vol II_  (Hellion Records, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (6 out of 10)

Hellion  Records,  arguably  Europe's  flagship  power  metal  store,
unleashes part two of their not-for-sale promotional CDs, distributed
among their loyal customers and fans. Always a good  taster  for  the
goings-on in the often inaccessible European power-prog  scene,  this
one was welcomed as it marked  the  return  of  three  '80s  legends:
Tresspass, Culprit and Q5 (now Nightshade). Not  Fragile  blast  open
the proceedings with promisingly blazing leads, but never  go  beyond
the simple-mindedness  of  pre-_Keepers_  Helloween  or  early  Grave
Digger. Still, as a debut, _21st Century  Ballroom_  promises  to  be
a solid  slab  of  old-school  Teutonic  steel.  Fellow  debutants  K
Octave disappoint with their brand of downright  obsolete  US  metal.
"Breakneck" might have come straight out of those delete-bins of  the
eighties and you wouldn't be the wiser. Former melodic-rock  geniuses
Q5 have never quite recovered from their slump after the one  amazing
debut record, and despite upping the volume a little on  "This  Thing
Kicks", remain firmly lodged as purveyors  of  solid-yet-unimpressive
NWOBHM-style rock. Anyone who  remembers  bona-fide  NWOBHM  classics
like "One of These  Days"  will  salivate  at  the  mere  mention  of
Trespass; taken  off  their  _The  Works  II_  collection,  "Man  and
Machine" is another irrefutable stamp of  quality  for  a  band  that
doesn't quite need it. Culprit finish off this five-tracker  with  an
energetic blast,  being  a  stunner  from  the  re-release  of  their
semi-classic _Guilty as Charged_  album.  Chock  full  of  hooks  and
heart-pounding rhythm, this is traditional metal  at  its  best,  but
nothing new to those already savvy to eighties metal. Not more than a
6 for the variable quality  on  this  disc,  but  makes  for  a  good
all-in-one review of the albums available on the Hellion label.

Contact: http://www.hellionrecords.de


Illnath - _Angelic Voices Calling_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7.5 out of 10)

From Denmark they are, but from  Norway  they  could  very  well  be:
Illnath are another band in  the  long  line  of  Norwegian-sounding,
keyboard-sweetened melodic blackened metal ensembles.  This  _Angelic
Voices Calling_ EP is an independent release,  and  as  such  I  must
admire the band's professionalism and the quality of the  production,
both clearly good enough to rival most of what gets released by  some
important labels these days.  Sitting  somewhere  between  Cradle  of
Filth and _Enthrone Darkness Triumphant_-era  Dimmu  Borgir,  Illnath
are really quite good at what they do, which is admittedly commercial
"black metal" -- and I must again emphasize the impressive quality of
this release given the fact that they had no label  support.  Despite
the annoyingly sweet keyboards, Illnath are able to gather some  good
momentum (especially on the title track) and create  catchy  passages
as well. Nothing really  original  or  challenging,  but  nonetheless
quite enjoyable -- as a demo, it would have been worth a 5 out of  5,
but then again this band  is  clearly  not  in  demo  stage  anymore.
Illnath need a less  derivative  sound,  better  atmospheric  use  of
keyboards and a bit less CoF-like vocals, and they do  seem  to  have
enough potential to deal with these issues in the future.  Definitely
worth giving Illnath a chance if you are a fan  of  this  genre,  and
labels would be equally well advised to do so.

Contact: http://www.listen.to/illnath/


In Thy Dreams - _Highest Beauty_  (Century Media, November 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis  (4 out of 10)

I was under the impression  that  Swedish  melodic  death  metal  was
supposed to be catchy. Classic melodic death songs such  as  "Blinded
by Fear" (At the Gates) and "Zodjackyl Light" (Dark Tranquillity) had
insanely catchy hooks that embedded themselves in your mind for days,
sometimes weeks afterwards. Now what if, say, At the Gates wrote some
melodic death songs without the inherent catchiness? If they did,  it
would probably sound something like this album.  Totally  boring  and
extremely tedious. Despite repeated  listenings  I  am  not  able  to
recall a single riff. This album isn't without some  merit,  however,
as In Thy  Dreams  demonstrate  that  they  are  more  then  adequate
musicians -- it's just a pity that they  are  such  bad  songwriters.
Hopefully their next release  will  see  them  realising  their  full
potential, writing some more memorable songs.


Infernal Legion - _Sculptured Humans_  (LSP Company, November 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (5 out of 10)

It wasn't without some hesitation that I decided on the rating above,
as these Belgians' debut really suffers from its poor  production  --
which not only denies their music the sonic impact it might have had,
but actually becomes  actively  annoying  as  well.  Still,  mediocre
as the production may  be,  it  doesn't  render  _Sculptured  Humans_
unlistenable, and beneath the surface  Infernal  Legion  occasionally
show glimpses of potential. Their thrash attack  --  which  has  been
injected with a small dose of blackened metal -- is hardly a novelty,
but nevertheless does carry some quality, mainly  during  the  faster
sections.  Overall,  _Sculptured  Humans_  is  neither  original  nor
remarkable within its genre, but given a decent production  the  band
will surely be able to do better in the future.

Contact: http://www.lsp-company.com


Iniquity - _Grime_  (Mighty Music, January 2002)
by: David Rocher  (8 out of 10)

Iniquitous drummer Jesper Frost Jensen is a deserving man indeed -- a
hard-working musician in the death metal underground since  1989  who
did not get the opportunity to  release  a  full-length  album  until
1996, when Iniquity released their first doom-laden chunk  of  death,
_Serenadium_ -- after which Iniquity's  world  fell  apart  owing  to
continuous, unceasing line-up changes, leaving  only  founder  member
Jesper Frost Jensen in the band. The interestingly  gloomy,  yet  not
overwhelmingly indispensable material on _Serenadium_ was however not
exactly ominous of Iniquity's forthcoming tracks, as the Danes'  1998
MCD, _The Hidden Lore_, saw them veer towards some hard, violent  and
technical death metal, a direction which they have since  then  stuck
to -- and by which _Grime_  totally  abides.  The  opener  _Tides  of
Vengeance_ sets the mark clearly enough: massive, raging and blasting
rhythms, speeding axe lines  with  a  cool,  snapping  crunchy  feel,
bowel-churning low-case riffage laden with distorted  harmonics,  and
brilliant, thick, blood-curdling vocals. All throughout the  maiming,
seething 45 minutes of  supermean  death  metal  on  this  disc,  the
really enjoyable point about _Grime_, besides its blasting  fury  and
sweaty intensity, remains the fact that  it  does  -not-  sound  like
your average Scandinavian death  metal  album;  offering  a  balanced
compromise between all-out burly American-style  thrashing  brutality
and typically aggressive Scandinavian  melodies,  _Grime_  is  merely
catchy upon a first spin, but soon becomes annoyingly addictive.  The
sheer, bare-toothed  meanness  of  this  blasting  sample  of  Danish
cookery works a treat indeed, and if proof was ever  needed,  _Grime_
has instantly blasted its way into my five most frequently spun death
metal albums these days.


Jacob's Dream - _Theatre of War_  (Metal Blade, July 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (6 out of 10)

After the band's astounding major-label debut last year, one would've
thought Jacob's Dream capable of producing  more  than  the  mediocre
rehashing of passe ideas that  _ToW_  turns  out  to  be.  While  the
self-titled disc could be forgiven for  its  considerably  derivative
nature, this sophomore  effort  (discounting  the  elusive  demo-MCD)
lapses into directionless banter and strained operatics on  the  part
of Geoff Tate-soundalike David Taylor. Mellow rather than melancholy,
the Queensryche worship plods along at a tedious pace, livened up  by
the  occasional  flashes  of  melodic  brilliance  characteristic  of
their earlier material. Ballads are evidently  a  strong  point,  and
the  emotionally-charged  "Sarah  Williams"  puts  the  debut's  "Mad
House of  Cain"  to  shame.  The  sheer  forgettable  nature  of  the
rest  of  the  material  places  the  band  alongside  nearly-made-it
power/prog wannabes like  Avalon;  the  hints  of  greatness  peeking
through at times can prove infuriating to a  listener  familiar  with
the promising first album. Still, it must be said that _ToW_ is  more
of a disappointment than  a  complete  disaster;  with  the  rash  of
sub-standard, post-HammerFall Eurometal, _ToW_ looks rather  good  in
comparison.


Jesus Anal Penetration / Oni - <split>
by: Quentin Kalis (5 out 10) (Dead by Dawn / Dissident Records, 2001)

This  CD  features  five  tracks  from  each  of  the  aforementioned
Australian  bands.  Jesus  Anal  Penetration  open  the  CD  with  an
overlong sample, presumably filched from some (horror?) movie, before
launching into their brand of brutal  death  metal.  The  band  name,
song titles such as "Molestation  and  Murder"  and  "Force-Fed  Holy
Bullshit", along with the inane  anti-Christian  lyrics,  suggests  a
band attempting to be as outrageous as possible.  If  only  they  had
expended some of the energy and effort they spent  on  trying  to  be
shocking into producing decent music... Oni are the more cerebral  of
the two bands, presenting a death metal contemplation  of  Sun  Tzu's
"The Art of the War". Lyrically they run circles  around  Jesus  Anal
Penetration; but musically they are only slightly better, they  alone
saving this CD from a 4 out of 10 rating.


Killer Khan - _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

Man, you gotta love heavy metal / rock 'n' roll and those who worship
it every second of their waking day. That is why I like Killer  Khan.
I liked the last album I  reviewed,  1999's_Kill  Devil  Hills_  [CoC
#41], and that is why I am down with the re-release the  band's  1997
album _Rock 'n' Roll Forever_. This is just great metal /  hard  rock
in the vein of Ozzy Osbourne (singer Killer Khan sounds exactly  like
the Ozzy!), Black Sabbath and any old '80s metal act, but not  cheesy
at all. The music here is done with  intelligence  and  passion.  The
album moves along with some sinister guitar  riffs,  haunting  vocals
and just a real fun  vibe  all  around.  You'll  be  headbanging  and
pumping your fist to songs like "Leather and  Lace",  "Kamikaze"  and
"Vanishing Point". Who says metal is dead? As long as Killer Khan  is
waving the metal flag, we can all sleep good at night knowing that he
is doing his best to stay true for us metalheads. Gotta love the  big
guy, eh?

Contact: P.O. Box 1466, Mooresville, North Carolina 28115, USA
         mailto:khanmetal@webtv.net
         http://www.killerkhan.com


King's X - _Manic Moonlight_  (Metal Blade, September 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (2 out of 10)

There are so precious few hours in the day, so I  cannot  fathom  why
you would dedicate so much as a second listening to  this  horrendous
conglomeration of unadulterated musical sess.  Truth  be  known,  the
only reason I got past the first track on  this  incorrigible  effort
rests exclusively in the fact that it is  my  job.  If  this  article
takes an unapologetic negative slant before I can assess my  thoughts
from what I am  hearing  (unfortunately  for  about  the  third  time
through the disc), I wanted to tell you what the two points that this
CD got originated  from.  The  bass,  on  a  hit-and-miss  basis,  is
fairly convincing; Doug Pinnick, also picking up lead  vocal  duties,
demonstrates a fine low-end style. The  positive,  although  somewhat
namby-pamby, lyrics also did  not  detract  from  _Manic  Moonlight_.
Underplayed both on instrumentation  and  writing  fronts,  King's  X
typifies most every aspect of the banal  and  stereotypic  in  music.
Radio-friendly through and  through,  I  find  this  band's  approach
drained and weary. "Static" is a near perfect example  of  everything
mentioned above; good bass, mostly reassuring lyric, but the monotony
becomes overwhelming. OH, the redundancy! I  loathe  to  say  that  I
could care less about this three-piece band  claiming  nearly  twenty
years on the scene, but that is the fact, pure and  simple.  I  would
have thought they would have found something better to do with  their
time. I've spent too much time on this review already. Even  fans  of
this group will have to tread cautiously -- the rest of us  can  shun
the ten tracks on _MM_ like the plague.

[Paul Schwarz: "I have never understood why anyone  would  waste  any
 part of a finite existence on this  earth  listening  to  King's  X:
 _Manic  Moonlight_  exemplifies  why.  Repetitive  and  boring  rock
 lacking power, dynamic, decent lyrics or anything I  could  see  the
 point in. However, I do confess that I really don't feel  that  well
 equipped to judge King's X; for obvious reasons, I own nothing which
 sounds much like them at all."]


Kronos - _Titans Awakening_  (Warpath Records, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)

If we aren't going to sound different through our  musical  ideas  or
execution, then at least let's pick a weird sound mix. OK, maybe that
-wasn't- the idea behind _Titans Awakening_, but Kronos  did  end  up
with a strangely separated guitar sound, leaving a rather wide center
stage for the bass, vocals and especially the  prominent  drums.  The
death  metal  on  offer  here  tends  to  be  fast  and  furious  yet
occasionally groovy, with an obvious highlight on  the  very  upfront
drums, and Kronos keep some strong momentum throughout  most  of  the
record. Only during "Bloodtower" do they  go  out  of  their  way  to
create something different,  but  even  though  they  are  successful
in that  specific  case,  the  rest  of  the  album  is  a  lot  more
straightforward. Most of the highlights occur during the  first  half
of this 38 minute long album, causing my rating to be somewhat  lower
than what the promising first four tracks seemed to indicate.  Kronos
do create a strong and dynamic percussive attack throughout,  though;
_Titans  Awakening_  is  quite  an  enjoyable  disc  overall,  subtly
different from the norm even if hardly original in a significant way.

Contact: mailto:warpath@wanadoo.fr


Lacrimosa - _Fassade_ (Hall of Sermon / Nuclear Blast, November 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (3 out of 10)

Anyone remember that song "Copy Cat" by Swiss act Lacrimosa? That was
a cool song, one of my faves a few years  back.  But  after  that,  I
never really followed much else in Lacrimosa's career. So  it  was  a
surprise to me to know that the band was still around in 2001, having
already worked hard for the  last  ten  years  to  make  a  name  for
themselves. The band's new album, titled _Fassade_, is a poorly mixed
assortment of choirs, gothic overtones and female chantings that seem
to go nowhere. All of the music seems to be  overproduced,  with  the
vocals and other arrangements just acting  as  attachments  to  slick
production (check out songs like "Senses" and "Stumme Worte").  There
really are no intriguing aspects to the band's music, no real hook to
draw us in. My  biggest  problem  with  Lacrimosa  is  their  overall
approach to the  music  they  create.  It  sounds  too  pompous,  too
egocentric, and that makes me feel uninterested. No doubt there is  a
fan base still for Lacrimosa and I bet they all wear  frilly  clothes
and drink wine by a fireplace each evening, too. Ugh! No thanks.


Lugubrum - _Al Ghemist_  (Paniac, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (7 out of 10)

It takes a cover painting  as  brilliant  as  this  to  convince  the
underground types to drop their black/white sleeves  for  full  color
ones... still, limiting it only to  the  vinyl  edition  retains  the
notorious elitism of the scene. Decked out in glorious hue comes  the
steaming new offering from Belgian  barbarians  Lugubrum,  black  and
twisted as ever. Already  semi-famous  for  their  brand  of  "Boersk
Black Metal", Lugubrum  smash  home  their  claim  to  being  one  of
neo-BM's sickest troupes these days, amalgamating a gurgling riot  of
slowed-beyond-recognition Mayhem, classic Darkthrone  rhythm  and  an
impeccable ear for dissonance to create one of  the  most  nauseating
finds this quarter. I'm  hard  pressed  to  explain  the  twistedness
of this band's black  art;  suffice  it  to  say  that  _Al  Ghemist_
reeks of an underground stench paralleled only  by  early  Mayhem  or
Carpathian  Forest.  Alternating  mid-paced,  almost-tuneful  riffing
with swirling passages of diseased  sluggishness,  the  record  never
lapses into the monotony typical of  this  genre  (read:  Clandestine
Blaze), yet retains the hypnotic aura of evil  often  alluded  to  in
early interviews with Fenriz. Still, it  never  once  strikes  me  as
being even remotely essential listening, considering  the  deluge  of
such material out there. The  breathtaking  cover  art  done  by  the
guitarist himself remains the most  striking  aspect  of  the  album,
the Cathedral-shot-to-hell  feel  of  the  painting  epitomising  the
hallucinatory twistedness Lugubrum stand for. All in all, an album to
be treasured more by the die-hards than anyone else, and more so  for
vinyl-maniacs: an extra track and the fabulous artwork are not to  be
found on the CD version.

Contact: mailto:paniac@wol.be


Lullacry - _Be My God_  (Century Media, 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis  (6 out of 10)

Female fronted Finnish band Lullacry perform what  they  call  "heavy
rock", which I guess is an apt enough description. As can be expected
from a female fronted band, the music is not that aggressive, tending
to focus more on  emotions  and  atmospheres  than  on  violence  and
brutality.  Despite  the  slight  gothic  flavour,  this  is  a  very
commercial sounding album and it will not  appeal  to  everyone.  The
vocalist, Tanya, displays considerable variety in her vocal duties --
from loud, shouty vocals to softer, more  ethereal  singing.  And  in
case you're wondering, there are  absolutely  no  death  metal  style
growls! While I can appreciate the merits of this release and it will
undoubtedly have  its  fans,  this  album  its  just  too  commercial
sounding for this reviewer. If the  guitar  was  just  slightly  less
heavy (or maybe not), it wouldn't take a great stretch of imagination
to picture this album riding the charts.

[Paul Schwarz: "_BMG_ is an excess  waste  gas  of  the  Scandinavian
 metal scene -- one even more  toxic  than  the  boringretrotruemetal
 and excessivelymelodicnon-deathmetal emissions of past  years.  With
 boring riffs and idiotic lyrical  phrasings  stolen  from  the  same
 pub/bar band as Gandalf, Lullacry attempt to come up  smelling  like
 roses by having a  female  singer  --  and  with  the  aid  of  good
 production make a pop-rock album that attempts to  feign  possession
 of credibility. Yay for progress!"]


Macbeth - _Vanitas_  (Dragonheart Records, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (6 out of 10)

Since the days when only Theatre of  Tragedy,  Tristania  and  a  few
other bands existed in the genre, there has  been  a  real  explosion
of gothic doom metal  in  the  world,  with  new  bands  popping  out
everywhere. One of the most well known Italian bands is Macbeth  who,
as the name implies, are inspired by one of  Shakespeare's  works  of
genious. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be very nice towards  Shakespeare
if I compared this album to one  of  his  masterpieces,  because  the
music on _Vanitas_ never even reaches the high standards that we  are
used to hearing from the aforementioned bands.  _Vanitas_  is  not  a
terrible album, but it leaves you  without  any  feeling  whatsoever,
which is not a good thing. I think it might work well  as  background
music,  but  that  is  not  what  I  want  a  metal  album  for.  The
Shakespearean atmosphere is nowhere to be found on the album, but  it
does have its moments of joy -- very few  of  them,  though.  One  of
those moments is the great sequence of riffs on "Diablo  y  la  Luna"
which is a very nice song that shows the best of  this  band.  Female
vocalist Morena is a  lot  more  beautiful  then  the  music  itself,
however. If you are a hardcore Shakespeare or gothic metal fan,  then
_Vanitas_ could very well be worth your time, but personally I am not
very impressed with the result of this band's second album.


Maudlin of the Well - _Bath_
Maudlin of the Well - _Leaving Your Body Map_
by: Pedro Azevedo  (both 8.5 out of 10)  (Dark Symphonies, 2001)

One could tell by Maudlin of the Well's debut  [CoC  #46]  that  they
weren't a band willing to  take  an  easy  path;  but  releasing  two
full-length albums simultaneously is a rather  considerable  risk  to
take and requires a very trusting label to back  it  up.  _Bath_  and
_Leaving Your Body Map_ are two separate discs,  visually  linked  by
the artwork but not available as a double-CD set. Whilst the  balance
of heaviness and mellower sections does differ,  this  duo  does  not
follow the kind of structure Opeth are known to have been planning --
one heavier CD and an entirely mellow or experimental one. The  music
is overall melancholic, dreamy and atmospheric, but  Maudlin  of  the
Well insist on conveying a wide  spectrum  of  emotions  and  musical
influences with their music within  both  the  mellower  and  harsher
passages. The beginning of _Bath_  provides  a  striking  example  of
Maudlin of the Well's dichotomy: opener "The Blue  Ghost  /  Shedding
Qliphoth" is a  lengthy,  tranquil  instrumental  piece,  contrasting
with the harsh doom metal of  the  second  track,  "They  Aren't  All
Beautifull". However, with about 120 minutes of music  spread  across
the two CDs,  you  can  probably  imagine  how  much  experimentation
Maudlin of the Well have thrown into _Bath_ and  _Leaving  Your  Body
Map_. Many sorts of vocal styles are used, as well as a wide array of
instruments besides the usual metal setup, including clarinet, piano,
flute and cello. I have to admire the audacity of  this  band,  whose
music is not only wildly experimental but also vividly expressive  --
even if not constantly interesting. The clean male vocals  are  still
not really to my liking, but each of the two discs, or both  of  them
as a double-CD set, are worth hearing as a whole rather than  picking
out the bits you don't like. This may not be the  kind  of  listening
experience I'm looking for very often, but it is nonetheless quite  a
rewarding one in the case of Maudlin of  the  Well's  double  output.
_Bath_ and _Leaving Your Body Map_ are just about equally  worthy  of
purchase in case you decide to  look  into  this  band's  adventurous
work; I would recommend purchasing both if you are  interested  after
hearing some samples. The varied and unconventional nature of Maudlin
of the Well's music may not be to everyone's liking, but  overall  it
worked well for me despite the  fact  that  I  am  not  impressed  by
experimentation for the sake of experimentation --  but  then  again,
that is definitely not what Maudlin of the Well are all about.

Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com


Mercyful Fate - _Melissa's Nightmare_ 7"  (<Bootleg release>)
by: Alvin Wee  (5 out of 10)

Another bootleg thorn in the side of the King and Co., this  time  in
the form of a 7", annoyingly elusive compared to the ubiquitous  _All
Witches Night_ EP. Taken off the band's live ceremony at Wacken  '99,
the three tracks here have little more to offer  than  being  another
addition to hardcore fans' libraries. The disc isn't  too  impressive
sound-wise, but played at high volume, "Nightmare"  and  "Desecration
of Souls" sound pretty convincing, if a little  messy.  "Melissa"  on
the B-side is equally unpolished, and it's quite clear  the  open-air
concept doesn't quite gel  with  Fate's  dark-epic  sound.  Packaging
is equally mediocre:  red  print  on  a  black  sleeve  captures  the
underground feel but just doesn't stand  up  to  the  color  of  _All
Witches Night_. While this EP will attract die-hards because  of  its
rarity (I've only ever seen it once for sale all these  months),  I'd
stick with the excellent _Shadow Nights_ or _Live Oath_ bootlegs  any
day over this one.


Mortuary Drape - _Tolling 13 Knell_  (Iron Pegasus, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (8.5 out of 10)

Certainly a relief to see these legendary Italians getting  the  sort
of distribution they've been lacking throughout  their  fourteen-year
existence: the two previous releases have been a pain for most to lay
their hands on. A cult this hallowed deserves more than a  pedestrian
CD release, and Iron Pegasus once again do  a  handsome  double-vinyl
presentation of this long-awaited masterpiece. A refreshing breath of
dank dungeon air in this commercial age, as the typically necromantic
cover suggests; long-time devotees will recognize the classic  'Drape
sound polished up and surprisingly lively, yet retaining the infernal
darkness so prized on  their  early  rituals.  For  the  uninitiated,
_Tolling 13 Knell_ might prove an excellent accompaniment to the  old
Necromantia/Varathron-type records lying  in  your  basement,  though
it's likely anyone familiar with those would already be a part of the
'Drape fellowship.  Describing  the  album  as  anything  other  than
"old-school Greek" is a futile  exercise;  Mortuary  Drape's  classic
combination of heavy metal sentiment with utterly  necro  riffing  is
something that defies explanation altogether. Atmosphere is of  prime
value it  seems,  and  _T13K_  absolutely  reeks  of  the  same  damp
caverns  and  dripping  dungeons  first  seen  on  Barathrum's  early
albums (remember _Hailstorm_?), although it must  be  said  that  the
band's  1992  _Into  the  Drape_  impressed  me  far  more  with  its
black-mass-in-a-chapel ambience. Not to waste any more words on  what
is  either  an  essential  or  worthless  album,  depending  on  your
orientation, this vinyl version comes more  highly  recommended  than
the CD: if not for the impressive layout (gold vinyl), then  for  the
four(!!) bonus tracks tacked on at the end.

Contact: http://www.ironpegasus.com


Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_
by: Alvin Wee  (8.5 out of 10)  (Drakkar Prod. Vinland, 2001)

It's paradoxical how elusive this  album  has  remained  despite  its
status as a flagship monument of the French  underground.  Pioneering
the raw and primitive, yet bewitchingly  melodic  French  sound,  the
original Drakkar issue  of  _Vampires..._  has  thus  far  only  been
available for cutthroat  prices  to  many  dedicated  followers  (the
second, ridiculously limited vinyl run  of  100  copies  on  EAL  not
helping either). A fitting release to mark the debut of Canada's  new
Drakkar branch, showcasing the  label's  expected  penchant  for  all
things grim and primitive. Packaged in a suitably minimalist setting,
_Vampires..._ retains  a  strong  thread  of  guitar  melody  through
the  harsh  cacophony  of  dungeon-esque  soundscapes  that  make  up
Mutiilation's repertoire. It isn't  hard  to  see  how  this  classic
work has influenced bands  like  Warloghe  and  Judas  Iscariot,  and
_Vampires..._ easily puts the majority of the neo-black  metal  scene
today to  shame.  Even  in  comparison  to  the  _Remains..._  album,
Mutiilation's earlier work shines with a raw  passion  that  elevates
the material from mere buzzing monotony to a masterpiece of  infernal
ambience. Hints of Darkthrone (circa _Transilvanian Hunger_)  surface
on tracks like "Tears of  a  Melancholic  Vampire"  and  "Born  Under
the Master's Spell", but always  with  a  characteristic  Mutiilation
acerbity  that  might  be  attributed  to  Meyhnach's  caustic  vocal
desecration. Drakkar Vinland's packaging  values  pale  beside  EAL's
brilliant rendering of  the  album  as  a  double-LP  set;  still,  I
wouldn't expect the 500 copies of this  to  last  very  long  at  the
distros anyhow.


Nightshade - _Wielding the Scythe_  (Scarlet, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (7.5 out of 10)

Nightshade is a Swedish band that was formed in  1995.  After  having
gone through some line-up changes and the recording of  three  demos,
they have now signed a record deal with the quickly  growing  Italian
label Scarlet Records for three albums. The first one has been  given
the title _Wielding the Scythe_, and beneath the nice cover art  from
Joe Petagno (Motorhead, a.o.) there is a disc filled with  the  music
that made the Nordic countries some of the leading metal  nations  in
the world. The most obvious influence for Nightshade is derived  from
the bands that created the Gothenburg sound: At the Gates, In Flames,
Ceremonial Oath and other well-known acts. I can't help it, but I  am
very partial for melodic death metal when it is well done, and  these
guys are by now highly skilled musicians -- something you can  easily
tell when listening to this debut album of theirs. Besides the  great
guitar riffs, there are also some very nice keyboards added that give
the band a very fresh sound, with some minor folk music influences as
well. Sweden is still going strong and Nightshade is another new band
to look out for. They may not have the power of The Haunted, but they
have something else which is just as important: the melodic beauty of
bands like In Flames and At the Gates. Most of  the  tracks  on  this
album are great (with the exception of the somewhat  foolish-sounding
"Sanctum") and the growled vocals are also very nicely done. My final
judgment on Nightshade is that they sound like a modern mix of old In
Flames and the latest Old Man's Child album: thrashy, melodic  and  a
little black. The production was handled by Pelle Saether  at  Studio
Underground in Vasteras, and once again  he  has  done  a  more  than
satisfying job with the sound. If you like melodic death  metal  done
the Swedish way but still would like to hear  something  fresh,  then
this album is worth checking out. It will be most interesting to  see
where Nightshade will take us in the future.

Contact: http://fly.to/nightshade/
         http://www.scarletrecords.it


Peccatum - _Amor Fati_  (Candlelight, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (7 out of 10)

Peccatum's follow-up to their debut _Strangling  From  Within_  shows
them moving in a more straightforward direction. The  songs  on  this
offering are  less  classically-influenced,  less  avant-garde,  less
disjointed, and less pompous. The vocals once again range from  black
metal shrieks to  King  Diamond-like  falsettos  to  operatic  female
vocals to harmonized and multi-part choir parts. At times, the vocals
are great, and at others, they're completely annoying. In fact,  that
description applies equally well to the music, which has some  nicely
constructed sections juxtaposed with some cruder sections. Some parts
of the  album  seem  a  little  unfinished,  and  some  of  the  song
structures don't flow as well  as  they  could  with  a  little  more
polish. But even with these weaknesses, the songs  flow  much  better
than those on their  debut.  In  addition,  the  production  is  much
improved, with a much fuller sound overall. The playing is once again
competent, though not overly challenging. Ultimately, I think this is
a better album than their debut -- even if it isn't as original -- as
it shows them getting past their "being weird for the sake  of  being
weird" stage.


Pissing Razors - _Where We Come From_  (Spitfire, December 2001)
by: David Rocher  (8 out of 10)

Now, this is a surprise. Urticaria usually is the law when the  words
"nu-metal" are uttered within a twenty-foot circle around  me,  so  a
quick look at Pissing  Razors'  credentials  instantly  cast  a  very
grievous shadow over the review of their  third  release,  _Where  We
Come From_; however, a first listen soon revealed  a  gem  which  the
denomination "nu-metal" cannot hope  to  encompass.  Pissing  Razors'
music evolves, lives and mutates many celestial spheres above that of
Scott Ian's proverbial "Backstreet Boys with guitars", and throughout
the massive, powerful and  intense  36  minutes  of  their  sophomore
release, Pissing Razors clearly prove that they will  never  need  to
rely on anything else (like fancy masks,  stupid  red  jumpsuits,  or
pathetically immature vocalists -- not that I'm pointing at anyone in
particular, of course) but their  musical  creativity  and  technical
proficiency to make themselves a name in the -Metal- (not "nu-metal")
world. Even though many a riff on this very political  creature  does
delve into the basically groovy registers of nu-metal, Pissing Razors
move with impressive ease in the poisoned  waters  around  Meshuggah,
Fear Factory, Sepultura on _Chaos A.D._ or  Face  Down.  Rhythmically
speaking, this American quartet are nothing short of awesome  --  the
shifting, syncopated and  neck-snapping  rhythms  delineated  by  the
string section fronted by Rick Vallez and Cesar Soto  are  flawlessly
backed up by the totally  brutal,  ruthless  skinthrashing  of  their
obviously arachnid drummer Eddy Garcia. As to the vocals, they  could
scarcely get better in this style, writhing somewhere  between  early
Rob Flynn-style anger and harsh Jens Kidman  power.  The  force  that
irradiates from tracks such as  "Born  to  Serve"  or  "Vengeance  Is
Mine", the cool, thrashing tones oozing from  "Opportunidad"  or  the
raw technicality and murderous groove showcased on  "Justice  Denied"
make Pissing Razors' latest effort to date a sheerly addictive  chunk
of grooving, spine-snapping violence, which displays  enough  musical
qualities to make it well worth a  cautious,  cursory  listen  --  no
matter how much you loathe any form of metal even remotely related to
baggy trousers.


Precipice - _Prophet of Doom_  (Crook'd Records, December 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (6 out of 10)

Unlike the other shit that Crook'd Records put out  that  I  reviewed
this issue of Chronicles of Chaos (i.e. Gardly-Loo!), thrash /  death
metal act Precipice is better by all accounts, but definitely not top
of the genre. More  like  stuck  in  the  middle-half  of  the  metal
world, obviously lacking something that is  keeping  them  back  from
garnering mass attention. With a nicely produced demo from Morrisound
Studios, this eight-song offering has its moments, especially on  the
abrasively charged "Lords of Darkness" and the dark flow of the title
track. Vocalist RJ Hagenew is adequate, but he needs to do away  with
the rather weak clean vocals / talking segues and just keep  it  fast
and brutal. As for the music, as mentioned before, it lacks some kind
of character. With multiple listens, it seems as though the band  has
taken in all of their influences and  just  worked  them  into  their
material, rather than trying to have some kind of attempt  to  create
music inspired by themselves. In other words,  their  influences  are
more apparent than their own original sounds/ideas.  Some  re-working
of their material, adding in some darker textures and a faster  pace,
might make Precipice a contender one day.


Rakoth - _Jabberworks_  (Code666, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (9 out of 10)

The Russian band Rakoth managed to create one of the most  innovative
debut albums ever in late 1999 [CoC #45] and were  rewarded  with  an
interview here in Chronicles of Chaos  [#46].  Tale-like  lyrics  and
vocals, beautiful melodies with flutes, clean male vocals  and  black
metal vocals painted a very impressive  soundscape  that  managed  to
entrance thousands of people all over the world, including myself.  I
was therefore very eager to listen to their new material, and  I  was
not to be disappointed, because Rakoth have proved  once  again  that
they are one of the most creative newcomers on the metal  scene.  Now
that they have found their way to Earache Records through  their  new
sublabel Elitist, their music will be  available  to  a  much  larger
crowd. Those metal fans who want the genre to develop and  experience
new fresh sounds should go check out Rakoth right away. _Jabberworks_
also features a real  orchestra  which  Rakoth  added  to  their  own
unconventional sound, allowing them to create the  perfect  follow-up
to _Planeshift_. This is pure art crafted with real passion, which is
very rare in today's music business.

Contact: http://www.rakoth.cjb.net
         http://www.code666.net


Reclusion - _Shell of Pain_  (Listenable Records, October 2001)
by: David Rocher  (8 out of 10)

Spin this beast, and bang --  a  very  Swedishly  aggressive  opening
riff, pummeling drums and a throaty Marco Aro-style roar slap you  in
the face, the  premises  of  a  forty-something  minute-long  mauling
session surgically  delivered  by  amazing  "Gothenthrash"  newcomers
Reclusion. Whereas over the past two or three  years  many  bands  or
projects swimming in these waters -- such as Terror 2000, Hatesphere,
Diabolical or Carnal Forge -- have faced  their  ability  to  deliver
quality, thrashing death metal with their complete incapacity to rise
above (or even merely paddle away from)  the  hairy  packs  of  death
metallers cruising in the same pond as them, Reclusion  have  proved,
in the space of their single, crunchy, varied and  powerful  release,
that they are the newfound bosses in the turbid Swedish  death  metal
swamp. Their musical abilities, for  one  thing,  combined  with  the
unusual and sharp ways in  which  they  use  them  (such  as  on  the
unusually groovy eponymous number "Reclusion"), turn what could  have
been another mildly satisfying, yet hopelessly  derivative  offering,
into this murderous slab of metal might.  From  the  all-out,  chunky
and bilious rhythmical aggression they  deliver  right  over  to  the
virtuoso, compelling leads effortlessly churned  out  by  their  very
inspired axeman, _Shell of  Pain_  is  one  of  the  most  gutturally
satisfying  releases  this  genre  has  ever  witnessed  --  in  this
particular field,  I  don't  recall  having  this  much  fun  with  a
"Gothenthrash" CD since Darkane kicked my head in and teeth out  with
their godly debut _Rusted Angel_ [CoC #42]. Enough said, I believe.

[Paul Schwarz: "At a stretch, you could  call  this  "Gothenburg  Bay
 Area thrash". Reclusion are competent, powerful and  sometimes  even
 verge on intense, but they don't have enough pure  thrash  force  to
 beat The Haunted or The Crown, nor the melodic leadwork to  outshine
 the likes of Darkane and Soilwork. Nonetheless  --  excluding  parts
 like the primary verse of "Reclusion" where things get  unpleasantly
 "in-yo-face" in simplistic, macho-posturing, Machine Head  style  --
 Reclusion have delivered a good, aggressive-and-melodic metal  album
 in _Shell of Pain_."]


Salacious Gods - _Sunnevot_  (Cold Blood Industries, 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis  (8.5 out of 10)

Like many black metal bands, Salacious  Gods  have  an  affinity  for
excessively long song titles (try "The Prolongation of the Search for
the Citadel of the Crowned Serpent")  and  there  is  the  obligatory
photo of the band bedecked in corpse paint and looking grim -- not to
mention the use of pseudonyms --, but don't let these cliches put you
off. This sophomore release from  Dutch  quintet  Salacious  Gods  is
easily one of the best black metal releases I've had the pleasure  of
hearing this year. While the vocalist has the unfortunate tendency to
remind this reviewer of  Dani  Filth  in  one  of  his  more  subdued
moments, this is  no  copycat  Cradle  of  Filth  band.  One  element
which  helps  to  separate  them  from  the  black  metal  masses  is
their occasional use of what can only  be  described  as  "happy"  or
"uplifting" riffs. While this might sound out  of  place  within  the
generally bleak atmosphere of black metal, it works surprisingly well
and has before on other black metal releases -- most notably on Dimmu
Borgir's excellent _Stormblast_ album. Keyboards  are  also  present,
but their selective use means they complement rather  than  overpower
the guitars. Personal favourite is "Manifest of the Phantoms  Fasade"
(sic), an infectiously catchy song worth 10  out  of  10  by  itself.
Unfortunately, only the title track comes close to the calibre of the
aforementioned  song,  but  the  other  eight  tracks  are  still  of
sufficient quality for _Sunnevot_ to fully deserve its high rating.

Contact: http://www.coldbloodindustries.com


Satan's Penguins - _Birds of Darkness_  (Heretic Sound, October 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7.5 out of 10)

On the front cover, four shrouded penguins stand against the  sunset.
"Of Satan's evil Penguins you must beware", they  warn  beside  their
symbol inside: a simple  symmetric  composition  with  three  6s,  an
inverted cross and two large penguins side by side within  a  circle.
If this and the band name itself don't seem ludicrous enough to  you,
then have a look at some of the song titles: "An Evil Shade of Pink",
"The Return of the Undead Smurfs (Gargamel's Revenge II)" and "Mutant
Ninja Penguins (From Hell)". Can this get  any  weirder?  Hell  yeah.
This is a band that insists on sharing the credits on two songs  with
Vivaldi; a band whose members  are  Killerpenguin,  Monsieur  Malice,
Killhammer and  blonde  vocalist  Slayerprincess;  and  yet,  perhaps
paradoxically, a band who -can-  play  interesting,  serious-sounding
black metal, repeatedly belting out "Penguins, arise -- the  day  has
come" with grim conviction upon the doomy riff that opens  the  album
during highlight "Antartic Winterstorm".  Doom,  folk  and  classical
influences are all occasionally heard in the band's black metal,  and
much as their imagery and  some  of  the  lyrics  can  be  hilarious,
musically these jesters still deliver a generally convincing album. A
few tracks do drag a bit at times,  though,  and  some  more  of  the
aggression shown on the final track would have been welcome elsewhere
on the  album.  Even  though  this  is  being  released  by  a  small
underground label, the booklet  has  been  printed  on  good  quality
paper (better than you usually get  from  professional  labels),  the
production is quite adequate and the musicianship competent. A rather
witty, interesting and worthwhile record, apart from the insufferable
ending of "Mutant Ninja Penguins (From Hell)". I recommend  you  give
these guys a chance.

Contact: http://come.to/hereticsound/


Sear Bliss - _Grand Destiny_  (Nephilim, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (6 out of 10)

Hungarians Sear Bliss have  returned  with  their  third  full-length
effort. Whereas I greatly enjoyed their 1995 demo _The Pagan Winter_,
their offerings since then haven't done much for me. Clearly the most
distinctive element of their sound is  their  use  of  trumpets  over
aggressive and atmospheric death/black  metal.  Unfortunately,  while
these elements were well-integrated on their demo, the horns are  now
relegated to a much smaller portion of  the  album.  Generally,  they
only appear in the atmospheric/melodic keyboard  sections,  which  --
despite being very well done in their own right -- seem tacked on and
superfluous. Part of the reason for  this  is  that  the  death/black
sections have gotten more aggressive and less atmospheric. While this
is a reasonable change for a band to  make,  it  works  against  Sear
Bliss, as without atmospheric keys and horns, there's really  nothing
to separate them from the hordes of similar competent bands doing the
same style. This is a decent album, but I'm afraid  these  guys  have
lost touch with the things that made their demo so good. Perhaps with
some refocus, they can find the magic again.


Septicemia - _Hopeless Age_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (6.5 out of 10)

These unsigned Austrians seem keen to show us that they  are  capable
of playing various styles of metal on  _Hopeless  Age_,  sewing  them
together as songs. They can  lean  towards  death  metal,  change  to
something more blackened, and then go into a slower, doomier  section
-- and they keep occasionally shifting back and forth throughout  the
record. Overall they do so reasonably well, even  though  --  as  one
might expect  --  some  passages  work  a  lot  better  than  others.
Generally, Septicemia do not really overdo  it  and  manage  to  keep
things fairly consistent. Despite their unsigned  status,  Septicemia
are a tight and competent band -- in fact, this is not a  demo  tape,
but rather a 49 minute long album.  The  production  is  average:  it
carries some hiss and not every track was recorded at the same volume
level, but it does get the point across reasonably  well.  Septicemia
tend to fare better during the faster passages, where they often show
some good guitar work, but even though there aren't  any  really  bad
sections, quality does vary significantly throughout the record. They
do need to weed out the weaker elements in their music  --  which  of
course isn't to say that they should  forget  about  variety.  Still,
this debut disc is worth a listen and may well get them  some  decent
label support for the future.

Contact: http://www.septicemia.start.at


Signs of Darkness - _Beyond the Autumn Leaves_
by: Pedro Azevedo  (6 out of 10)  (LSP Company, November 2001)

How can a band play "atmospheric black metal" and have lyrics such as
"Please give me, oh  give  me,  tenderness"  on  its  opening  track?
Consider that verses such as this are delivered not only by a  female
vocalist but  also  through  blackened  rasps,  and  you'll  probably
imagine how odd it sounds. Fortunately, however, things aren't  quite
that bad throughout the record as far as the  lyrics  are  concerned;
things do improve substantially after this disastrous start (or  else
the rating above would have been very different). The  female  vocals
are below average, but  overall  the  band  does  put  together  some
decent, although derivative, music on  _Beyond  the  Autumn  Leaves_.
Even if their music may be  -slightly-  blackened  beyond  the  raspy
vocals, it is essentially very melodic and heavily keyboard-enhanced.
However, they do need to increase the intensity of  their  music  and
either improve the female vocals or change the way in which they  are
using them. Signs of Darkness sound like they still  need  to  mature
quite a bit, become more unique sound-wise and also both conceptually
and musically more interesting. This may not be beyond  their  reach,
however, as they do show some  qualities  in  this  album,  which  --
considering the kind of music they are actually -aiming- to  play  --
is overall competent but just about passable. Although it is far  too
sweet for my  taste,  _Beyond  the  Autumn  Leaves_  does  have  some
qualities that may make it worth a listen.

Contact: http://www.lsp-company.com


Sinister - _Creative Killings_  (Hammerheart, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (7.5 out of 10)

Is having a female death metal vocalist a novelty? Hell no. Is having
one as good as Rachel?  Shit  yea!  Sinister  has  obviously  had  an
overabundance of lead growlers, but Rachel  (former  Occult)  does  a
marvelous job of moving  this  band  forward  in  ways  never  though
possible. "Storm in My Mind" is an illustration of this band  at  its
finest; the song  captures  all  that  is  harsh  and  blistering  in
Sinister's  domain  of  damnation.  The  raw  power  discharged  from
_Creative Killings_ is nearly  incomprehensible.  I  will  say  this,
despite Rachel's peculiar charm figured into Sinister's sound,  these
shepherds of death metal have many sheep of the same flock  in  their
heard. What I mean to say is if you liked _Aggressive Measures_  [CoC
#37], you'll take to this one like ducks to water.  If  you  favored,
say, _Bastard Saints_ [CoC #14], _CK_  might  be  a  wee  tougher  of
a sell. "Judicious  Murder"  is  nearly  far  and  away  my  favorite
on _Creative  Killings_  with  all  its  well-timed  power  beats  of
profanation. Not everything  about  this  twelve  year  old  band  is
superseded by its tenure; the  vocal  approach  is  new  (and  nearly
impossible to differentiate from any of the greats on the scene)  and
even tough Sinister's style  remains  predictably  discordant,  songs
like "Reviving the Dead" take the this band's prospect for bigger and
better things to levels unthought of in recent history. To  borrow  a
word from their title  --  this  newest  Sinister  is  truly  a  very
creative undertaking.

[Paul Schwarz:  "I  have,  at  one  point  or  another,  owned  every
 full-length Sinister album. It's not something  I'm  proud  of,  but
 it's  a  fact.  _Creative  Killings_  is  the  only  Sinister  album
 currently in my possession, but that's not 'cause I like it  anymore
 than I liked the others. Sinister have  delivered  another  Sinister
 album: that's about as much as I can tell you. It  sounds  about  as
 good as anything they ever did, to me, and if my copy wasn't a promo
 it would have been taken back to the store it came from weeks ago."]

Contact: http://sinister.wingsofdeath.nu


Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_
by: Pedro Azevedo  (8.5 out of 10)  (Napalm, November 2001)

I had a really bad reaction to the Napalm sticker that sat  atop  the
front cover screaming about  the  fact  that  the  music  inside  was
heavily inspired by Tolkien's literary work. Some of us already  knew
Summoning were a Tolkien-inspired project, but even those who  didn't
would probably get a hint from the oft-repeated "in  the  darkness...
bind them" sample in the somewhat annoying "In Hollow  Halls  Beneath
the Fells" -- unless they couldn't care less about Tolkien  to  begin
with. Yet Tolkien is an increasingly fashionable name,  so  I  wasn't
surprised to see Napalm trying  to  cash  in,  just  displeased  that
Summoning's aura was damaged so carelessly.  Overall,  the  music  on
_Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ takes me on a journey  to  strange
luxuriant forests and imposing castles beneath bright sunlight, where
a somewhat warlike atmosphere resides. It completely fails to take me
to the dark mountains, mysterious impenetrable forests or unspeakably
grim fortresses its  predecessor  _Stronghold_  painted  so  vividly,
however. This change is quite aptly described by  the  difference  in
album titles, in any case: _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_ is much
more obviously Tolkien-inspired than _Stronghold_, which  was  in  my
opinion the darkest album Summoning ever  released  (their  debut  is
hardly part of the equation here). Even though the  artificial  drums
sound as thunderous as before, the guitar sound is weaker on _LMHSYF_
and the keyboard approach is somewhat different -- at  times  perhaps
more akin to their earlier work. _LMHSYF_ is majestic, multi-layered,
atmospheric and impressive overall, but lacks  much  of  the  sombre,
doomy, towering feel of _Stronghold_. I have little doubt  that  this
was the whole purpose behind _LMHSYF_, but much as I  can  enjoy  the
record, I am unable to appreciate it as much as _Stronghold_. Despite
tracks such as "South Away", "Our Foes Shall  Fall"  and  "Farewell",
the songs tend to  seem  somewhat  inconsequential  compared  to  the
intensity of _Stronghold_. A superb and highly atmospheric album, but
unfortunately  one  that  stirs  comparatively  little  in  me  after
_Stronghold_.


Teabag  - _Teabag_  (Blue Meannie Records, December 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

As stupid as this is going to sound, Teabag fucking rocks! It  sounds
stupid, doesn't it? But trust me, my metal  brethren,  the  music  of
Teabag is anything but lame --  more  like  triumphant,  melodic  and
impressively sculpted. From the ashes of  Psychotic  Waltz  and  DFA,
this metal act has created a sound  and  style  that  stretched  many
boundaries, something they set off to  do  from  day  one.  From  the
solid power grooves, melodic vocals  and  progressive  /  old  school
metal  qualities,  Teabag  flourishes  on  this  eight-song  offering
-- especially  the  harmonious  "Shadows",  the  blistering-drive  of
"Earthbound" and opening track "Resisting Possession". New singer Ron
Lerma has an amazing voice that echoes well above the thunder of  the
band and guides the listener through many intricate passages. I  hope
many of you  check  out  Teabag,  as  they  will  surely  be  several
metalhead's cup of tea. Now  that  sounded  stupid  again  --  but  I
couldn't resist.

Contact: http://www.teabagmetal.com


The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_
by: Paul Schwarz  (9.5 out of 10)  (Lux Inframundis, November 2001)

The Chasm are the best death metal band on the planet at the  moment.
It's really that simple. The Chasm capture all that  death  metal  in
its essence is and can be when serious, skilled and gifted  musicians
with their hearts in their work are behind its creation. A taste  for
gloomy atmosphere and epic,  doom-influenced  progressions  and  lead
work colours the black waters of all The Chasm's death-cultic,  heavy
and powerfully metal compositions. Beginning with a creepy,  creaking
acoustic guitar-passage intro entitled "Root of Damnation", _Reaching
the Veil of Death_ suddenly  explodes  into  the  violent,  primitive
brutality which characterises  the  beginning  of  its  title  track.
Characteristically The Chasm as this carefully controlled  and  paced
maelstrom of choppy death-riffing guitars and destructive  drum  work
is, after  two  or  so  minutes  I  began  to  wonder  if  the  Chasm
had decided to abandon the  deep,  affecting  combination  of  subtle
dynamics, piercing leadwork and talent for gloomy harmonies which had
so characterised the broader side of their  character  --  and  which
seemed to have become so integrally a part of  them.  I  wondered  if
dissatisfaction with the label world  had  inspired  Daniel  Corchado
(guitar, vocals), Julio Viterbo (guitars), Antonio Leon  (drums)  and
Alfonso Polo (bass)  to  deliver  a  violent  "Fuck  you!"  of  pure,
straightforward-death-metal-styled Chasm material. Then my CD counter
clicked over to 2:11, and suddenly that broader  side  of  the  Chasm
took full hold of me in the form of a monstrous, epic, spiraling lead
suspended over a musical landscape which  had  almost  antithetically
changed its  pace.  The  two  truly  new  songs  of  this  six-track,
four-song EP are Chasm songs of the very highest  order  --  possibly
the Chasm at the  best  they  have  yet  been.  From  the  sounds  of
it, their fifth album --  hopefully  to  be  released  next  year  --
will see  the  Chasm  reach  a  new  level  of  excellence  in  their
reconciliation of destructive,  death-cultic  metal  and  emotionally
expansive, melody-fueled and doom-inspired depth of expression.  That
fifth album may well also  be  put  out  under  the  Lux  Inframundis
imprint, i.e. by the band themselves. A deal with Dwell  went  rotten
around a  year  ago:  The  Chasm's  faith  in  the  label  world  was
understandably shaken by being cast out by a label on which they were
by far the best band. Coming  back  to  _RtVoD_,  the  remaining  two
tracks -- excluding instrumentals and new songs, that is --  comprise
a re-recording of "The Gravefields" from 1996's _From the Lost Years_
[CoC #13], and  a  cover  of  Bulldozer's  "Cut-Throat".  The  former
is stylishly  executed,  bringing  clarity  and  power  to  the  more
predictable, linear structures you'd expect from the band's  infancy,
and breathing a new, -different- life  into  what  fanatics  like  me
might call an "old classic". The latter  is  by  a  band  I've  never
heard, but have heard a lot of -really- bad and -really- good  things
about; I've heard it said more  than  once  that  choosing  to  cover
Bulldozer says a lot about a band's own music, with both negative and
positive connotations attached. All I can say  is  that  "Cut-Throat"
makes a brutal, direct and fitting closing  song  for  _Reaching  the
Veil of Death_. Either the Chasm owe much to Bulldozer, or they  have
made "Cut-Throat" their own in performance, because  --  ignorant  of
Bulldozer as I was -- I originally believed it was just an especially
simplistic Chasm song! As far as I'm concerned, if you're  a  fan  of
death metal, then you should hunt down this EP and _Procession to the
Infraworld_ [CoC #45: I would give it a 10 out of 10  if  I  were  to
review it today] if you haven't already, and prepare yourself for The
Chasm's fifth album. (If  you  get  hooked  on  their  music  in  the
meantime, then I suggest you also hunt down _Procreation of the Inner
Temple_ and _Deathcult  for  Eternity:  The  Triumph_  [CoC  #40]  to
satiate yourself.) There are only a meagre few bands  out  there  who
can consistently make death metal which affects  me  deeply,  broadly
-and- inexorably: The Chasm are probably the best of that bunch.

[Adrian Bromley: "Ah yes, the underdogs  of  the  death  metal  world
 return  with  another  great  platter.   Vocalist/guitarist/crusader
 Daniel Corchado leads his cohorts through one of the most punishing,
 technical yet dirge-filled death metal discs  of  2001.  Unlike  the
 traditional sounds of death metal  music  these  days,  The  Chasm's
 title track radiates an aura of determination and intensity that  is
 so real and not  forced.  Emotionally  draining  and  unsettling  at
 times, the rawness of this death metal attack will  leave  you  numb
 and bewildered well into 2002. Hopefully now some labels  will  wake
 the fuck up and sign them."]

[Pedro Azevedo: "The Chasm continues to excel at  creating  involved,
 dynamic and well-crafted death metal dirges. Not only  are  both  of
 the new tracks on this EP very  good,  in  _RtVoD_  The  Chasm  also
 managed to combine them with  varied  material  (an  old  song,  two
 instrumental tracks and a cover) and achieve  a  consistent  result.
 The Chasm are definitely not your average death metal band, and this
 EP should be more than enough to convince a worthwhile label."]

[Quentin Kalis: "Although _RtVoD_ is essentially an odds and ends EP,
 it is nevertheless one of high quality. Whether they are  performing
 a relatively slow song ("The Gravefields"), a frenzied intense cover
 version (Bulldozer's  "Cut-Throat")  or  an  evocative  instrumental
 ("Embrace My Funeral"), The Chasm never fail to display considerable
 diversity and skill. The very embodiment of death metal in the third
 millennium."]

Contact: Lux Inframundis, 5858 S. Kedzie Ave., PMB# 6,
         Chicago, IL 60629, USA
         mailto:luxinframundis@juno.com


The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_  (Scarlet, November 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (8.5 of 10)

It's always great when new bands deliver interesting and good debuts.
The Provenance does much more than that; despite being young and on a
low budget, they have made a well produced album full of complex  and
excellent music. The band flirts with doom,  goth,  avantgarde,  prog
rock, folk music and extreme metal. But not only do  they  draw  from
a wide spectrum  of  subgenres,  they  also  use  a  broad  range  of
instruments and vocal forms. Emma Hellstrom's beautiful vocals, flute
playing and synth / Hammond organ lines maintain  a  large  share  of
the symphonic and  melodic  aspects,  while  fellow  vocalist  Tobias
Martinsson seems to be the bridge between Emma and the metallic  core
of The Provenance by performing death growls, clean vocals and  fifty
percent of the guitar duties. Most bands --  especially  young  bands
like this -- would fall into endless digressions or simply drown in a
chaos of arrangements. The Provenance have avoided this  and  clearly
has focus and identity in their music. The level of maturity seen  in
both composition and musicianship is actually  downright  surprising.
The opening track, "Deluded Into Delirium", opens with a grand, heavy
riff, continues through  Devil  Doll-like  vocals  and  moods  before
venturing into both heavy and soothing  guitar/vocal  harmonies.  The
second track has much of the same intense and epic feel,  while  they
on the third track start to  include  Emma's  talents  more  heavily.
Through the folk-like "Ignominy Embodied", the My Dying Bride tribute
at the end of "Listening" and the goth  feel  of  the  closing  song,
_25th Hour; Bleeding_ is a musical journey worth going on. Somehow, I
still feel they have the potential to get  better;  maybe  even  much
better. I actually had to deduct half a point from their rating  just
to make room on the scale for their next albums!


Therion - _Secret of the Runes_  (Nuclear Blast, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (7 out of 10)

Therion's latest release continues the development the band has  gone
through since 1996's groundbreaking  _Theli_  [CoC  #14].  This  time
around they've emphasized the elements from progressive / power metal
in their sound, making it heavier and more metallic, with less  of  a
reliance upon the orchestral sound that we've  come  to  expect  from
them.  The  progressive  /  power  metal  elements  complement  their
classical side, and the styles are pretty well integrated. That isn't
to say that this is a radical change of style, though.  Most  of  the
songs are exactly what you'd expect from Therion, but the addition of
some more diverse elements in a few  of  the  songs  helps  to  avoid
monotony. As  you  would  expect,  the  playing  and  production  are
top-notch. Overall, this is a good release  from  Therion.  It  shows
that the band aren't willing to rehash the  same  material  over  and
over again, but instead are willing  to  develop  and  explore  their
style. It shouldn't disappoint  their  current  fans,  but  shouldn't
change any minds about them either. If at all  possible,  you  should
probably search out  the  limited  edition  version,  to  hear  their
amazing cover of Abba's "Summernight City". Seriously, this is one of
the best songs on the album.


Torman Maxt - _The Foolishness of God_  (Mars Hill, December 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

The first time I spun Torman Maxt's second offering, _The Foolishness
of God_,  I  couldn't  help  but  feel  uncomfortable  at  the  eerie
cleanliness of the sound and ideas. The harmonious progressive vocals
and technical know-how, not to mention the Christian views and ideals
expressed within, had me a little perplexed at what was going on with
Torman Maxt. But after a few more  spins,  their  creativity  started
to show some light.  No,  I  wasn't  converting  my  faith  (I'm  not
religious at all), rather  taking  in  their  sounds  and  ideas  and
understanding what talent these  guys  have.  Musically,  the  trio's
music is enormously rich in texture, twelve songs broken up into four
sections/acts that all seem to mold into one.  The  religious  themes
are a bit heavy at times, but the continuous evolution of  the  music
as the album goes along allows the average, not  religious  listener,
to get something rewarding out of this. Not  for  everyone,  but  I'm
sure progressive metal fans have  heard  the  name  discussed  within
their ranks and have at least sampled some of their work. Torman Maxt
does showcase a wondrous world  of  tranquilness,  understanding  and
complexity all rolled into one. I liked this album quite  a  bit,  so
I'm already in the process of tracking down their much  talked  about
first album _Just Talking About the Universe... So Far_.

Contact: http://www.tormanmaxt.com


Tvangeste - _Damnation of Regiomontum_  (Valgalder Records, 2000)
by: Brian Meloon  (7 out of 10)

This is the debut full-length offering from Russia's Tvangeste. Their
sound is a pretty standard one for that area of the world: raw  black
metal  underneath  layered  keyboards.  A  good  starting  point  for
comparisons would be Nokturnal Mortum's great _Goat Horns_ [CoC #31].
Their songs are roughly  equal  in  length,  and  feature  a  similar
rawness to  the  guitars  and  keyboard  layering,  though  Nokturnal
Mortum's keyboards are much more dominant in their  music  (since  at
the time of this recording, they only had one keyboardist --  they've
since added a second, though!), and their music is much more involved
and complex. Add to this basic style some prog/power touches, such as
strong harmonized guitar leads, and some nice female vocals, and  you
have a rough approximation  of  Tvangeste's  style.  While  it  isn't
terribly original, it is reasonably well-done, and there  are  a  few
excellent moments on the CD. Unfortunately, these are too few and far
between to really make this a great  CD.  With  some  improvement,  I
think they have the potential to be great. Recommended  for  fans  of
keyboard-heavy black metal, but not really essential.


Victim - _Faces of Death_ / _Cocktail of Brutality_
by: Quentin Kalis  (7 out of 10)  (<Independent>, July 2001)

Germany's  Victim  have  made  their  first  two  self-produced   CDs
available as a double-CD set.  Of  the  two  CDs,  _Faces  of  Death_
is undoubtedly the superior  one,  despite  the  inferior  production
(especially the drums, which exhibit a hollow, demo-sounding  quality
at times). In spite of this (or maybe because of it, as  it  did  not
impede my enjoyment of this album to any  great  degree),  _Faces  of
Death_ is a good album that still maintains its place in my CD player
and would have been worth a 7.5 on its own.  It  also  displays  more
variation than its follow-up _Cocktail of Brutality_, although  still
staying safely ensconced within the realm of brutal death  metal.  Be
sure to check out "A Tribute to Macabre",  which  according  to  your
disposition features either  an  insanely  catchy  or  mind-numbingly
irritating riff! A  spoken  word  intro  detailing  various  gruesome
statistics sets the tone for  what  is  to  follow  on  _Cocktail  of
Brutality_. The production is better than before, yet they have  lost
some of the passion and intensity of the first  album.  Nevertheless,
songs such as "Serial Licence" and  "Bloodshed"  are  still  worth  a
listen, though the album itself is only  worth  a  6.  While  neither
exceptionally technical  nor  terribly  original,  Victim  are  worth
seeking out. Considering the amount of assembly line power metal acts
on the rosters of some of the larger labels, it is a  mystery  to  me
why they are still unsigned.

Contact: Benjamin Jahn, Bismarckstr. 22, 95444 Bayreuth, Germany
         mailto:benni@victim-deathmetal.de


VLE - _Book of Illusions - Chapter II_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

My interest in atmospheric/soundscape project VLE continues. In  last
issue, I raved about the VLE offering _Book of  Illusions  -  Chapter
I_, saying that the release was "one of the most dazzling, brave  and
impressive independent offerings I  have  received  in  sometime".  I
still stand behind my comments. I love that record  and  the  dynamic
and adventurous ideas it takes upon itself. As I had expected,  _Book
of Illusions - Chapter II_ continues where VLE had left off, but  not
in its entirety. There  are  some  changes  within.  While  still  as
grandiose and overflowing with beautiful soundscapes as the  previous
offering, _Chapter II_ finds VLE exploring  more  with  feelings  and
emotions, soft keyboards, sweet harmonies  and  a  slight  dark  edge
(very subtle) comes over the music as well. Listening to _Chapter II_
I am once again thrust into colourful and cosmic  trance-like  state,
guided by the changing medleys and the creative  genius  behind  this
one-man project. Just check out the beauty of songs like "The Dancer"
and "A Scene From a Tree". Is this as good as the first  offering?  I
think so, but on many different  levels.  I'd  recommend  music  fans
wanting to investigate VLE to scope out both _Chapter I_ and _Chapter
II_, as they are both worth it. And listening to them back to back is
quite an experience  to  boot.  Once  again,  I  await  for  new  VLE
material. Hopefully something new will surface in 2002.

Contact: VLE, 455 West 34th Street Apt.14C, New York, NY 10001, USA
         mailto:vle25@hotmail.com
         http://www.mp3.com/vle/


Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_  (Shindy, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (8 out of 10)

The Czech Republic's Vuvr play  a  unique  jazz/metal  hybrid.  Their
jazzy parts bring to mind Candiria, Cynic and Atheist,  though  their
sound is much more diverse, including such questionable  elements  as
funky bass lines and what I'll call -- for lack of a better  term  --
"lounge jazz". Their metallic parts sound  like  a  cross  between  a
toned-down version of Dissonance (Slo)  and  Voivod's  _Nothingface_.
Their riffs are angular, and the music changes frequently.  Not  only
do the riffs change often, but when  they  don't  completely  change,
their presentation changes: a  guitar  changes  to  a  harmony  or  a
counterpoint line, the picking style changes, etc. Only  very  rarely
do the band settle down and play the same riff exactly the  same  way
for more than a few seconds. Unfortunately, the  integration  between
their two styles isn't as tight as it could be. In that way,  they're
very similar to Candiria's  _Surrealistic  Madness_:  several  purely
jazzy songs and several heavy songs with slight jazz  influence.  The
vocals are mostly growled, but vocal parts are few and  far  between,
as this album is heavily focused on music. The production and playing
are top notch, and the packaging is more than adequate.  This  is  an
interesting album, even if it  isn't  a  completely  successful  one.
However, fans of jazz/metal hybrids  will  find  this  a  worthy  and
unique part of the genre.


Within Temptation - _Mother Earth_  (DSFA Records, July 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (7 out of 10)

Within Temptation made a  promising  debut  [CoC  #20]  and  I  quite
enjoyed their last EP,  _The  Dance_  [CoC  #33].  The  band  appears
slightly renewed on this album: gone are the  death  growls  and  the
doom-like, intense riffs that  accompanied  them.  Sure,  they  still
throw down some heavy riffs on this album, but  they  generally  lack
the speed and punch of their predecessors. That  doesn't  necessarily
say anything about the quality of this album, though. _Mother  Earth_
opens with its heaviest and most pompous track:  featuring  heavy  --
and  tasteful  --  use  of  flutes  and  synths,  this  song  quickly
establishes the fantasy-like setting that  will  continue  throughout
the album. Within Temptation have definitely gotten  more  epic,  but
simultaneously more mellow as well. Tracks three,  six  and  ten  are
slow ballads, comprised mostly of piano and  Sharon's  vocals.  Nice,
but a little too "easy listening" if you ask me. As a matter of fact,
I find Sharon's vocals  tiresome  and  limited  on  this  album.  She
certainly is a good vocalist technically and has  a  soothing  voice,
but she always sounds sad and almost, well, whiny.  If  she  were  to
communicate happiness, hope or fury with her vocals,  it  would  lack
credibility. Because  of  this,  Within  Temptation's  music  is  now
confined to a small  niche  of  the  emotional  spectrum  --  whereas
earlier they were able to bring in death vocals  for  other  effects.
The energy in Within Temptation's music now lies in the  instrumental
passages, especially those found in tracks one, four and seven. These
passages are a little  scarce,  however,  which  causes  me  to  lose
interest after that  seventh  track  --  and  that  usually  includes
skipping the first two ballads as well.  For  those  with  a  smaller
crave for intensity than me, this album could very  well  be  a  gem,
though: the  compositions  are  elaborate  and  well  performed,  and
the album certainly doesn't  lack  variation.  Recommended  for  easy
listening.


Without Face - _Deep Inside_  (Dark Symphonies, October 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (6 out of 10)

Mixing male and female vocals is hardly a novel  thing  to  do  these
days, but Without Face try to give that formula a different twist  by
inserting thrash where death metal would  have  normally  been  used.
These Hungarians have a female vocalist who  will  sound  (and  look)
like an angel to many of you, but some of her  duets  with  the  male
vocalist tend to come across as rather disjointed.  On  her  own  she
does very well, however, and Without Face also alternate  the  female
vocals with thrashy rasps for a somewhat  better,  if  slightly  odd,
result than the clean vocal duets. Their synth-enhanced  instrumental
section also reflects this  duality,  by  shifting  between  somewhat
progressive lightweight doom and thrash  sections.  The  whole  thing
fails to come across as particularly engaging, however; Without  Face
are competent musicians and may have plenty of potential, but at this
point in time they don't really excel at any of the styles  they  are
trying to mix during this 35 minute  debut  album.  Since  apparently
this material was recorded back in 2000, I'm left wondering  how  the
band has progressed since  then  --  they  do  appear  to  have  some
potential, so perhaps their next release will be above average.

Contact: http://www.darksymphonies.com


Wumpscut - _Wreath of Barbs_  (Metropolis, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (3 out of 10)

My not liking a :wumpscut: release should be like the sounding of the
second trumpet in Revelations. I hope this isn't the case in any  way
shape or form, but the fact of the matter is this release is not what
I would expect from the superior band I reviewed in CoC  #49.  Please
take a look at that write-up, as I would very much like  to  remember
this band for its efforts on _Bloodchild_ and not _Wreath of  Barbs_.
However, starting off this release with "Opening the Gates  of  Hell"
was very promising  indeed.  The  more  pneumatic  "Deliverance"  and
"Wreath of Barbs" come next; not at all  ill-fated,  and  the  latter
track utilizing some very, very cool fuzzed-out computer vocals,  but
not up to the beginning song by any stretch of the imagination.  Here
is where things go South like a drug runner  from  the  police.  Holy
shit! What is it with the female vocals  on  "Dr.  Thodt"?  I  almost
haven't the articulation about me to communicate to  you  the  sheer,
overt and  alarmingly  horrendous  factors  making  up  this  track's
insipid repulsion(s). What's more,  :wumpscut:  blasts  the  listener
again with "Troops Under  Fire",  a  boring  ding-ding-ding-ding  cut
sounding more like a railroad crossing gate than an industrial  track
from a mostly respectable outfit. "Troops  Under  Fire"  follows  the
most attractive song on the disc after  the  opening  cut  --  it  is
called "Christfuck". The title is  astoundingly  infantile  in  every
sense of the word and then some, but the music behind the song is  as
solid as one has a right to expect from :wumpscut:.  The  vocals  and
repetitious nature on "Line of  Corpses"  threaten  to  diminish  the
track beyond repair, but with "Hate Is Mine" as the next track, "Line
of Corpses" might as well be something  off  of  killer  _Bloodchild_
album. "Bleed in Silence" and "Eclipse"  are  nearly  unspeakable  in
their atrocity, so seek out _Bloodchild_ and forget _Wreath of Barbs_
even exists; Heaven knows I'll try. Do us all a mighty big favor  and
lose Aleta Welling, Rudy (Ratzinger -- founder);  the  female  vocals
almost destroyed this otherwise mediocre effort.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                 __                    __      _
              /\ \ \_____      __   /\ \ \___ (_)___  ___
             /  \/ / _ \ \ /\ / /  /  \/ / _ \| / __|/ _ \
            / /\  /  __/\ V  V /  / /\  / (_) | \__ \  __/
            \_\ \/ \___| \_/\_/   \_\ \/ \___/|_|___/\___|

If you have a band, don't forget to send us your  demo,  including  a
bio,  if  you  want  to  be  reviewed.  We  accept  demos  either  on
traditional   media    or    MP3     format.     E-mail     us     at
<mailto:Demos@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>  to  know  which  is  the   most
appropriate postal address for you to send your CD or tape,  in  case
you are sending one, or to indicate the location of  a  website  from
which we can download the MP3 files  of  your  entire  demo  (but  do
NOT send any files attached to your e-mail).

Scoring:   ***** -- A flawless demo
            **** -- Great piece of work
             *** -- Good effort
              ** -- A major overhaul is in order
               * -- A career change is advisable


Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_  (4-track demo)
by: David Rocher  (*****)

The return of Green Bay's atmospheric death trio  is  one  I  awaited
indeed. Aphotic's eponymous first demo [CoC #51] had  already  struck
me as a sample of finely crafted tracks of forlorn beauty, and  these
four new tracks merely comfort me in my opinion that I have  stumbled
upon one of the finest unsigned bands I have ever heard. Aphotic have
successfully evolved towards introducing new elements of technicality
and discreet variety in their ambient death metal, and  the  material
on _Under Veil of Dark_ is memorable indeed. Fine melodies placed  in
quiet repose on a powerful, compelling rhythm section --  alas  still
filled by a drum machine, which is realistically the -only-  point  I
can even mildly begrudge _Under Veil of Dark_ --,  simple,  extremely
charismatic vocals -- very similar in style and inspiration to  those
of Micke Akerfeldt's -- turn  deeply  introspective  tracks  such  as
"Precipice" or "Atmosphere" into monuments  of  forlorn,  beautifully
ornate sorrowful metal. With their second demo, Aphotic  have  raised
their music to a new tier, and although  they  do  not,  as  of  yet,
display the maturity of masters _Brave Murder Day_-era  Katatonia  or
present-day Opeth, they are quite clearly revealing themselves  as  a
powerful, emotional force to be reckoned  with...  provided  a  label
plays its cards right and grants  them  the  chance  they  so  direly
deserve.

[Pedro Azevedo: "Sounding a bit like a more death  metal  version  of
 the Katatonia side-project October Tide, Aphotic show vast potential
 in this demo. Tight, intense  and  atmospheric,  the  music  clearly
 proves that this is a band that can grow into something  special  in
 the future, if they are given that chance  --  and  they  definitely
 should be."]

Contact: Aphotic, c/o Keith Powers, P.O. Box 8236, Green Bay,
         WI 54308-8236, USA
         mailto:kpowers-aphotic@new.rr.com


Binding - _Relict_  (6-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley  (***--)

Sounding like a weak  cross  between  Nine  Inch  Nails  and  mid-era
Pitchshifter comes the duo of Binding. Their  music  --  an  abrasive
(yet varied) onslaught of industrial rhythms and distorted vocals  --
sounds good, but there  seems  to  be  something  missing  here.  The
production is adequate at best, and that leaves me  to  believe  that
maybe with a bit better production then the  band's  ideas  would  be
more enhanced and direct. This style needs a good production to allow
the music to pummel us as the material unfolds. I also think the  duo
of Dan Hinds and Nels Bruckner are trying too hard (at certain points
on the album) to bring multiple styles  of  sounds  into  the  music.
Certain songs  sound  too  weighed  down  with  ideas  (i.e.  "Bitter
Spirit") and that causes the material to  suffer.  Also,  the  vocals
need to be worked on, as the heavy drive of the  music  seems  to  be
mismatched with the slow, out of sync  vocals.  _Relict_  is  a  good
demo; it just needs a little bit of a touch-up. Note: cover  of  Devo
classic "Girl U Want" is pretty good.

Contact: Binding Station, P.O. Box 5965, Bellevue, WA 98006, USA
         mailto:nelsb@bendcable.com
         http://the-plague.com/binding/


Biomechanical - _Distorted_  (4-track demo)
by: Alvin Wee  (*****)

Years since I receive a demo to get all hot 'n' excited about, and at
the snap of a finger, these lads from  London  send  one  winging  my
way. It's a surprise Biomechanical isn't  already  a  household  name
in  prog-power  circles  given  the  awe-inspiring  potency  on  this
four-tracker, but it won't be long before  some  European  eagle-eyes
pick this quartet up. Opener "The Awakening"  sears  faces  with  its
deliciously disharmonic  riffery  and  surprisingly  melodic  chorus,
reminiscent of  the  Stateside  tech-wizardry  of  Fates  Warning  or
Queensryche, but with all the muscle  and  attitude  of  a  furiously
provoked Iced Earth. Indeed, portions on the subsequent "Do You  Know
Me" sound eerily like their frozen cousins across the pond,  and  the
grandiosity of "In the Core of Darkness" wouldn't sound out of  place
on _Stormrider_. Never once does the band  sound  weakly  derivative,
however; if anything, their versatility shines  through  impressively
in the rapid switches between  Metallica-style  strongarm-thrash  and
the filmic bombast of Dream Theater. Such a description can  only  do
injustice to  the  brilliance  of  the  material  on  offer  here  --
comparing a band as inventive and polished as this to any other is an
ultimately futile task. Hardly a bone to pick with what turns out  to
be one of the most unforgettable demos ever, as even  the  occasional
Fear Factory-style shouts fit perfectly in the already  mind-boggling
music: complex enough to  impress  but  never  once  losing  the  ear
of even a die-hard  traditionalist  like  me.  Drop  by  the  equally
impressive website for a preview of  a  band  possibly  on  par  with
greats like Spiral Architect or Nevermore. I  wouldn't  be  surprised
seeing an album of theirs in the newest Hellion catalog.

[Paul Schwarz: "Biomechanical's fusion  of  power,  prog  and  thrash
 metal elements into a single sound --  and  one  which  is  markedly
 -theirs-, rather than the doppelganger of  another  band's  --  puts
 them alongside such acts as  Iced  Earth,  Nevermore  and  Evergrey:
 bands  who  manage  to  make  individually  characteristic,  broadly
 original metal which, though  cast  from  a  traditional  mould,  is
 nonetheless both modern and heavy. It's about time a quality band of
 this sort emerged from metal's birthplace. Biomechanical sound  like
 they could well become leaders and not followers in their field."]

Contact: http://www.biomechanical.co.uk


Blessed - _Consume 3000_  (4-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (***--)

The production on this  demo  is  excessively  bassy,  but  Blessed's
harsh, oppressive and somewhat  Swedish-sounding  death  metal  still
manages to show some promise. The band tries to pull out some twisted
harmonies and does so with moderate success, and despite the limiting
artifical drums they still had to use on this demo  CD,  they  do  at
least have something reasonable to build upon. The  doomy  atmosphere
and somewhat despondent death grunts give this demo  some  character,
but the band still needs to become a tighter unit -- how successfully
they manage to incorporate a human drummer into the band should prove
very important for their future.

Contact: http://go.to/blessed/


Field of Illusion - _Demo 2001_  (3-track demo)
by: David Rocher  (****-)

Another pack  of  talented  newcomers  from  the  region  of  Rennes,
Brittany, comes in the guise of  the  brutal  hardcore  outfit  named
Field of Illusion. As a definite disliker of the  hardcore  genre  --
the attitude, general stance and, most  of  all,  the  goddamn  music
usually succeeds in boring the living daylights out of me --,  I  was
more than  wary  about  reviewing  this  three-track  demo.  However,
the wariness I displayed took  a  turn  for  the  best,  since  Field
of  Illusion  seem  to  be  clearly  and  prominently  influenced  by
hardcore-laden acts such Dying Fetus  and  the  once  glorious  trash
scene, with a vocalist who sounds uncannily like Holy  Moses  goddess
Sabina Classen. Although FoI's hardcore influences are pretty obvious
and unconcealed, this demo generally has the  aggressive  flavour  of
thrashing metal, as downright slow, almost doomy  parts  are  blasted
away by massive, stomping death metal-tinged hardcore onslaughts,  to
which I am unwittingly nodding my head, neck and  torso  as  I  write
these lines. FoI's first demo features generally catchy,  competently
played, well-produced and professional material  from  this  band  --
I'm more than  pleasantly  surprised,  despite  the  fact  that  some
excessively stomping hardcore-style segues have,  at  times,  had  me
dwelling upon a rather dubious sentiment of dislike.

Contact: Ludovic Pecot, 23 Rue de Montual,
         35590 La Chapelle Thouarault, France


Godless - _Let There Be Darkness_  (4-track promo)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (****-)

Godless describe themselves as purveyors of "epic death  metal".  The
"epic" bit may be debatable, but at least they do seem to  strive  to
achieve it. The disc in question is what the band calls a "rough  mix
promo" of a four-track, half-hour record. They specifically state  it
is -not- for sale, just promotion; I assume they are  either  getting
it properly mixed and packaged on their own or hope to find  a  label
to help them do so through this promo. In any  case,  _Let  There  Be
Darkness_ consists of obscure death metal with  mostly  raspy  vocals
and plenty of involved lead guitar work. Godless also experiment with
more complex song structures -- as indicated by  the  nearly  fifteen
minute long third track -- and the final track even sees them playing
some rather competent doom/death.  Production-wise,  my  expectations
weren't exactly high after reading about the "rough mix"  thing,  and
indeed this CD sounds every bit like your average demo  tape,  but  I
shall refrain from dwelling on this subject too much since the  sound
is apparently  meant  to  be  perfected.  The  rhythmic  backbone  is
provided by what sounds very much like a drum machine being used in a
rather limited way. This doesn't exactly destroy  the  music,  but  a
good human drummer could certainly add  an  extra  dimension  to  the
whole thing. Still, taken as a demo CD, the material  is  quite  good
and reasonably varied, and shows that this Greek  band  could  be  on
their way to recording some rather interesting things in  the  future
if they are given a good opportunity to do so.

Contact: mailto:godlesstheband@yahoo.gr


In Grey - _Above_  (2-track demo)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (****-)

This is the third demo CD In Grey have sent me [CoC  #42,  #52],  and
after the disappointing second one they now seem to be firmly back on
track. A measly 7+ minutes are not a lot to judge a band by, but they
do at least provide a  reasonably  strong  indication  that  In  Grey
are headed somewhere more interesting  than  last  time.  "Above"  is
distinctly goth metal, and not bad at that, with some improvements in
the clean vocal area as well. "I Amaze" is a  more  atmospheric  song
and more to my liking. Both tracks, but especially the  latter,  bear
slight resemblance to some aspects  of  Katatonia's  recent  work  as
well. Not much else to write about such a short demo, except that the
musicianship and production cannot be faulted, especially considering
this is a demo. I shall be significantly more interested in hearing a
more substantial disc from In Grey now -- and considering  they  have
been around since 1992(!), perhaps it is about time  they  get  their
opportunity.

Contact: http://www.in-grey.com


Kharon - _The Fullmoon Curse_  (3-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis  (***--)

Featuring two members of Ragnarok, this Norwegian band perform mainly
mid-paced black metal. For some reason unclear to this reviewer, they
have two bassists. The guitar sound is somewhat subdued, but that  is
more likely to be a fault of the production rather then a  deliberate
attempt at restraining the guitar. The drumming is terrible, but then
again this is a feature of all NeoDawn Productions demo releases,  so
I wouldn't hold that against them.  Kharon  do  succeed  in  creating
sinister atmospheres without the incessant  and  unnecessary  use  of
keyboards. A notable first attempt.

Contact: mailto:info@neodawn.de


Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen - _Klaus B Hansen & the Whoresmen_
by: Adrian Bromley (**---)  (10-track demo)

What could have been a promising release from Denmark musician  Klaus
B. Hansen and his cohorts turns into  a  murky  and  downright  bland
death 'n' roll extravaganza. The production is real poor sounding and
the music is far from original. The music here takes a huge chunk  of
its sound/style from the mighty Entombed and injects it with a sleazy
sex drive that would make most whores proud. While not  shit,  Hansen
needs to rework the material here and clean up the  production  first
and foremost before most metal fans will find this interesting, Maybe
this is still in the working stages? Who knows? Whatever the case may
be, Hansen needs to clean up this trashy,  sex-fueled  metal  machine
and tone down the whole party feel for  the  album,  'cause  it  goes
about as far as the town drunk goes after ten pints. Not far at  all,
eh? Only track worth mentioning is the blistering "We Kill".

Contact: HYR Inc. Prod., Vesterbrogade 37 1TH., 1620 CPH V, Denmark


Manorblatz - _Flying for Phoenix_  (4-track demo)
by: David Rocher  (**---)

Try as I might, my attention merely fails to be allured by  the  four
death metal tracks on this Breton act's first  demo  CD.  While  they
are not ultimately bad, and  appear  to  be  technically  proficient,
Manorblatz simply lack the sparkle  and  professional  attitude  that
will likely get a label to cast an attentive ear on them. The general
syndrome which Manorblatz seem to be suffering from is that, akin  to
the opener track "Reduced to Ash", their material features some  good
individual riffs and only  decent  vocals  (somewhat  reminiscent  of
Loudblast's Stephane Buriez), but is in turn reduced to not much more
than ash by an overtly loud drum machine, a  blatantly  uncanny  song
structure and rather pointless guitar leads. Manorblatz in fact  seem
to want to cram that bit too much of everything under  the  sun  into
their metal, and thus end up inconsistently running around  all  over
the place without actually  getting  anywhere.  However,  on  a  more
positive note, there is capacity for improvement here, so I can  only
hope Manorblatz will use that for a  forthcoming  release.  The  four
tracks on this MCD will soon be re-released on a split CD with German
black metallers Nachtmahr, so that may be the chance  to  check  both
these bands out in one session, if you care to.

Contact: Charles Castrec, 17 square Auguste Dupouy, 35700 Rennes,
         France


Necroplasma - _Necroplasma_  (6-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis  (***--)

Yet another band utilizing the "necro" prefix. "Necro" must  be  most
overused  prefix  in  metal  along  with  "dark".  Fortunately,  this
complete lack of originality in choosing a band name is not reflected
in their music. After opening with a lame intro of barking dogs, they
explode into their frenzied  blackened  death  metal  assault,  their
razor sharp riffs embedding themselves well  within  your  brain.  As
with all NeoDawn Productions, the drumming sounds atrocious;  yet  in
this case, it doesn't detract from their  sound.  Instead,  it  makes
Necroplasma sound even more aggressive and intense. And to think that
all this noise is created by only three  guys!  Well  worth  checking
out. Watch out, these guys will have a record deal soon enough!

Contact: mailto:info@neodawn.de


Terminal Descent - _Manifesting the Present_  (10-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley  (**---)

While I must give Tony Mikkelson (the lone member in the  act)  props
for making  an  effort  to  push  Terminal  Descent  into  the  right
direction with the brutal death metal attack of this ten-song demo, I
am sad to say that the musical arrangements do nothing for me,  other
than the interesting number  "Taming  the  Beasts".  While  a  brutal
assault is unleashed in sporadic intervals throughout, the  remainder
of the music here flows with a rather sedated  and  annoying  groove,
joined by gruff vocals that don't sound too intense -- something  the
music could have used. No doubt Mikkelson is eager to make things for
Terminal Descent; I just think a bit  more  time  toning  the  brutal
attack and tightening of the song structure needs to be  done  before
results start to take shape. Who knows? Maybe some new  band  members
might help shape things up a bit better. For now, the  present  state
of the band comes across as uninspired.

Contact: Terminal Descent, c/o Tony Mikkelson, 236 N. 11th St.,
         Forest City, IA 50436-1516, USA
         mailto:eternalmindset@aol.com
         http://www.members.tripod.com/terminaldescent/


Vinterriket - _Gjennon Takete Skogen_  (5-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis  (*****)

This first demo by one-man band Vinterriket  presents  us  with  five
dark  ambient,  almost  entirely  instrumental  tracks.  Considerable
variety is displayed within the five  songs,  ranging  from  sinister
synthscapes to more  reflective  moods,  with  neoclassical  sounding
synths coming into play at times yet  never  failing  to  maintain  a
cold, desolate atmosphere. Yes, this entire album  is  keyboard/synth
based. So what? Keyboards can  display  a  variety  of  emotions  and
moods. Anyone who has  the  slightest  interest  in  this  underrated
sub-genre of extreme music should check out this demo. An  auspicious
start.

Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com


Vinterriket - _Det Svake Lys_  (3-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis  (****-)

This 7" was recorded between _Gjennon Takete Skogen_ and _Sturme  der
letze Stille_. _Det Svake Lys_  contains  three  dark  ambient  songs
pretty much like their first demo. What I appreciate about this  demo
--  and  _GJS_  --  is  that  Vinterriket  doesn't  rely  on  endless
monotonous loops to create atmospheric tracks: he  (it's  a  one  man
band) instils all the songs with considerable variety. After  opening
with the title song, which is nothing more then a brief  intro,  they
launch into "Nattefrost", a beautifully  evocative  piece  of  music.
"Zauber Oer Nacht", the third track, is by contrast more ominous  and
mournful than the preceding track. While not quite as good as  _GJS_,
_DSL_ it is nevertheless still worth hearing at least  once,  if  you
have even the faintest interest in dark ambient soundscapes.

Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com 


Vinterriket - _Sturme der Letzen Stille_  (6-track demo)
by: Quentin Kalis (**---)

What a disappointment. After the brilliant  first  demo,  Vinterriket
just had to unnecessarily  "try  to  expand  their  sound"  with  the
addition of  clean  male  vocals  and  drums.  While  I  can't  blame
Vinterriket for wishing to experiment, I wasn't impressed with either
the vocals or the drums. The  monotone  vocals,  while  excellent  in
emphasising the dismal nature of the songs, do start  to  get  a  bit
irritating after a couple of tracks. The  drumming,  which  at  times
sounds as if it should be backing some death or  black  metal  track,
generally  doesn't  fit  in  with  the  softer  ambient  soundscapes.
Furthermore, the tracks do not really have  their  own  identity  and
tend to blur into one indistinguishable mass. A pity, since I  really
loved their first demo. Still looking forward to their next  release,
though.

Contact: mailto:info@vinterriket.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
        ____     __                       __
       /\  _`\  /\ \                     /\ \__  __
       \ \ \/\_\\ \ \___      __      ___\ \ ,_\/\_\    ___
        \ \ \/_/_\ \  _ `\  /'__`\   / __`\ \ \/\/\ \  /'___\
         \ \ \L\ \\ \ \ \ \/\ \L\.\_/\ \L\ \ \ \_\ \ \/\ \__/
          \ \____/ \ \_\ \_\ \__/.\_\ \____/\ \__\\ \_\ \____\
           \/___/   \/_/\/_/\/__/\/_/\/___/  \/__/ \/_/\/____/
     ____                                          __
    /\  _`\                                       /\ \__
    \ \ \/\_\    ___     ___     ___     __   _ __\ \ ,_\   ____
     \ \ \/_/_  / __`\ /' _ `\  /'___\ /'__`\/\`'__\ \ \/  /',__\
      \ \ \L\ \/\ \L\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \__//\  __/\ \ \/ \ \ \_/\__, `\
       \ \____/\ \____/\ \_\ \_\ \____\ \____\\ \_\  \ \__\/\____/
        \/___/  \/___/  \/_/\/_/\/____/\/____/ \/_/   \/__/\/___/


                A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, A BILL TO FORGET
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 CoC attends Tristania, Rotting Christ, Vintersorg and Madder Mortem
         in l'Antipode, Rennes, France, on October 4th 2001
                          by: David Rocher


     Obviously, for a mildly cantankerous individual such as  myself,
something was not right from the very second I checked  this  night's
bill out: from what I grasped,  Finntroll  were  cancelled  owing  to
their "Joik" singer Jari falling ill, and worse -- why the hell  were
Rotting Christ not announced as headliners to this  show?  With  this
rather irritating interrogation in mind, I nonetheless was very eager
to check at least three of the bands on the roster this evening  out,
and was also rather intrigued to see whether Vintersorg would succeed
in boring me out of my shoes in five minutes flat, as they  had  done
at the Wacken Open Air this year -- quite possibly, fans will  argue,
owing to the rather averse conditions at the "Kult" German festival.
     I didn't really know what to expect from Madder Mortem. Much  as
I truly enjoy their two full-length releases, _Mercury_ [CoC #37] and
_All Flesh Is Grass_ [CoC #54], I was very  unsure  as  to  how  they
would fare on stage; they did, in fact, fare pretty damn well.  Their
attitude, for one aspect,  was  very  appreciable  --  the  Norwegian
quintet seemed honestly chuffed to be playing that evening,  and  the
intrigued crowd, gathered in small numbers around the stage,  reacted
enthusiastically. Madder  Mortem  focused  essentially  on  the  more
muscular excerpts  of  their  second  album,  and  devotedly  stormed
through powerful renditions of tracks such as  "Breaker  of  Worlds",
"To Kill  and  Kill  Again",  "Ruby  Red",  "Turn  the  War  On",  "4
Chambers", as well as a  track  from  their  debut  _Mercury_  (maybe
"Under Another Moon" -- my memory fails  me).  All  throughout  their
set, Madder Mortem's frontwoman  Agnete  M.  Kirkevaag  energetically
strode, jumped and headbanged around the stage, and seemed  delighted
to notice that the band's  performance  had  got  a  few  headbangers
going; Madder Mortem in fact broke into an unreleased track,  one  of
their heaviest so far, which a  beaming  Agnete  fittingly  announced
with the words  "Here  is  a  track  for  you  to  headbang  to!",  a
commandment which the few metallers gathered at the front  were  only
too glad to heed to. Obviously, the half  hour  or  so  which  Madder
Mortem spent on stage in  Rennes  was  as  appreciated  by  the  fans
and  intrigued  observers  as  it  was  by  the  band  itself;  their
unpretentious, convincing and surprisingly heavy  posture  does  them
great credit -- I look forward to seeing them again,  and  wish  them
well, for they are truly a deserving band.
     Rather nonplussed at the  prospect  of  seeing  Vintersorg  live
again, and having heard some of their material being aired on  a  car
stereo on the Antipode's parking lot,  I  nonetheless  let  curiosity
wash over me, and proceeded back to the stage as the Norwegians  took
to the stage. Well, I admit I was more than pleasantly surprised that
night, as Vintersorg amazed me by the quality of his vocals  and  his
general presence on stage, more than just partly due to  the  angered
expressions that played across his face as he sung lyrics  that  were
obviously very meaningful to him; in fact, all musicians  that  night
put on a great  show,  playing  both  tightly  and  emotionally,  and
Vintersorg delivered a very entertaining three quarters of an hour of
epic, blasting and melodic metal. The most impressive point  was  the
insane ease with  which  Vintersorg  shifted  between  vocal  styles,
moving from rasping black metal screams to perfectly on-key  melodic,
epic chants in the space of a split second --  wow!  Surprisingly  to
me, Vintersorg concluded their very convincing performance that night
with an equally  convincing  cover  of  Uriah  Heap's  "Starshooter".
Another in-depth listen to a CD of theirs has since then proved to me
that I'm not much of a fan of theirs when they aren't on stage, but I
can only concede that with the right conditions gathered as they were
that night, Vintersorg are an excellent, distinctly potent live act.
     The next on the list were  Greek  black  metal  legends  Rotting
Christ, who were the main reason to my presence  that  night;  I  was
obviously not alone, and as they appeared on stage, the  small  crowd
attending their set (insanely enough,  many  wimps  and  poseurs  had
actually left the hall after Vintersorg concluded their set)  erupted
into a throaty welcome roar. During the forty-five minutes which they
were granted up there, the unholy five-pointed star played  an  array
of material from all their albums, bar _Passage to Arcturo_ and  _Thy
Mighty Contract_ -- a bit of a letdown  to  me,  especially  as  they
instead concentrated on their rather indigent works _A Dead Poem_ and
_Sleep of the Angels_. Although those songs, despite being distinctly
soft in the knee, actually  sounded  quite  convincing  on  stage,  I
was totally  elated  when  they  played  "The  Fifth  Illusion"  from
_Non  Serviam_,  "King  of  a  Stellar  War",  "Archon"  and  another
track ("Diastric Alchemy"?)  from  the  brilliant  _Triarchy  of  the
Lost Lovers_. Seeing the Hellenic sorcerers  live  was  a  bewitching
experience for all the followers they  had  gathered  that  night  --
their set was flawless, beautifully unholy  and  extremely  powerful,
and totally failed to subdue the lingering feeling of anger the clung
to my stomach when I first noticed they  were  merely  -opening-  for
Tristania.
     After Sakis and his brethren left the stage, I was torn  between
two choices. The journalist in me felt  that  he  should  attempt  to
withstand at least two tracks of gothic goo-metal (which  he  finally
did, forcing me to act akin), while the  seething,  outraged  Rotting
Christ fan in me screamed at me to  turn  on  my  heels  and  bluntly
ignore the Norwegian romantic-metallers' performance. Well, as I just
evoked, the journalist in me pulled it off, and I stood my ground  --
or at least,  I  tried.  I  had  only  ever  heard  two  tracks  from
Tristania, so, I thought, my resentment was maybe  unfounded.  Wrong,
and totally so. Tristania, my friends, are terrible on  CD,  and  are
absolutely -pathetic- live. Their cheap, keyboard-laden metal was  as
tedious to me as it  was  sadly  successful  that  night,  and  their
frontmen  did  nothing  to  lighten  my  heart.  Whereas  their  very
diminutive male screamer, sporting one of the silliest looks  I  have
ever witnessed, rasped, headbanged and raised countless signs of  the
horns to the attending crowd, Tristania's  lead  vocalist  put  on  a
(very feeble) alluring glare whilst attempted  to  lasciviously  sway
her hips, when she was not standing three feet back from the mike  to
indulge in some playback chanting. I am aware  that  her  tentatively
arousing stances may provoke rather drastic  testosterone  surges  in
many a male fan of theirs, but they  totally  slipped  over  me,  and
after two tracks, I got bored of being pelted with sickeningly  sweet
tragicomic metal  and  frilly-collared  velvet  clothes,  and  headed
outside with a blase shoulder shrug and  a  deep  furrow  barring  my
forehead.
     The most sickening consideration strikes me as  being  the  fact
that Rotting Christ released their _Satanas  Tedeum_  back  in  1989;
now, I agree I'm probably pushing it -hard-, but a wild stab  in  the
dark would suggest that when Sakis first raised the sign of the horns
grabbed on his  unhallowed  path  to  Greek  black  metal  supremacy,
Tristania's members were little more than a malicious gleam in  their
respective parents' eyes; yet, that night, they  had  Rotting  Christ
-opening- for them. Obviously, business embodies  an  ever-increasing
segment of the metal world, but a bill such as this evening's  is  as
offensive to me as it is disrespectful of a pioneering band's genius.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

               M U R D E R !   D E A T H !   T O K E !
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        Enslaved, Electric Wizard, Macabre and Horde of Worms
         at the Reverb in Toronto, ON on December 18th 2001
                          by: Adam Wasylyk


     Having to make a last minute  decision  to  attend  the  night's
festivities, due to the unconfirmed status of many bands on the  bill
-- the Canadian/US border can oftentimes be an unpredictable obstacle
in the face of tours -- thankfully the correct decision was made,  as
the bands on hand would play what turned out to be one  of  the  best
shows in 2001.
     Florida's Diabolic ended up not playing -- one  of  its  members
was denied entry -- and I later heard that the  members  of  Electric
Wizard had to take a taxi into Canada in order to play.  Despite  the
theatrics that occurred behind the scenes, the bill still  proved  to
be a strong one.
     Toronto's Horde of Worms opened the night to scattered applause,
as many who would be in attendance had not been let  in  yet.  Having
had only three hours notice before playing may have had something  to
do with their lack of bite on this night, and  the  lacklustre  sound
didn't help. Their material just didn't seem to shine as it  does  on
disc. What turned out to be a good set could have been much more, had
circumstances been in their favour.
     Ah, Murder Metal. The fiends from  Chicago  were  in  good  form
tonight, as the well-toured Macabre have had almost  two  decades  to
develop and sharpen their live bite. Delighting the audience with the
storytelling hysterics  of  singer/guitarist  Corporate  Death,  "Dog
Guts" was the first plate of horror to be offered to its fans,  which
was eagerly consumed. The band's prior LP _Dahmer_ would prove to  be
well represented tonight, as additional tracks  "Scrub  a  Dub  Dub",
"Exposure" and the pulverizingly heavy  "Hitchhiker"  were  performed
with the usual Macabre gusto. And what would a Macabre set be without
its classics? Killer tracks like "Zodiac", "Vampire  of  Dusseldorf",
"Montreal Massacre", "Albert Fish Was Worse  Than  Any  Fish  in  the
Sea", "Nightstalker", not to mention the inclusion of "Killing  Spree
(Postal Worker)", a track off _Gloom_ [Dr. Holmes (He Stripped  Their
Bones)] and a glimpse  into  their  next  LP  _Murder  Metal_  to  be
released next spring, in the form of "The  Hillside  Stranglers".  An
appetite for murder now satisfied, it was on to greener pastures...
     "Green" being the key word in the sound and style  of  the  UK's
Electric Wizard. Having had ample  time  to  consume  some  green  in
between sets put me in the right frame of mind to maximize my ability
to absorb the super heavy riffs that the trio would produce in  their
40 odd  minute  set.  What  I  immediately  noticed  about  the  live
stoner band was how  relaxed  they  were.  This  may  be  an  obvious
observation, but when their live persona is compared  to  Macabre  or
(later) Enslaved, one will notice how the vibes differ.  An  intimate
atmosphere was achieved; it was as if the crowd had been invited to a
jamming session. And god dammit it was heavy. Very heavy. It  was  as
if they had taken a page from the book of Black Sabbath and  tore  it
into pieces, using the fragments as rolling papers for  their  cosmic
weed. It quickly became apparent that I was either on par  or  higher
than the band themselves, as moments of  self-introspection  took  my
mind away from the hard working trio on stage. And their drummer sure
knows how to beat those skins. I'll have to check them  out  on  disc
when I get the first chance to do so. Hey, where did that  joint  go?
Ah, it's in my hand. Fly on, you crazy albatross.
     As they  proved  to  me  at  last  year's  Milwaukee  MetalFest,
Enslaved may very well be one of the top  live  metal  bands  touring
today. They perform their  material  with  such  feeling,  with  such
energy. The intensity never gets a chance to lull, which is surely  a
testimony to the quality of material they've created over the  years.
Simply put, they're just that good. Opening  with  "Slaget  I  Skogen
Bortenfor", a devastating opener,  which  was  performed  brilliantly
sans keyboards. It proved to be a  strong  first  impression  by  the
band, who could have easily decided to coast from  there  on  in  had
they wanted to. Keeping the intensity high  --  and  their  set  list
diverse -- newer songs like "Convoys  to  Nothingness"  and  "Vision:
Sphere of the Elements - A Monument  Part  II"  off  their  new  disc
_Monumension_ were worked in effortlessly between classic tracks such
as "Eld" and "Wotan". Having made the impression they wanted to, they
left a crowd exhausted and wanting more. An  incredible  performance,
one of best sets I had the pleasure to witness all year.
     And so ended one of the more diverse tours  to  hit  Toronto  in
some time. One could make a point that this tour is a  clear  example
of different types of metal uniting under one single  cause  --  that
unification is more productive than segregation. Think about it.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

         T H E I R   S P E C I A L   F R I E N D   P I N K Y
         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              Anathema at the Hard Club, Gaia, Portugal
                         October 20th, 2001
                          by: Pedro Azevedo


     Oh dear. It is a good thing that I'm not into joining fan clubs,
or else I might find myself thrown out of the Anathema  club  one  of
these days. Not only did I give their latest album  _A  Fine  Day  to
Exit_ a measly 7.5 [CoC #55], I am actually about to  criticize  this
live performance of theirs more than I shall praise it. And  Anathema
were my number one choice for band I would most like to see live...
     So was it really that bad? Paradoxically enough, no  --  not  at
all, really. As a matter of fact, this was a very good gig...  for  a
highly professional rock band, that is. Anathema have been around for
quite a few years now, and quite clearly they've grown tired of a few
things in their music. Danny  Cavanagh's  current  rock  approach  to
guitar playing quite simply fails to  convey  the  emotion  his  work
once did; Les Smith's keyboards fail  to  compensate  for  that;  new
(temporary?) bassist George  looked  both  uninterested  and  longing
to be someplace else.  Drummer  John  Douglas  was  both  technically
impeccable and seemed to be enjoying himself, but it was pretty  much
down to Vincent Cavanagh's mesmerizing vocal performance to keep  the
whole thing above average. Which, as a matter of fact, bears striking
resemblance to the way I feel about their latest album.
     Contrary to the previous night in  Lisbon,  where  from  what  I
heard Anathema played only a few songs from the new album, this  time
they played around half a dozen of them. Vinny showed enough irony to
try to perform a head count on the people who actually had the  album
midway through the concert, but bitter  irony  it  was:  most  people
didn't know the new songs, but then they were hardly engaging in  any
way like Anathema used to be.
     Like I mentioned before, it was  Vincent's  superb  vocals  that
carried  the  band  along  throughout  the  gig.  Nevertheless,   the
charismatic frontman's approach to the band's music these days  often
allows him to be quite the jester between songs -- which is all fine,
except for me it tends to ruin  the  deeply  emotional  music  that's
supposed to follow. One example  of  that  is  when  Vinny  told  the
audience "See? We can smile too!", followed by a big grin; funny, but
then he introduced the following song with "We're gonna play a really
miserable song for you now" -- by  then  the  song  was  half  ruined
already as far as I was concerned, and the emotion  he  showed  while
singing it consequently came across as less than genuine. I'd  rather
see Katatonia's Jonas Renkse hiding his face  behind  his  hands  and
staring at the floor for most of  his  performance  --  at  least  it
relates to the band's music a lot more.
     Before Anathema went on stage,  Portuguese  opening  act  Divine
Lust tried to impress the audience by playing an Anathema  cover  and
having Vinny do some vocals. I believe it was "Shroud of False",  but
since the whole concert started a good hour earlier than scheduled, I
missed it, together with the rest of Divine Lust's performance. I was
told by various people that Vinny appeared on stage  for  that  cameo
wearing big eyeglasses, a hat with two antennas and also that he  ate
a banana on stage.
     Throughout the  hour  and  a  half  Anathema  played  for,  they
performed with superior musicianship a selection of tracks from their
last couple of albums. The _Judgement_ material  came  across  better
than the new songs, in my opinion, but they  seemed  to  pick  a  lot
of calmer material off  _Judgement_  as  well  --  adding  up  to  an
excessively soft performance, in my  opinion.  "Fragile  Dreams"  was
sung mostly by the audience, to the band's obvious  delight,  but  it
was the only track off _Alternative 4_ besides "Empty" to make it  to
the setlist. Similarly to the other time I saw  Anathema  live,  they
wrapped it up with "A Dying  Wish"  from  the  immortal  _The  Silent
Enigma_, and a cover song. "A Dying Wish"  (or  "frying  fish",  like
Vinny amusingly announced it) included a couple of rather lengthy and
noisy interludes, but lost none of its impact; I felt saddened at how
much more enjoyable it was than their recent material. This time  the
final cover song  was  a  very  heartfelt  version  of  Pink  Floyd's
"Comfortably Numb", after  Vinny  had  added  some  more  theatricals
talking to his invisible friend Pinky. Vinny then  said  goodbye  and
wished everyone a good life, and so ended the gig.
     Having already seen Anathema once in Manchester, I was less than
impressed by Anathema's _A Fine Day to  Exit_-enhanced  setlist.  The
sound, lighting, scenario and performance were all superb this  time,
but the unimpressive new material and a few annoying details made  it
a lot less enjoyable for me than I had hoped. Like  I  wrote  in  the
beginning of this article, this was a superb gig for a rock band; but
I feel Anathema have lost a lot of what made them special to  me.  On
the other hand, they seem to be steadily growing into  the  new  Pink
Floyd, or maybe something even bigger than that.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

           C U T T I N G   T H R O U G H   T H E   S H I T
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                 Nitemare, Razor and Reckon With One
        at Lee's Palace in Toronto, ON on November 24th 2001
                          by: Adam Wasylyk


     Ah yes, the local metal show. It's unfortunate  I  don't  attend
such shows anymore, but for good reason. Simply put, the local  bands
of today that are able  to  hold  my  interest  for  more  than  five
consecutive seconds can be counted on one hand. God knows  it  didn't
used to be this way.
     As many metal fans in Toronto will attest  to,  the  mid-to-late
'90s contained the worst years concerning tour stops of international
acts. In those years I remember checking the  primitive  websites  of
Earache and Metal Blade, hoping to find a Toronto tour date  under  a
Tours link. But I would find no such luck. I, like many, took  solace
in what we had available to  us:  the  local  show.  The  bands  were
exciting, energetic, and passionate. I made my first  connections  in
the underground scene through my friendships at these very shows.
     Those were the days.
     As 2001 draws to a close, local metal  fans  had  a  lot  to  be
thankful for. Most major North American tours had Toronto stops, with
its  last  of  the  year  featuring  the  mighty  Enslaved.  But  the
local shows continually feature acts  that  are  either  overexposed,
unoriginal, or flat out awful. While the bill on this  cold  November
night wasn't overly thrilling, I found the pull of Razor  too  strong
to resist. After all, "Evil Invaders" was a favourite song  of  mine,
having seen the music video countless times throughout the years. And
it was a Saturday night as well -- what the hell, right?
     We arrive at the infamous Toronto club as Reckon  With  One  are
taking the stage. When I soon discovered what was emanated  from  the
speakers was not to my liking, a  lengthy  bathroom  break  and  some
light conversation with metal folk was in order. I would also take  a
moment to observe those in attendance tonight. I immediately  noticed
that I was the youngest in attendance. The  scores  of  old  tasseled
leather jackets, fluffy mounds of hair and tight blue jeans proved to
be a humorous point in my mind as the night progressed.  Not  feeling
out of place was nearly impossible. I  was  far  from  home,  my  bed
becoming more attractive by the minute. As Reckon With One played  to
the 15 individuals who physically expressed their  interest  upfront,
it came to an end. And not a second too soon.
     It's worthy of note that Razor has played major metal  festivals
in Europe in the past few years, playing to legions  of  appreciative
fans. On this night, less than 150 people would come out to  see  one
of the more important metal bands to come out  of  Canada.  Pathetic,
isn't it?
     Opening with "Miami", the newest incarnation of Razor  played  a
decent mix of both old and new material, attempting  to  satisfy  the
pangs felt by those who appreciate this speed/thrash Canadian legend.
Their set draws to an end, and as the drummer hits his last  beat  he
flings his sticks into the audience. Having moved  to  the  front  at
this point in time, the stick flies in my direction. I  ready  myself
to catch it, but find that it has already hit the face of  Chronicles
of Chaos co-editor Adrian "The Energizer" Bromley, sending him to the
ground butt first. The stick finds  the  ground  at  my  feet,  still
spinning from its tumultuous ride. I quickly kneel down and snatch it
into my hand. It was mine. I rise to my feet, as a feeling of victory
overwhelms me. I can almost say with absolute certainty that I  would
have felt the exact same way had I been  holding  the  Olympic  torch
instead. As I look  to  those  in  my  circle  of  friends  for  both
congratulations and jealous acknowledgment, I realize that Adrian  is
still on the ground, gazing at me with a look of bewilderment.  So  I
helped him up, and continued to revel in my excitement.
     Razor hit the stage for an encore. Their singer poses a question
to the audience: "What do you want to hear now?"  As  if  the  answer
wasn't completely obvious to anyone in the club who wasn't old enough
to experience an early form of senility. Still standing close to  the
stage, I yell "EVIL INVADERS!" loud enough for those in the  back  to
hear me. It proves impossible for the band to hear  my  request.  "So
you wanna hear "Evil Invaders?", the vocalist asks, toying  with  me.
They rip into it, and what a moment it was. Securing my drumstick  up
the sleeve of my long-sleeved shirt, I surprisingly  begin  to  mosh.
Surprisingly, because I had never done it  seriously  beforehand.  It
was worth it. A great rendition was performed to  my  delight  --  my
aural orgasm for the night had been achieved. As  the  band  finished
their set, so did one of the best local sets of 2001.
     Exhausted by Razor's set, I had had  enough.  A  car  ride  home
would reveal itself, proving too difficult to turn down. As  we  exit
and circle around the club to  the  parking  lot,  we  run  into  the
drummer of Razor. While not having a pen to autograph  my  stick,  he
gives me the next best thing -- biting down on the end of the  stick.
His molar and incisor indentations forever immortalized in  wood,  we
begin our long journey home.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

  @@@ @@@ @@@ @@@@@@@ @@@ @@@@@@@ @@@@@@@@ @@@@@@@ @@  @@@@  !  @@!@@
  @@@@! @@! @@@ @@! @@! @@! @@! @@@ !@ !                           @@
  @!!  !!@  @!@ @!@!!@!  !!@   @!!   @!!!:!   @!@!!@!       !@@!!
   !:  !!:  !!  !!: :!!  !!:   !!:   !!:      !!: :!!          !:!
    ::.:  :::    :   : : :      :    : :: :::  :   : :     ::.: :

          @@@  @@@  @@@ @@@@@@@   @@@@@@  @@@@@@@ @@@  @@@
          @@!  @@!  @@! @@!  @@@ @@!  @@@   @@!   @@!  @@@
          @!!  !!@  @!@ @!@!!@!  @!@!@!@!   @!!   @!@!@!@!
           !:  !!:  !!  !!: :!!  !!:  !!!   !!:   !!:  !!!
            ::.:  :::    :   : :  :   : :    :     :   : :

Here is where things get ugly. Writer's Wrath  gives  our  writers  a
chance to voice their own opinions about certain hot  topics  in  the
scene  today.  Check  out  this  column  for  the  most  obscene  and
controversial ramblings this side of the National Enquirer.


         C H A O T I C   C A N V A S   O F   C R E A T I O N
         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
          CoC gathers the insight of metal graphic artists
      Travis Smith, Niklas Sundin, Juha Vuorma and Pedro Daniel
                          by: Pedro Azevedo


Prologue
~~~~~~~~
     I shall not pretend to know what really  influences  your  first
impression of some album you pick up from a shelf in a store, see  in
an advert somewhere, or receive in the mail.  But  as  far  as  I  am
concerned, the cover art, layout and general imagery definitely  help
set the mood for the music. This is not to say that there cannot be a
great album without fitting artwork, but, as is the case with lyrics,
something seems to be amiss in the album  if  the  artwork  does  not
befit the music. Far beyond the first  impression  I  mentioned,  the
artwork can blend with the music inside, complementing and  enhancing
it.
     I could talk about "unsung heroes" when discussing  the  artists
behind some of the CD covers in your collection, but  names  such  as
Dave McKean and Travis Smith are quite well-known  these  days.  Some
others, however, despite their talent and  potential,  are  far  from
achieving that status. The following article aims  to  harvest  ideas
and opinions from some of these artists whose work adorns the records
we own. Instead of attempting  to  contact  every  one  of  the  most
well-known artists I could  reach,  I  opted  for  some  variety  and
instead contacted artists of varying fame and reputation -- the  main
link between them, besides metal, being the quality of their work.
     The reason behind the decision to place this article in Writer's
Wrath is essentially the somewhat  unusual  nature  of  the  subjects
discussed throughout  the  four  interviews,  which  is  occasionally
hardly related to music at all.
     Here, and also at the end of the article, you can find links  to
the artists' respective websites, where  you  will  find  samples  of
their work. I hope and  trust  you  will  find  something  worthwhile
there, and also in this article.

Travis Smith: http://www.seempieces.com
Niklas Sundin: http://www.cabinfevermedia.com
Juha Vuorma: http://welcome.to/newice/
Pedro Daniel: http://www.geocities.com/phobosanomaly2002/ (temporary)

A Portrait of the Artists
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     This section is far from pretending to serve as a  biography  of
sorts for these four men. Rather, it intends to briefly mention  some
of their work to help  you  visualize  their  creations  --  although
perhaps ideally you should start browsing their websites as you  read
on.
     Travis Smith is undoubtedly the best known  of  the  four  as  a
graphic  artist.  As  far  as  metal  is  concerned,  and  given  his
impressive rise in the last couple of years, currently he is  perhaps
second only to Dave  McKean.  Katatonia's  _Tonight's  Decision_  and
_Last Fair Deal Gone Down_, Opeth's  _Blackwater  Park_,  Nevermore's
_Dreaming Neon Black_ and _Dead Heart in a Dead World_, Suffocation's
_Despise the Sun_ EP,  Novembers  Doom,  Anathema,  Death,  HatePlow,
Devin Townsend... The list literally goes on and  on,  and  seems  to
keep getting bigger by the day. Travis Smith  is  possibly  the  most
fashionable, and unquestionably one of  the  most  talented,  graphic
artists in metal today.
     Niklas Sundin is currently one of the bright rising stars in the
field. Well known for his guitar work in the band Dark  Tranquillity,
he has recently created cover art for  several  Century  Media  acts,
including his own band, and business  seems  promising  for  him.  In
addition to Dark  Tranquillity's  _Projector_  and  _Haven_,  he  was
responsible for Sentenced's  _Crimson_,  Eternal  Tears  of  Sorrow's
_Chaotic Beauty_, ...And Oceans' _AMGoD_ and Flowing  Tears'  _Jade_,
among others.
     Juha Vuorma is a name that may sound familiar to  some  of  you,
but is unlikely to be widely recognized. He hasn't been  involved  in
projects with major bands, yet with  his  distinctive  style  he  has
created some of the most impressive artwork in the  metal  world.  My
favourite has to be the illustration for In the  Woods'  song  "I  Am
Your Flesh", but he also  created  remarkable  art  for  Arthemesia's
_Devs-Iratvs_, Unholy's _Gracefallen_ and Kalmah's _Swamplord_.
      Pedro Daniel is a name you may remember from the Chronicles  of
Chaos website. He was the one responsible for  the  creation  of  our
introductory page as well as our logo. More relevant to this article,
however, is his work for several  more  or  less  underground  bands,
mostly within Portugal. Although less  visible  to  the  masses,  his
talent is comparable to the others' and he complements  the  spectrum
of artists I aimed to gather for this article.
     Let us then begin where it all begins for the artist.

The Process of Creation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     "What makes me want to create the images  is  whatever  makes  a
writer want to write or a musician  want  to  create  music",  begins
Travis Smith. "It's just something inside that you need to  let  out.
The process is usually very chaotic, because I tend to have more than
one thing to concentrate on at a time. The hardest  part  usually  is
getting the best idea for each thing,  and  then  it's  a  matter  of
finding the best way to make it work. If it's for a  CD,  I  have  to
study the theme or find out some details about the  songs,  and  then
see what comes to mind. Usually a few good things do  come  to  mind,
and I pick a few I'd like to do from them. Then it's just a matter of
doing the photos and drawings to build the piece."
     For Niklas Sundin, "the process itself can vary  a  lot.  It  is
very important not to sit in front of the drawing board  or  computer
all the time, and instead constantly feed the mind. The  process  can
be very organized as well as very chaotic  and  incidental,  but  the
best artwork is often the result of a hard  working  discipline."  He
adds: "I've always been drawing and painting and  was  interested  in
art long before I even touched a musical  instrument  --  so  it's  a
natural urge for me to be visually creative."
     "If I create a CD cover and get very detailed information  about
the image from a band, I just do  exactly  as  I'm  told,  usually  a
"traditional" figurative painting", reveals Juha Vuorma about his own
process. "But sometimes I just get a title or so. In such cases I can
create the picture pretty much the way I want  to.  I  usually  start
with something the title reminds me of and experiment  with  that  --
create sketches, or start painting something -- and when it seems  to
feel right, I add the details. If it's not a CD cover  but  rather  a
painting I create for myself, I usually have some  kind  of  an  idea
what it's about, and the process  is  quite  similar  to  the  one  I
described before. Or else it can be just plain  playing  around  with
colours and forms until it clicks." He concludes: "I've drawn since I
was a child, and just never stopped ever since."
     "There isn't a sort of process table that I  follow  every  time
I'm on this type of project", Pedro Daniel contributes. "Although art
and design processes  usually  follow  different  creative  paths,  I
really believe that, in such case, I get to follow a  middle  path...
in between the two. A design project is generally based  upon  solid,
objective definitions, and must accomplish  the  purpose  of  selling
something -- literally or not. As for art, although nowadays it  also
serves the purpose  of  selling,  the  starting  point  is  far  more
subjective and volatile than what design is all about." He continues:
"It's hard to say where it all begins. The first thing I usually  ask
from the band is the name of the album or demo. I guess that is truly
the starting point. The  creative  process  itself  obviously  begins
afterwards. Usually the band has a pre-defined idea of what they want
for the layout  --  some  are  pertinent  and  others  are  not  that
pertinent, but they are all valuable to me because they enlighten  me
on how the band thinks about aesthetic subjects.  Someone  once  said
that there is order in chaos, and that's quite true. From a myriad of
apparently  unrelated  elements,  beauty  is  created  and  order  is
restored. When I start a project, my desk is a small  model  of  what
chaos might resemble; slowly I get to put aside  what's  worth  using
and what's not and things start to gain shape."

The Customer Is Always Right
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     The degree of detail artists get from the  customer  --  usually
the band -- tends to vary greatly between projects, at least to these
four gentlemen.
     "Sometimes I am given total freedom; some other times I am given
freedom to start with any ideas I might have and the band  will  give
direction or make changes along the way. Sometimes, however, the band
already has a specific idea they want, and I try the best  I  can  to
realize it for them", states Smith.
     Sundin shares Smith's experience. "Sometimes there's  already  a
clear concept from the band  or  label,  and  then  it's  my  job  to
communicate that concept as effectively  as  possible  on  the  front
cover. On other occasions, there aren't any ideas at all and my hands
are free to come up with a suitable concept. Both situations suit  me
fine."
     Vuorma has more to add: "I think most of  the  time  bands  just
pick up a painting from my collection, one that they think fits their
concept. Sometimes I also create paintings according  to  the  bands'
visions, though, and that has very often  turned  out  to  be  pretty
good. I think Usurper's "Skeletal  Season"  was  a  good  piece;  the
Usurper guys had a clear  vision  about  what  they  wanted.  Classic
horror, old style, blue and greyish painting --  like  an  old  movie
poster. It turned out pretty good and I also like the album, kind  of
like classic '80s thrash/doom era metal. Some ideas from  some  bands
have not been very interesting, though."
     Daniel elaborates on this: "Some bands can express  their  ideas
about the layout better than others. Usually, the band says what they
do -not- want to use, rather than what they do want.  Some  just  say
they want a gloomy look, some others say they want a more modern  and
clean look, and others say they want something simple -- you name it.
This is usually the degree of detail I get. Which  is,  by  the  way,
fine as far as I'm concerned. I prefer it when  the  band  trusts  my
judgement."
     Still, I imagine that if I was in their place, having to  create
something that would hopefully connect or  complement  the  music,  I
would be quite interested in hearing  some  of  the  band's  material
beforehand. Pedro Daniel agrees. "Besides the name of the work to  be
published, I always ask for samples of the band's sound.  Although  I
might know they play a certain style, it's obvious that until I  hear
it, it's a bit like working blindfolded.  Sometimes  I  get  to  hear
it... some others I don't."
     Sundin discusses his preference on this subject and balances  it
with what usually happens in  reality.  "Usually,  cover  artwork  is
commissioned months before the band even enters the studio,  so  it's
not always possible  to  listen  to  the  music.  But  it  does  feel
important to hear at least a sample of what the  band  is  doing,  in
order to get a better view of how to present their music in a  visual
form, so I try to get something to listen to before starting to  work
on the project."
     Smith concurs: "I don't ask for samples very often, but  I  like
to. If I can, it really helps to have the band's music playing  while
creating the images. If I can't get something new  while  working,  I
usually play the band's older  albums,  if  any,  to  help  with  it.
It's not necessary, but it  really  helps  with  the  motivation  and
inspiration if I have something."
     Vuorma's opinion differs, however: "I  don't  usually  hear  any
samples. Bands often just pick  up  a  painting  I've  already  done.
Sometimes, though, I've heard the music as well... but I must confess
I don't get much inspiration from the band's music.  The  best  bands
I've done art for (SFB and Immortal  Dominion)  were  unknown  to  me
musically until I got their CDs after my art was printed on them."

McKean Enters the Picture
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
     When time came for the "influences" question, I had  to  mention
Dave McKean (unofficial website at  http://www.dreamline.nu).  Sundin
was not surprised. "It's hard to avoid mentioning  Dave  McKean  when
talking about  digital  art  or  the  kind  of  mixed  media  collage
techniques that he pioneered -- so, yes, he has  definitely  inspired
me. Other artists I admire range from contemporary ones such as David
Ho, Odd Nerdrum, Alessandro Bavari, Ashley Wood and Wayne Barlowe  to
old heroes like Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Francis Bacon, Hieronymus
Bosch, Max Ernst and so forth. In the album cover field, Travis Smith
and David Long are doing excellent work. I'm also a great admirer  of
comic artists like Art Spiegelmann, George Herriman (Krazy  Kat)  and
Joakim Pirinen. My tastes are very wide and not limited to the  style
of illustrations that I do myself.  Inspiration  can  come  from  all
sorts of places, really."
     Travis Smith was hardly surprised, either. "Yes, I guess  McKean
is an obvious one, but it's really not intentional. It's  more  of  a
subconscious thing. He is probably my favorite artist.  I  discovered
him about the same time as I discovered Photoshop and he made  a  big
impression on me, so I'm sure it filtered in as I was learning. There
have been some things I've done that I had to throw  away  because  I
discovered later they looked a little too much like his stuff", Smith
reveals, "but even so I really liked them. I've heard that  from  the
beginning." Sundin had  mentioned  Smith  as  one  of  his  favourite
artists, possibly unaware of a certain reciprocity:  "I  also  admire
Niklas Sundin, Hugh Syme Mid, Ashley Wood, Necrolord,  etc.",  states
Smith.
     Pedro Daniel chooses a different route: "I really don't know how
to answer that. The brain of a designer or a graphic artist is like a
sponge. You absorb every damn thing around  you.  It's  like  goddamn
Kubrik's "A Clockwork Orange". Sometimes I may  be  using  influences
from HR Giger, sometimes McKean, sometimes from some shocking photo I
saw in a newspaper three weeks earlier... I don't know. All I know is
that I  can  use  my  memories,  my  knowledge  of  art  history,  my
sensibility in knowing that a  certain  palette  of  colors  suits  a
certain set of feelings and notions. All that combined with a camera,
a Macintosh computer and a scanner gives the final result.
     Vuorma is rather more surprised when I mention McKean, since the
Finn is not a digital artist himself. "Dave  McKean?  Well,  he  does
mostly computer art, right? I'm a painter. I like his stuff,  though,
his impact on the scene is tremendous. Most of the cover art in metal
nowadays is computer art -- digital collages, like his stuff  --  and
many of them could have been made by McKean. He was  the  first  with
that kind of style and it seems everyone has been influenced  by  him
-- probably myself too", says Vuorma. "I must admit I'm not really an
"art freak", and do not follow the art/illustration scene much. So  I
don't know whether I have any special  influences.  Artists  I  like,
besides maybe McKean, are Frank Frazetta, Ivo Milazzo (a comic artist
from Italy whom I see as a genius -- not so famous, I guess, but  can
draw a whole personality with just a few lines; he  is  mostly  known
for his work  with  the  Italian  western  comic  Ken  Parker),  Gino
d'Antonio (also a comic  artist  from  Italy),  Edward  Hopper,  Mike
Hoffman and some Finnish painters like Hugo Simberg."

Travis Smith
~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Inspiration? "I get a lot of inspiration from just little things
in life, people I  meet,  and  watching  my  daughter  in  her  daily
activities -- a lot of the ideas I use a child  in  are  inspired  by
her", answers  Smith.  "Usually  music  and  stress  guide  me  while
working, or just anything that happens to come to mind.  Sometimes  I
glance at something and it looks like something different, and then I
see it for what it is but I keep the memory of  what  I  saw  for  an
idea."
     Smith's artwork for Opeth's _Blackwater  Park_  is  amongst  the
most impressive I've seen to date. Was it  created  specifically  for
Opeth from the beginning? "Yes, it was created specifically for  that
album. I started off in my  usual  more  photographic  style  and  it
wasn't working at all; so  I  kept  some  of  the  photos  and  tried
incorporating painting and pencil, which worked  very  well.  I  just
started doing pictures based on how I interpreted the lyrics  --  for
instance, the cover was  based  on  a  line  I  read  in  the  lyrics
involving mist and a group of liars. The band just picked  what  they
felt was best for them."
     I was rather dumbfounded to find out in his website  that  Smith
had actually created two more images in the same vein for _Blackwater
Park_ which have been left unused  --  and  the  album's  booklet  is
pretty thin. What happened? Didn't Music for Nations  want  to  spend
any more money on the artwork? "No, it wasn't a matter of money or  a
label decision. The budget was fair and I was willing to go a  little
extra for the artwork, as I usually like to do.  The  truth  is,  the
band simply didn't want a lot of art in the booklet, and declined  to
use any more of the art I submitted -- which was,  I  think,  six  or
seven other finished ideas."
     I also  greatly  admire  the  work  Smith  did  for  Katatonia's
_Tonight's Decision_ and _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_ -- both of  which
are quite different from the Opeth work. "Actually,  to  this  point,
creating the Katatonia CDs has always given me the  most  adventure",
Smith reveals. "For example, when starting _Tonight's Decision_,  the
band told me a story about trains and old tunnels, and  memories  and
"ghosts"... And I got a vision of tracks going off into the  distance
as far as you can see. Well, there's nothing like that  around  here,
but I knew of some out in the desert that I saw when I was  a  child,
so we did an eight hour drive just to get the photos of the tracks. I
never found any tunnels, though, and time was running out, so I tried
to think of other ideas to do and the first one I thought  of  became
the cover."
     "For _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_", he continues, "Jonas basically
described the kind of imagery he wanted, which is what you see in the
package. I had to go into a really bad part of the city  to  get  the
shots. It was kind of creepy, but I think that helped it.  The  cover
was supposed to be different at first, but I remembered Jonas telling
me about an idea with a bathroom, which I found in an  old  abandoned
house in the woods. I broke into it with a friend and it stunk of rat
shit, but I saw the bathroom and remembered Jonas' idea,  so  I  shot
it. They liked it so much that  with  just  a  few  alterations  they
picked it for a cover. I really like the way those CDs came out."
     Are there any particular pictures on  either  of  the  Katatonia
collections especially meaningful for Travis? "I like all  of  them",
he answers. "But yes, on _Tonight's Decision_ I love the  cover,  The
man sitting on his trunk with the train ghost, and the hanging chair.
For _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_, I like the cover, and the piece  with
the rock that looks like a headstone with "love" written on it. And I
also like the piece with the sign that says "end" but the road  keeps
going, which was taken by a friend of mine."
     One work of Smith's that I am a lot less  fond  of  is  the  new
Anathema cover art for _A Fine Day to Exit_. It just looks too  light
and commercial to me, despite the subtly dark theme  behind  it.  How
specific was the request behind this particular project? How  pleased
is Smith with the result? "That idea was  the  band's",  he  replies.
"They told me what they wanted. They  came  up  with  it  after  long
discussions of what to do and some of the  ideas  I  had.  It's  very
light because it is supposed to be a clear,  sunny,  "fine"  day.  In
spite of that, it is a very dark piece and I really love it.  It  was
up to me how to make it work. I shot the beach  separately,  but  the
car all at once. I didn't want to put in all the  little  details  in
the car later because I was afraid of it looking fake. Problem was, I
had to do the setup a few times and  reshoot,  because  some  of  the
details weren't right, and it is very hard  shooting  something  like
that in a car."
     I also wondered about the story behind  Diabolical  Masquerade's
_Death's Design_ -- Blakkheim went on about it being a soundtrack for
a movie that never existed, yet the album's artwork is Smith's...  "I
think you better ask Blakkheim about that one", he  answers  with  an
amused grin.
     I could go on and on with questions about albums  --  Nevermore,
Death's _The Sound of Perseverance_, HatePlow, Devin Townsend,  etc.,
but I had to wonder whether any of them were especially  relevant  in
Smith's portfolio, whether he was especially pleased with any one  of
them. "Yes, I still keep a few older  things  in  my  portfolio",  he
says. "I like to keep it small so I  can  concentrate  it  mostly  on
newer stuff and a few things I am especially proud of.  Of  the  ones
you mentioned, I am most proud of [Devin Townsend's]  _Terria_,  with
Nevermore following -- but there are many others as well. I think the
stuff I've done this year is my best so far."
     It is certainly a very good sign when you can honestly say that,
and the man behind the Seempieces studio seems determined to do  even
better in 2002.

Niklas Sundin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Much like Smith, Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas  Sundin  has
plenty of reasons to be optimistic about his future as an illustrator
-- at least judging by the artwork he has created so far. But  whilst
Travis Smith has his Seempieces studio, Sundin  founded  Cabin  Fever
Media. "There are no masterplans or agendas for world domination with
CFM", says Sundin. "When I decided to quit my old  job  in  order  to
start freelancing as an illustrator, it was clear that I also  needed
to register a company in order to make the practical concerns (taxes,
bookkeeping, etc.) easier. It's more or less what you have to  do  if
you're self-employed in Sweden. Cabin Fever, taken from an  old  Nick
Cave song, seemed to be a suitable name, so I went for that."
     Back in November, when this interview took place,  Sundin's  CFM
website was still closed. The Swede  explains.  "It's  pretty  insane
that I still haven't been able to get a proper website  online  after
nearly two years, but I've been constantly busy and  have  given  the
highest priority to client jobs. Also, I'm way more pedantic when  it
comes to my own personal  projects,  so  I've  had  several  versions
almost finished only to decide that I want to try another approach to
it. But something will happen on the  site  within  a  week  or  so."
Indeed, the website is now online.
     Sundin  has  also  created  artwork  for  his  own   band   Dark
Tranquillity; I ask Sundin about _Projector_ and _Haven_ and how  the
insight he had into the band's music helped him  connect  it  to  the
images. "It's a very  different  situation  when  doing  artwork  for
your own band", he states. "On  the  Dark  Tranquillity  albums,  I'm
obviously much more involved with the musical and lyrical content, so
it's easier to  really  get  beneath  the  surface.  On  _Projector_,
the  whole  lyrical  approach  circled   around   an   introspective,
problems-getting-magnified theme, so I used a lot of circular  shapes
which implied camera  lenses  and  projectors.  The  booklet  footage
featured torn pieces of film, and the whole  atmosphere  was  one  of
perceiving things through a filter. _Haven_ was a much more  colorful
album, so it seemed suitable to have a fresher color scheme based  on
white panels. _Haven_ is a metaphor for our band activities  and  for
using music as a means of  escaping  from  everyday  dullness,  so  I
showed this connection by featuring pretty dirty and  blurred  photos
of the band members in the rehearsal room. Nothing fancy at all, just
the reality of six out-of-shape slobs playing metal."
     Besides his work for Dark Tranquillity, Sundin has created cover
art for quite a few bands already: Sentenced, ...And Oceans,  Eternal
Tears of Sorrow and Flowing Tears come to my mind. Sundin says it  is
just a coincidence that they are all signed  to  Century  Media,  and
refuses to name any pet projects. "After a project is finished,  it's
more or less dead and buried for  me,  and  I  proceed  to  the  next
assignment. I usually notice  the  things  that  I  could  have  done
differently if given more time and resources,  that's  all.  All  the
projects I've done are hopefully meaningful and worthwhile  in  their
own way, but I don't really line up all the album  covers  I've  done
and masturbate to them. It's the same thing with music. People  often
ask what my favourite Dark Tranquillity song is, and it's always  the
one we're currently working on. Once a song has  been  documented  on
record, it's old news and not very interesting anymore."
     Finally, I cannot avoid asking about the new  Dark  Tranquillity
album on the works. "It's going very well  indeed",  Sundin  reports.
"We're rehearsing on an almost daily basis now, and the  material  is
really starting to take form. It's still a  bit  early  to  give  any
accurate predictions on how the final recording will sound like,  but
the material we currently  have  covers  every  facet  of  the  band.
There's everything from _The Gallery_-like  progressive  melodies  to
acoustic passages to some really fast  and  intense  stuff,  so  it's
going to be a diverse album that will surprise a lot of people."

Juha Vuorma
~~~~~~~~~~~
     "What guides my state of mind whilst at work on a given project?
Uh...  nothing  special",  Vuorma  unpretentiously  states.  "I  just
concentrate on the painting, work hard, do my  best...  the  painting
will find its way, or it will  get  spoiled,  like  it  happens  many
times."
     The artwork that In the Woods... used for their song "I Am  Your
Flesh" (from _Omnio_) was the first time I saw some of Vuorma's work,
and I was thoroughly impressed by the strength of that image and  the
way it connected to the music so well. "Yeah, Jan of In the  Woods...
also seemed to think it fit the title perfectly", admits Vuorma. "But
I did not make that piece specifically for that  title,  actually.  I
had already made the painting beforehand, and  it  was  on  a  sample
sheet I sent to Jan. He called me immediately, as he felt that  piece
fitted their stuff 100%, and so they got it. And I liked  the  album,
_Omnio_. I was pleased that the painting was on the LP cover [as well
as inside the CD booklet], as I'm into vinyl  myself.  Don't  ask  me
about the original meaning of the painting, though -- I don't  know",
he chuckles. "It was a half abstract piece that just turned  out  the
way it did."
     Vuorma also created artwork for Unholy's _Gracefallen_ -- rather
extreme music there, and again his artwork seems strongly  linked  to
the music. Could it be a coincidence again? "The artwork on  Unholy's
_Gracefallen_ is perhaps my favourite of all my album art. I only got
a few lines from the band to express the ideas in the songs  and  was
free to do it my way. The band gave me no lyrics or info on what  the
songs were about, just some feelings and impressions -- and that  was
a great way to do it. The paintings for the songs "The Wanderer"  and
"Daybreak" are my favourites. Not much detail, just feelings. It  was
a very refreshing thing to do --  not  just  the  usual  heavy  metal
"dark-horror-sadness" cliche stuff. I'm  not  too  pleased  with  the
cover painting of _Gracefallen_, though -- the booklet paintings  are
much better."
     The stylish wolf Vuorma created for  Arthemesia's  _Devs-Iratvs_
album cover, is an example of the  Finn's  oft-used  fingerprint-like
traces  --  which  seem  to  have  become  a  rather   distinguishing
characteristic of his. "Arthemesia liked that piece and picked it up;
it was already done as well. But yeah, those fingerprint-like  traces
are like a trademark of mine. Too strong a  trademark,  obviously  --
one record label said my work was too recognizable."
     Vuorma hasn't been as active in the field  as  Smith  or  Sundin
lately. Is he still interested? "Yeah, just not  getting  much  stuff
published lately. I guess I'm still interested in doing art  for  the
metal scene as well, as long  as  the  concept  is  interesting,  but
there's probably not so much  room  for  painted  art  anymore  since
computer art stepped in. I've  done  a  couple  of  digital  collages
myself, but that's not really  my  stuff...  I  want  to  stick  with
painting, and painting is what I'll be doing in the future too."

Pedro Daniel
~~~~~~~~~~~~
     "I mainly  follow  my  intuition  and  pleasure  when  combining
multi-sourced  imagery.  That's  when  design  meets  art.  When  you
technically know how to combine visual elements along with feelings",
states the Portuguese artist.
     Amongst the work he has done for underground bands,  Daniel  has
created art that can rival what gets done for higher  profile  labels
these days. One of those works is the Autumnal landscape he  captured
for a Brazilian band called Akashic. "Well, Akashic was one of  those
rare  cases  where  I  had  no  contact  whatsoever  with  the  band.
Everything was arranged with the guy at  their  label,  Scallabis.  I
entered the Akashic process during its second phase. Some promotional
flyers had already been designed by someone else. At that point, they
asked me to follow the graphic concept on the flyers and adapt it  to
a CD cover. Later on, they decided to abandon  that  graphic  concept
and develop a new one. That was when the result  you  mentioned  came
up. Due to the name of the album (_Timeless Realm_), there was a wish
from both band and label to use a watch, which had been an  important
part of the previous design, so I had to stick to that. Conceptually,
I wanted to create an image that would reflect  a  place  where  time
stood still, eternally frozen. I had a few pictures from a  beautiful
park in England, in a rusty Autumn, which had that "frozen  in  time"
sort of look. The rest, as you might  understand,  is  intuition  and
pixels..."
     Daniel's answer when asked whether he has any favourite projects
amidst what he has done so far is short, and yet carries  an  unusual
twist: "Not really. They're all my "children" in the  end.  Some  are
less defective than  others,  and  I  like  them  all  for  different
reasons."
     The former Sculpture bass player is equally succinct when  asked
to highlight any particular bands he has worked  with  as  especially
worth looking into. "Even though I have to create an empathic link to
the band and their sound, I rarely get "addicted" to it. I could name
a few bands, but I prefer keeping that to myself."
     The Portuguese metal underground has been Daniel's major  source
of metal customers so far. "The Portuguese metal underground scene is
a tricky subject of debate. There is, without a doubt, an  increasing
notion that quality  and  professionalism  score  when  it  comes  to
achieving certain goals, and bands are truly beginning to  understand
that no matter how good the music may be, a CD is a product that  has
to be -sold-, and it must be sold as a whole. Some people might agree
with this, others might disagree."
     He finishes: "When it comes to criticizing, everybody has a word
to say... But when it comes to getting a decent job done,  words  and
talent are often lacking."

     Do visit the websites listed below if you haven't done  so  yet,
in order to find out more about the plentiful talent behind the words
on this article.

Travis Smith: http://www.seempieces.com
Niklas Sundin: http://www.cabinfevermedia.com
Juha Vuorma: http://welcome.to/newice/
Pedro Daniel: http://www.geocities.com/phobosanomaly2002/ (temporary)

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

            W H A T   W E   H A V E   C R A N K E D ! ! !
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Gino's Top 5

1. Judas Priest - _Sad Wings of Destiny_
2. Absu - _Tara_
3. Immemoreal - _Temple of Retribution_
4. Absu - _Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L._
5. Venom - _The Best of Venom_

Adrian's Top 5

1. Virgin Black - _Sombre Romantic_
2. The Chasm - _Reaching the Veil of Death_
3. Sword - _Metalized_
4. 16 / Today Is the Day - _Zodiac Dreaming_
5. EverEve - _E-Mania_

Brian's Top 5

1. Vuvr - _Pilgrimage_
2. Ensoph - _Bleeding Womb of Ananke_
3. Death - _Human_
4. Love History - _Anasazi_
5. Agony - _Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust_

Alain's Top 5

1. Lacrimosa - _Fassade_
2. Keelhaul - _II_
3. Solefald - _Pills Against the Ageless Ills_
4. Akercocke - _Goat of Mendes_
5. Anathema - _Resonance_

Adam's Top 5

1. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_
2. Electric Wizard - _Dopethrone_
3. Enslaved - _Monumension_
4. The Misfits - _Cuts From the Crypt_
5. Nirvana - _Nevermind_

Pedro's Top 5

1. Borknagar - _Empiricism_
2. Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_
3. Summoning - _Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame_
4. Aphotic - _Under Veil of Dark_
5. Abaddon Incarnate - _Nadir_

Paul's Top 5

1. The Chasm - Reaching the Veil of Death
2. Anaal Nathrakh - _The Codex Necro_
3. Testament - _First Strike Still Deadly_
4. Opeth - _Morningrise_
5. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_

Aaron's Top 5

1. Death - _Spiritual Healing_
2. Hypocrisy - _10 Years of Chaos and Confusion_
3. Bethlehem - _Schatten aus der Alexander Welt_
4. Sodom - _M-16_
5. Phobia - _Serenity Through Pain_

David's Top 5

1. Gehenna - _Malice_
2. Embraced - _Amorous Anathema_
3. Grievance - _The Phantom Novels_
4. Arch Enemy - _Wages of Sin_
5. Thyrane - _The Spirit of Rebellion_

Alvin's Top 5

1. Emperor - _Prometheus - The Discipline of Fire and Demise_
2. Sarcofagus - _Envoy of Death_
3. Current 93 - _Sleep Has His House_
4. Mutiilation - _Vampires of Black Imperial Blood_
5. Edguy - _Mandrake_

Chris' Top 5

1. Anorexia Nervosa - _New Obscurantis Order_
2. Immortal - _Sons of Northern Darkness_
3. The Provenance - _25th Hour; Bleeding_
4. My Dying Bride - _The Dreadful Hours_
5. Forest of Shadows - _Where Dreams Turn to Dust_

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                _____         __          __ __
               |     \.-----.|  |_.---.-.|__|  |.-----.
               |  --  |  -__||   _|  _  ||  |  ||__ --|
               |_____/|_____||____|___._||__|__||_____|


Homepage: http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com
FTP Archive: ftp://ftp.etext.org/pub/Zines/ChroniclesOfChaos

--> Interested in being reviewed? Send us your demo and bio to:
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
                         CHRONICLES OF CHAOS
			 Attn: Adrian Bromley
                       606 Avenue Road Apt. 203
                           Toronto, Ontario
                           M4V-2K9, Canada
                 mailto:Adrian@ChroniclesOfChaos.com
                                 ----
                Our European Office can be reached at:
                     CHRONICLES OF CHAOS (Europe)
                           Urb. Souto n.20
                       4500-117 Anta, PORTUGAL
                  mailto:Pedro@ChroniclesOfChaos.com
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=


DESCRIPTION
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chronicles  of  Chaos  is  a  FREE  monthly  magazine  electronically
distributed worldwide via the Internet. Seemingly endless interviews,
album reviews and concert reviews encompass the pages  of  Chronicles
of Chaos. Chronicles of Chaos stringently emphasizes all varieties of
chaotic music ranging from black and death metal to  electronic/noise
to dark, doom and ambient forms. Chronicles  of  Chaos  is  dedicated
to the underground and as such we feature demo reviews from all indie
bands who send us material, as  well  as  interviews  with  a  select
number of independent acts. Join our mailing list to receive  a  free
copy of Chronicles of Chaos every month.


HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may subscribe to Chronicles of Chaos at any time  by  sending  an
e-mail to  <mailto:Subscribe@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>  with  your  full
name in the subject line of the message.

You may unsubscribe from Chronicles of Chaos at any time by sending a
blank e-mail to <mailto:Unsubscribe@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.


AUTOMATIC FILESERVER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All back issues and various other CoC related files are available for
automatic retrieval through our e-mail fileserver. All you have to do
is send a message to  <mailto:BackIssues@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.  The
'Subject:' field of your message should contain the issue number that
you want (all other text is ignored). To get a copy of our back issue
index, send a blank e-mail to <mailto:Index@ChroniclesOfChaos.com>.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
End Chronicles of Chaos, Issue #56

All contents copyright 2002 by individual creators of included  work.
All opinions expressed herein are those of the individuals expressing
them, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else.


