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


                     Sixth Anniversary Mega-Issue
                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
       CHRONICLES OF CHAOS e-Zine, August 12, 2001, Issue #54
                  http://www.ChroniclesOfChaos.com

Editor-in-Chief: Gino Filicetti
Coordinator: Adrian Bromley
Copy Editor / Contributor: Pedro Azevedo
Assistant Copy Editor / 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
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 #54 Contents, 8/12/01
---------------------------
* Editorial
* Loud Letters
* Deadly Dialogues
-- Absu: Celtic Carnage
-- Katatonia: Songs of Quintessential Sorrow
-- Nevermore: Dead Heat for the Politicians of Ecstasy
-- Anathema: Inner Resonance
-- Cadaver Inc.: The Discipline of Sandwich-Making
-- Keelhaul: Angled to Amaze
-- Akercocke: Satanic Art
-- Amon Amarth: The Avengers' Crushing Comeback
-- The Forsaken: Forsaken But Not Forgotten
-- The End Records: The Genesis of The End
-- Epoch of Unlight: An Unlightly Story
-- Melechesh: Mesopotamian Hunger
-- Old Man Gloom: Monkeys Taught Me Guitar!
-- Demonic Christ: Demonic Battle Mom: Dana's Return
-- Iced Earth: The (Horror) Show Must Go On
-- Darkane: Dark Insanity
-- Circle of Dead Children: Necro-Pedophiles 'R' Us
-- Mourning Beloveth: Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes...
-- Virgin Steele: A Greek Tragedy Written in Metal
-- Andromeda: Star Shooter Supreme
* Album Asylum
-- 3D House of Beef - _Low Cycle_
-- Abominant - _Ungodly_
-- Aborted - _Engineering the Dead_
 - Mortician - _Domain of Death_
-- Absu - _Tara_
-- Aeon - _Dark Order_
-- Agalloch - _Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor_
-- Akercocke - _The Goat of Mendes_
-- Alas - _Absolute Purity_
-- Amon Amarth - _The Crusher_
-- Amorphis - _Am Universum_
-- Anata - _Dreams of Death and Dismay_
-- Anathema - _Resonance_
-- Ancient Rites - _Dim Carcosa_
-- Annihilatus - _Annihilation_ 10"
-- Ark - _Burn the Sun_
-- Association Area - _Loathsome Deco_
-- Autopsy - _Ridden With Disease_
 - Autopsy - _Torn From the Grave_
 - Murder Squad - _Unsane, Insane & Mentally Deranged_
-- Avantasia - _The Metal Opera_
-- Bal-Sagoth - _Atlantis Ascendant_
-- Belfegor - _The Kingdom of Glacial Palaces_
 - Fog - _Through the Eyes of Night..._
 - Hate - _Holy Dead Trinity_
-- Black Label Society - _Alcohol Fueled Brewtality: Live +5_
-- Various - _Black Metal Blitzkrieg_
-- Bloodthorn - _Under the Reign of Terror_
-- Various - _Brazilian Assault_
-- Cadaver Inc. - _Discipline_
-- Catholicon - _Lost Chronicles of the War in Heaven_
-- cEvin Key - _The Ghost of Each Room_
-- Chamber - _You and What Army_
-- Christ Aborted in Nativity - _If You Set Yourself on Fire?_
-- Circle of Dead Children - _The Genocide Machine_
-- Cirith Gorgor - _Unveiling the Essence_
-- Clandestine Blaze / Deathspell Omega - _Split LP_
-- Cradle of Filth - _Bitter Suites to Succubi_
-- Cripple Bastards - _Almost Human_
 - Cripple Bastards - _Misantropo a Senso Unico_
-- Crowbar - _Sludge: History of Crowbar_
-- Darkane - _Insanity_
-- Darwin's Waiting Room - _Orphan_
-- Das Ich - _Re_Laborat_
-- Dawndeath Incinerator - _Tomb of Corporeal Butchery_
-- Death & Taxe$ - _theenigmathatisman_
-- DeathFrost - _Cynoptik of DeathFrost / Death to All_
-- Deepred - _Prophetic Luster_
-- Demimonde - _Mutant Star_
-- Deranged - _Deranged_
-- Diabolical Masquerade - _Death's Design_
-- Disbelief - _Worst Enemy_
-- Disgorge - _Forensick_
-- Divine Decay - _Songs of the Damned_
-- Dragonlord - _Rapture_
-- Edera - _Edera_
-- Em Sinfonia - _Intimate Portrait_
-- Enter My Silence - _Remotecontrolled Scythe_
-- Event Down - _Sift_
-- Exhumed - _Slaughtercult_ (saw-blade reissue)
-- Exordium - _Exordium_ 10"
-- Failed Humanity - _The Sound of Razors Through Flesh_
-- Faith and the Muse - _Evidence of Haven_
 - Faith and the Muse - _Elyria_
-- Fear Factory - _Digimortal_
-- Finntroll - _Jaktens Tid_
-- God Dethroned - _Ravenous_
-- Grog - _Odes to the Carnivorous_
-- Haat - _Factum Luctisonus_
-- Honor / Graveland - _Raiders of Revenge_
-- Imperial Sodomy - _Tormenting the Pacifist_
-- Incriminated - _Illusion of Love_ 7"
-- Ingrowing - _Suicide Binary Reflections_
-- Isis - _SGNL>05_
-- Judas Iscariot / Krieg - _To the Coming Age of Intolerance_
-- Junta - _Junta_
-- Karma to Burn - _Almost Heathen_
-- Keelhaul - _II_
-- Khold - _Masterpiss of Pain_
-- King Diamond - _Decade of Horror_
-- Kult Ov Azazel - _Triumph of Fire_
-- Lacrimas Profundere - _Burning: A Wish_
-- Lobotomy - _Holy Shit_
-- Lost Soul - _Scream of the Mourning Star_
-- Madder Mortem - _All Flesh Is Grass_
-- Mayhem - _US Legions_
-- Melechesh - _Djinn_
-- Merlin - _They Must Die_
-- Moonspell - _Darkness and Hope_
-- My Dying Bride - _Meisterwerk II_
-- Myrddraal - _Blood on the Mountain_
-- Mystica - _Blinded By My Blood_
-- Necrology - _Malignancy Defined_
-- Necronom - _Exordium_
-- Neurosis - _A Sun That Never Sets_
-- No Return - _Self Mutilation_
-- Nokturnal Mortum - _Lunar Poetry_
-- Obligatorisk Tortyr - _Obligatorisk Tortyr_
-- Occult - _Violence and Hatred_
-- Pest - _Towards the Bestial Armageddon_ 7"
-- Peter Murphy - _Alive: Just for Love_
-- Project Pitchfork - _Daimonion_
-- Proscriptor - _The Serpentine Has Risen_
-- Psychotogen - _Perverse and Unnatural Practices_
-- Rebaelliun - _Annihilation_
-- Sceptic - _Pathetic Being_
-- Silentium - _Altum_
-- Steel Prophet - _Book of the Dead_
-- Stratovarius - _Intermission_
-- The Darksend - _Antichrist in Excelsis_
-- Therios - _II_
-- Throneaeon - _Neither of Gods_
-- Various - _Triarchy of Vasconia_
-- Vesperian Sorrow - _Psychotic Sculpture_
-- Vitriol - _I-VII_
-- War - _We Are... Total War_
-- W.A.S.P. - _Unholy Terror_
-- Winds - _Of Entity and Mind_
-- Within Tears - _Moments of Life: Chapter 1_
-- Zonata - _Reality_
* New Noise
-- Forlorn Legacy - _Dead Man's Fear_
-- Holocaust - _Holocaust_
-- Neocrima - _Indifference's Deadly_
-- Oroboros - _Demo CD_
-- Qohelet - _Thanatopsis_
-- Spiritus Mortis - _Forward to the Battle_
-- Winter Bestowed - _Within My Labyrinthine Heart_
* Chaotic Concerts
-- Wery Wicious Wacken Wiolence: Wacken Open Air
-- Brave Redrum Night: Katatonia and Akercocke in London
-- Mechanics of Deceit: Tool and Cortizone in London
-- Puritanical Destructive Predominance: Dimmu Borgir and Destruction
* Writer's Wrath
-- The Four MusCoCteers, Episode 3
* What We Have Cranked
* Details

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

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

                         by: Gino Filicetti


     Once again that time of year  is upon us. August 12 will forever
be remembered as "Chronicles of Chaos Day". It is upon this day, what
should be considered  an international holiday, that we  look back in
awe on all the things that we,  as a magazine, have achieved over the
past  six years  since our  inception. Six  years of  terrorizing the
globe  with evil  in all  its  forms; gargantuan  yet graceful,  this
magazine and our readership has become  more than I had ever hoped to
achieve. I'm sure each and everyone of you will thoroughly enjoy this
mammoth issue we've put together -- our second biggest of all time.
     First off,  I would like  to announce  an update to  our website
which we have been waiting until  today to unleash. To the delight of
many of you  (our writers included) you will be  pleased to know that
we've  implemented a  search engine  to  scour our  back issues.  The
search engine is  simple enough; you can use either  the quick search
form on  our main page,  or the search  page itself for  more complex
searches. The results are scored on  the occurrences of the words you
typed in, so the more often a  word appears, the higher it is scored.
This new tool  will prove invaluable in searching for  old reviews or
interviews with your favourite bands.
     Also, we  have some big  news on the  new writer front.  We have
recently accepted  three new part-time, probationary  writers. First,
we have Quentin Kalis, a 21-year old English grad who hails from Cape
Town, South Africa.  Second, we have Kirsty  Buchanan, whose material
has  appeared in  our pages  before and  who is  finally contributing
regularly to  CoC. Finally,  we have  Vincent Eldefors,  from Sweden,
another 21-year old  who will be contributing material  to CoC, along
with continuing  to edit  his own 'zine:  Tartarean Desire.  I'm sure
you'll be pleased  with what you see from our  new rookies. And don't
forget, even you  can audition for a spot on  the Chronicles of Chaos
writing staff.  Just send a note  to: Auditions@ChroniclesOfChaos.com
and tell us a little about yourself and why you think you'd be a good
fit with CoC.
     On a personal note,  I'd like to point you all  to the review of
Absu's newest album,  _Tara_, in this issue. You will  notice that it
is authored by  a certain individual who has been  in retirement from
regular duty  since CoC #16.  I can hardly  believe it has  been that
long  since I've  taken up  arms to  pen a  review, but  I've finally
broken the vicious cycle. The  main reason for this, besides enormous
peer pressure, was that I couldn't  let the brilliance that is _Tara_
go unpraised. So  I fired up my typewriter, and  cranked out a review
three times  larger than your run  of the mill variety.  Even with so
many words,  it really is  hard to express  my admiration for  such a
kick-ass album. Also this issue  we've got an in-depth interview with
Sir  Proscriptor McGovern  himself  in which  Paul  Schwarz pulls  no
punches in confronting him with the issues and questions at hand. And
to top  it all  off, Adam Wasylyk  has provided us  with a  review of
Proscriptor's newest  foray into solo territory:  _The Serpentine Has
Risen_.
     There  are many  more  highlights within  the  vastness of  this
issue, however:  a -triple- interview  with Katatonia coupled  with a
live review of that same band,  a last-minute Wacken Open Air report,
and the final episode of The Four MusCoCteers -- just to cite a few.
     We've  received  a   good  wack  of  Loud   Letters  these  past
few  months,  and  I'd  like  to  thank  everyone  who  wrote  in.  I
encourage  everyone  with   something  to  say  to   send  email  to:
LoudLetters@ChroniclesOfChaos.com  and  just  let it  all  out.  Loud
Letters really  is a discussion  forum for all  of you, not  a praise
bucket. So go at it and let us know what you really think.
     Finally, I  can't stress enough how  important it is to  get the
word out there and tell everyone  you know about Chronicles of Chaos.
It's amazing  how many people  on the Internet  are fans of  the most
extreme forms of metal and haven't  even heard of our publication. We
are truly doing them a disservice  by keeping them in the dark. There
is only so much our staff can do  to spread the word, we are merely a
couple  of ten  people,  but  you, the  readership,  are  a horde  of
thousands...
     Well, I'll keep this short and sweet and finish while I'm ahead.
There's  no need  to keep  you from  devouring this  issue; I'm  sure
you'll all  enjoy it, and once  again THANK YOU, from  the entire CoC
staff, for  an unforgettable  six years.  Without our  readers, there
really wouldn't be a reason to put in all this hard work.
     Until next time...

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                 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: Wed, 18 Apr 2001
From: "Jackie Smit" <1998549750@wwg3.uovs.ac.za>
Subject: Attention:  Loud Letters

Greetings!

I have  mailed your fine  'zine a couple  of times before,  but after
reading your editorial  in the latest issue (which was  superb by the
way), I  thought I'd do  something which I don't  see a lot  of other
letter-writers doing - say something positive.

Many writers,  critics and  other individuals, particularly  those in
the mainstream  metal magazines, have  been knocking Death  Metal for
years  now and  the slogan  of "Death  Metal is  dead!" has  rung out
numerous times.  Now, as I  listen to the new  Napalm Death CD,  I am
once again reminded of just how vibrant the scene is at the moment. A
few years  ago, Death Metal  was indeed  growing stale and  tired and
were it not  for a couple of  stalwarts such as Morbid  Angel, it may
very well have  died. But in recent times and  particularly last year
we saw a flood of new albums by bands who, despite having been around
for some time, seemed to have  saved their best releases for the year
2000. Possibly a plan  of the devil to show his  dominance in the new
millenium -  heaven forbid we  start up that debate  again! Seriously
though,  Immolation,  Dying  Fetus, Morbid  Angel,  Nile,  Cryptopsy,
Napalm Death  and Vader  all brought  out some  of the  most intense,
original work  to be heard  in years -  proving, I think,  that Death
Metal is alive and well and perhaps the sub-genre of extreme music to
have developed most over the years.

In the  light of this, I  know that many  fans of the metal  of death
knew that this  would happen some or  other time, and at  the risk of
sounding like  a brownnoser, I would  like to say that  Chronicles of
Chaos  also foresaw  this revolution.  I have  been a  subscriber for
nearly four years  and as far as I'm concerned  CoC blows EVERY 'zine
or magazine clear out  of the water - always has  and (I hope) always
will. Thank you for never wimping out and for providing fans of Death
Metal and  all other forms of  extreme music with a  publication that
was  no doubt  one of  the highlights  of their  month. I  know I  am
speaking for a lot of people when I say best of luck in the future.

Fuck the commerce!

Jackie Smit
South Africa


Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2001
From: "Jim Tasikas" <rochmeat@frontiernet.net>
Subject: The Metal Genre

I would hope that one day  metal music will distinguish itself in the
public eye for properties that make  it a beautiful music and display
its values.  Unlike the Jazz  music genre,  which is very  similar to
metal in  stucture, metal has been  unable to develop stature  in the
general public arena. Metal and jazz  are similar in structure in the
following ways:

1.  Much  of  the  appreciation lies  within  the  technical  playing
capacilities of member of the bands.
2.  There  are  many  levels  of  technical  playing  and  creativity
(musically).
3.  Fusions of a different genre is incoporated many instances.

There many more reasons, too many to go into detail....

The main  point being....focus on  quality and stature of  music! NOT
stupid concepts like War on Chrisitanity, or even Anti-government, or
even  social reform,  or environmental  issues.....(both positive  or
negative concepts)

The   MUSIC!!!!!!  makes   metal   what  it   is....music  which   is
introspective and emotional  and creative and evolving.  We should be
promoting the  music and not using  all the other stupid  bullshit to
publisize or promote....PLEASE.

Thanks  to all  the satantic,  atheist, vegan,  anti-government, gore
driven idiots musicians (not music listeners) who had  to taint there
music with idiot lyrics to get attention. (NOTE: These concepts, when
lyrics are  written with  creativity and good  taste are  a different
story.)

Bands of integrity (Beutiful music  and use controversial concepts in
good taste):

Iron Maiden
Fates Warning
Tool
Pain Of Salvation
Dark Tranquillity
At The Gates (borderline...)
Cynic
Death(new)
Contol Denied
Aghora
Zero Hour
Enchant
Symphony X
Engine
Agent Steel
King Diamond (Them and Abigail)
Sepultura (Arise, Chaos AD)
Anathema

The are many different type of  metal here an levels of technicality.
People who  disagree with this letter  and idiots and just  listen to
metal for anger and dispair and attention.
 Thanks for reading.


Date: Sun, 20 May 2001
From: Patrick McIntosh <p.mcintosh@csuohio.edu>
Subject: Death/Black/Blue/Green Metal, etc.

Echoing DER TODESKIN's letter from COC  #53, I too am bothered by the
petty labeling of bands by  "fans." Obviously, the labeling does have
it's purpose. Band X  is a black metal band, Band Y  is a death metal
band...helps us get a quick read on what to expect from the material.

However, with advancing  time, genres are invariably  going to blend,
with  the black  and  white  fading into  a  larger  grey area.  What
constitues

black metal  now? Harsh guitars  with no  keyboards? What if  you use
keyboards?  Are you  selling out?  Can you  sing only  anti-Christian
lyrics?

Do you have to wear corpsepaint? What if you are TOO intelligible?

What if  a band  came out  wearing t-shirts and  shorts, and  all the
members were bald? Bet nobody'd consider them black metal. Obviously,
that's  a facetious  example,  but  I'm hoping  my  point is  getting
across: it's simply harder to  differentiate between forms of extreme
metal,  and  it's  pointless  to  dismiss a  band  because  of  their
nonconformity to some tired norm. It's too much about imagery and not
enough about THE MUSIC. If it's good, dig it.

More colors would  solve a lot I  think. If you sing  about satan and
hell,  you're in  a red  metal band.  If you  sing about  corpses and
decay, why not green?

Sounds like a good color for rotting flesh. Or maybe purple. Silly.

Patrick


Date: Wed, 23 May 2001
From: "evil" <absolute.evil@online.be>
Subject: re: War on atheism

Going from  an atheist  stance to  accepting what  feels real  but is
unprovable  takes  a  lot  of  personal courage.  Denial  is  easy  -
spiritual evolution is hard.

Indeed one needs a lot of courage to cover himself with shame ;D)))))
Reallity is mysterious enough, none  can understand its physic. Until
now the universe is far beyond the understanding of the human spirit.
Why do you need fairytales about universe. Universe is a living being
because of us, the humans, the animals and plants but that's all.

Denial isn't easy, refusing the promises of a rebirth, living with no
faith except  that death is  waiting for you at  the end of  the path
requires a lot of courage. Having no false promises that helps you to
live  without fearing  the  horrible end  that awaits  all  of us.  I
believe in  the misery, in  the grave  and that rotting  corpses will
never walk again.

Misery,  pain,  happiness everything  is  provided  by gods  say  the
faithfull people. Then I say I suffer when I see a child suffering, I
suffer when I see my poor mother with half of her brain dead. How can
a mighty  god supports  the suffering of  millions of  people... It's
impossible. He  will not suport the  amount of pain, he  will want to
stop  it right  now. Either  he doesn't  exists or  he does  and then
deserve only our hate. I'm quite a happy man, but if something exists
and is responsible  for a part of  the suffering I got  (just hear my
mother crying like  a beast every day when she  thinks about what she
became). We need neither weak or  cruel or indifferent gods. Grow up,
face the death like a man not like a child.

Absolute evil


Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001
From: "Ruben Altena" <rubit@chello.nl>
Subject: question

Hi,

I have a  question. I've been looking for the  answer on the internet
but i haven't  been able to find  it. that's why i email  you. Why is
virtually all black metal about  satan and anti-christianity and it's
worths?

I like many sorts of music and extreme metal is one of it. I love the
music of bands  such as cradle of filth,  mayhem, emperor, summoning,
morbid angel, paradise lost and napalm death. The problem is, i don't
want to  own anything with  a content  that is completely  against my
beliefs and  ideas, which means i  don't want to listen  to any bands
with satanic,  anti-christian, nationalistic, nazistic  (or extremely
right-wing political)  or militaristic sympathies. I  also don't want
any  extremely  violent,  immoral, insulting,  preachery  or  new-age
inspired lyrics.  i think so many  of these lyrics are  so silly. All
this  crap  about cannibalism,  horror,  vampires,  devils and  black
moons, angels,  suns etc. etc. is  sooooo silly IMHO. I  know there's
some  bands  singing  (screaming)  about trolls  and  fairytales  and
ancient legends, but  i'm not into that sort of  stuff so i'm looking
for something different. I like lyrics  about the beauty and power of
nature, as  long as it's  not new-age  like and it's  not worshipping
nature as  a god-like thing or  something. I've been listening  to my
dying bride  but i  think they're  too over the  top. i've  also been
listening to  dark tranquillity but the  music is a bit  too soft for
me. I've  been listening to  some christian  black metal bands  but i
also don't  want that because it's  very preachy and just  as well as
satanic metal quite  concrete about things like God and  the devil. I
don't mind  if the music is  made by christians (in  fact, i'd prefer
it) but  i don't  like the  way most extreme  metal bands  sing about
religion, in  a very aggressive and  concrete way. I'd prefer  a more
vague approach.

I do feel that the atmosphere  of black metal requires certain 'dark'
lyrics, but  i don't understand  why it can't focus  on psychological
darkness  instead  of  the  two-horned  devil  thing.  I  don't  mind
religious  influences in  the lyrics  as  long as  it doesn't  become
either insulting or  preachy. Could you perhaps advice  me some bands
or songs that  have a different lyrical approach? And  could you tell
me how you think about these things and if you think that black metal
has to be satanic  or it wouldn't be black metal.  Maybe you can help
me find more information about this subject. I'm in for a discussion.

thank you,

ruben


Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001
From: "Bandi Bandi" <bandi669@drotposta.hu>
Subject: tormentor

Hi!

I was  surprised when  I read  the interview  with Fenriz  in CoC#53,
because of David Rocher's question, related to "Attila Csihar's band,
Aborym". Wow!!  I never  thought David,  or anybody  in the  USA knew
about  my  country's only  famous  metal  band, Tormentor,  and  it's
singer, Attila Csihar! This band was a black metal legend in the late
'80s,  here in  Europe. They  were so  inspiring that  even Euronymus
(Mayhem) called  Attila to  sing on the  milestone De  Mysteriies Dom
Sathanas album, after Dead committed suicide. Attila has released two
albums with Tormentor, which had  influenced the black metal genre so
much.  As you  know, Dissection  covered a  Tormentor track  on their
Where  Dead Angels  Lie EP  (Elizabeth Bathori),  but to  go further,
there's  also  a  Tormentor  riff  in  the  Children  Of  Bodom  song
"Hatebreeder".  Anyway, Tormentor  was  reformed again  in 1999,  and
released an album with rare live  tracks, and an another one in 2000,
with brand new songs, called "Recipe Ferrum". It's good, but isn't in
the vein of the old songs.

And another surprise for me, also in that issue: Proscriptor mentions
Plasma Pool as one of his  favourites! I can't believe this!! I think
none  of  you there  has  heard  of Plasma  Pool,  but  it's also  in
connection with  Attila Csihar, because  it is his solo  project. But
here  in Hungary  also  only  a few  people  know  about it,  because
it's very-very-very  rare!! Proscriptor really knows  the underground
bands!!

So, keep surprising me with things like this in the future :)

Bye, keep up the good work

Bandi from Hungary

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                     C E L T I C   C A R N A G E
                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           CoC chats with Sir Proscriptor McGovern of Absu
                          by: Paul Schwarz


     Absu's latest album  -- called _Tara_ [reviewed  in this issue],
and released  a few months  ago on  Osmose Productions --  begins and
ends with  bagpiping. When first  I endeavoured to explore  the music
which  interposed _Tara_'s  intro and  outro, I  tried to  ignore the
'piping; it seemed  incongruent. Then _Tara_ began to  become open to
me  in all  sorts of  other new  ways, and  after being  consistently
enthralled in  recent weeks  with the  album in  its entirety  -- its
every minute, lyrics, vocal patterns  and all -- the bagpipes finally
began to make sense,  fit in, and become a worthy  part of the mighty
metal massacre  that Absu's fourth  album and fifth release  is. Absu
are  not  averse to  grandiosity,  yet  the band  are  simultaneously
the  most  untalked-up  of  bands  in a  very  important  sense:  the
ultimate greatness of Absu is  rarely exaggerated, though it is often
misunderstood. Some people  seek to label Absu a  "black metal" band,
though I've never  seen such a position defended or  justified. In my
opinion, such a position cannot be convincingly defended. If you look
at  and think  about  what  "black metal"  really  is  -- what  makes
a  "black  metal"  band  --  and compare  what  Absu  really  are  --
musically  -and- conceptually  -- you  will find  between few  and no
shared qualities between  the two. Only the  broadest, most unhelpful
definition of a  "black metal" band could include Absu  -- and no-one
should really  be able to get  away with calling them  "black thrash"
either. Musically, the classification  that comes closest to defining
Absu is "speed metal" as it was used circa the mid-Eighties. Absu use
the  term  "mythological occult  metal"  to  describe themselves  for
their  own  reasons, and  though  the  term  is essentially  just  an
idiosyncratic, relatively  direct description  of what  they actually
create, in 2001  it's as useful a  label as any you  could propose. I
say Absu are  a ferocious heavy metal band who  don't require greater
pigeonholing  with  words,  but  instead  need  to  be  heard  to  be
understood and enjoyed.
     _Tara_ is a  complete package, the most complete  Absu have ever
presented. Musically,  it represents  Absu's signature sound,  but is
blessed  with  by  far  their  finest  production  to  date.  I  said
"signature sound", and  though within that classification  there is a
coherent,  consistent style  also to  be identified,  the breadth  of
Absu's  expression is  unusually  varied. Forget  the bagpiping,  I'm
thinking of the way that though  "Pillars of Mercy" or "Manannan" may
remind  you of  Slayer,  "Bron (of  the Waves)"  will  bring to  mind
mid-Seventies-era  Rush;  the  way that  "Yrp  LLuyddawc"'s  brooding
synth-led atmospherics will truly intrigue you and draw you in before
"From Ancient  Times (Starless Skies  Burn to Ash)" batters  the shit
out  of you;  the  way that  the utter,  furious  extremity of  "Four
Crossed Wands (Spell  181)" or "Vorago (Spell 182)"  is not expressed
merely by  relentless blasting and creatively  idiotic technique; the
way  that the  albums closing  epic  "Stone of  Destiny (...for  Magh
Slecht  and Ard  Righ)"  can retain  the character  and  fury of  the
barrage-like  songs that  precede it,  yet simultaneously  showcase a
much  broader  dynamic  range.  Mixing  lightning  speed  double-bass
battery and blasts with wails  that would have Halford straining, and
a coherent conceptual character that would impress King Diamond, this
final track  is distinctly triumphant: proof  that older, traditional
metal  elements  can  sit  alongside  aggression  and  impact  beyond
their original  context. Absu  are definitely a  special case  in the
extreme metal  scene, a stand-alone. Proscriptor's  drumming alone is
absolutely phenomenal, mixing much that is technical and will only be
specifically noted  after repeated, careful  listens -- or  by fellow
musicians -- with  distinct and individual, yet  direct, powerful and
furious playing. Not for nothing do so many have such respect for his
individual musical  talent, and  on _Tara_  one can  hear what  he is
doing more  clearly than ever by  virtue of its production,  which is
highly improved over Absu's previous albums.
     What is  most uniquely wonderful  about Absu is that  the praise
and high regard accorded to them does  not cease when we move on from
speaking of their  music in isolation from the  lyrics that accompany
it or the concepts and ideas that are at work behind it. Absu concoct
fiction and non-fiction into a  coherent, fantastical whole. They are
not quite writing historical fiction,  but something close to it. The
lyrics to _Tara_'s individual songs  and the concepts and ideas which
bind the album together are based on an expansive knowledge of Celtic
history  and mythology,  and also  more recent  texts concerned  with
magic(k) and gnosticism, i.e. the  writings of Aleister Crowley. Some
songs seem to  retell actual history, others concoct  their own using
certifiably  real historical  settings and  characters, while  others
utilise or pertain to characters  and events catalogued in mythology.
Absu are meticulous, and though their purpose is not to teach, _Tara_
is intended to be interpretable and understandable by any listener of
Absu willing  to spend some  time with it  in its entirety  -- lyrics
booklet and  all. Reading along to  the songs whilst they  play opens
them up, and though technical or  foreign terms may at first confuse,
they are clearly defined in the album's five-and-a-half page glossary
with  more  than  sufficient  accurate  and  relevant  historical  or
literary  detail, as  appropriate.  The lyrics  are beautifully  well
patterned into the structure of the  music, as well as being coherent
from a literary perspective. Also  notable is how effectively a range
of vocal  "voices" are employed.  _Tara_'s lyrics are written  with a
broad range of knowledge in mind  and in use, yet they are respectful
of and  faithful to  their sources.  At the same  time, Absu  are not
merely  singing  textbooks  or even  transliterating  them:  _Tara_'s
lyrics are  original, written  for the album.  Absu are  engrossed in
their subject  matter; _Tara_ gives  the impression of  being written
from  within  a  coherent,  imaginative  yet  well-researched  Celtic
"worldview".  Without resorting  to creating  Celticised metal  comic
book characters,  Absu work  the sound  of metal  and the  subject of
Celtic history and mythology  together. Incredibly, they have managed
to do so without degrading either  element. I can't think of a single
metal  album  that  has  ever treated  real  ancient  history  and/or
mythology quite as  effectively as Absu have with  _Tara_. Apart from
Nile's _Black  Seeds of Vengeance_,  I can't  think of a  single case
where the  two elements haven't seemed  damagingly incongruent rather
than mutually complementary. Rarely is historical subject matter well
treated by metal  bands either in terms of how  much research is done
into a given topic, how the  lyrics themselves are penned, or how the
music  and the  lyrics fit  together. _Tara_  is not  only internally
coherent, it is reassuringly relevant to the actual. The hill of Tara
and the so-called "Stone of Destiny"  can be visited, and the area is
currently being  excavated by archaeologists; the  background picture
for "Yrp Lluyddawc" in _Tara_'s booklet  is of a megalithic site near
the hill of Tara  call Newgrange which dates to 3000  BC; the hill of
Slane near  Newgrange is where  St. Patrick is  said to have  lit the
first fire  to signal Ireland's  conversion to Christianity,  and the
kings of  Tara, seeing  the blaze  miles off, are  said to  have been
angered, having  ordered no fires  to be made until  their permission
was  given. Absu's  hard work  and  attention to  detail assure  that
_Tara_ is real, accurate, and worth  paying attention to on a lyrical
level, just as its music richly deserves to be given lots of time and
your full  attention. There is  more to  explore on _Tara_  than most
albums  you will  encounter, period.  Once you  have explored  it and
pored over  it, it doesn't diminish  in appeal, but will  continue to
enthrall and excite the senses yet  more vigorously. That has been my
experience.
     The  following  interview  with  Sir  Proscriptor  McGovern  was
conducted  before I  had a  full  copy of  _Tara_, and  before I  had
listened to the  album more than eight to ten  times. However, I feel
it is very  informative, and provides many insights  into Absu's work
and ideas. I hope you enjoy reading it.

[All text in  "()" brackets is approximated, from  where my questions
incomprehensible because of tape feedback. -- Paul]

CoC: How are things?

Proscriptor McGovern: Good, very good.

CoC: This  is Absu's fourth  album and  fifth release. Are  you happy
     with how it turned out?

PM: Yeah,  I  am. I  mean,  there's  a  couple  of things  about  the
    production that I wish could be  altered a little bit, but hey, I
    think I'll probably say this  about every release that we unleash
    on  the public  so  what can  I  do, you  know?  But overall  I'm
    pleased. I think it's better than  some of the past efforts we've
    done and overall very satisfying  and the response has been quite
    prosperous.

CoC: I really quite like the record.

PM: Thank you.

CoC: (But I know that there are a  lot of people out there who aren't
     really gonna understand the band,  and may reject you because of
     your unusual  concepts or the  way you dress or  whatever. Thus,
     I'm going  to be quite confrontational  and hard on you  in this
     interview.) There are  a lot of rather  complex, bold statements
     that have been  made about _Tara_ so I figured  it would be best
     to tackle it all head on.

PM: No problem.

CoC: Basically,  to start off with:  the bagpipes. Why start  and end
     the record with bagpipes, and why use them at all?

PM: Well, I think one  of the main reasons why we  chose an intro and
    outro and  to have that with  the bagpipes is that  the pipes are
    a  very  emotional  and  a  very  gloomy  Celtic  instrument  and
    it's  a Celtic-based  scene, which  is  _Tara_. And  we used  the
    pipes  because I  wanted to  introduce all  the skirmishing,  the
    frenzied-like war tactics and all the hate and banefulness that's
    used not only with the lyrical content of the album, but also the
    strong skirmishing emotions of the album and what it pertains to.
    And actually the outro is a prologue to the album, it's just kind
    of... it's a  recapitulation and it's just a reprise  of what the
    intro is,  and I  think it  just explains  the thesis  behind the
    album in the best way.

CoC: How does _Tara_ "balance a collation between tyranny, puissance,
     alchemical science,  and magick"?  [Quote derived  from Osmose's
     advert  for _Tara_,  and  the album's  press  release --  Paul].
     That's a  pretty large, bold,  statement and, quite  fairly, the
     majority of people who read a  heavy metal mag aren't gonna know
     what the fuck it means.

PM: Yeah,  actually  I can  translate  that  into a  more  elementary
    terminology which is just magic(k), mythology and mysticism. It's
    the juxtaposition between  those three elements and to  sum it up
    into one statement: that's what  the album is about, divided into
    two  chapters  --  which  I  like to  call  phases  --  which  is
    Ioldanach's  Pedagogy  and  The  Cythraul  Klan's  Scrutiny.  So,
    those technical  terminologies I would say:  mythology, magic and
    mysticism. I'm not a simple individual.  I have to... I'm more of
    a vanguard eclectic speaking man, more or less.

CoC: (Do you think  people will get the idea of  _Tara_? Do you think
     you've  managed  to convey  things  in  a  way that  people  can
     understand? With all the technical  terminology that you use, do
     you think people  will be able to understand  what you're trying
     to say and does it matter to you if they can or not?)

PM: Well, I'm glad you brought that up 'cause with past Absu releases
    the  aural  manifestation has  been  a  little perplexed  of  the
    lyrical content  and poetic  patterns that  are used  in previous
    albums. Since  _Tara_ is  a conceptual opus  it will  become more
    intricate and  technical not only  in the vocabulary but  the way
    the words  are structured  within the entire  album. But  for all
    followers and listeners of _Tara_,  when they purchase the album,
    what  I have  done  -- and  what  I don't  think  any other  band
    in  extreme metal  music  and  I know  no  other  band on  Osmose
    Productions has done -- I have included a four-page full glossary
    of every foreign and technical term in the back. So, for example,
    when the listener of Absu comes across, maybe the second verse, a
    bridge,  a chorus  or  what-not,  they come  across  a word  like
    Ioldanach, for example, and they  think: "what the fuck is that!?
    Who is that? How  do I pronounce that?", you just  go and flip to
    page forty-one  and all  the terms and  definitions will  be back
    there. I  wanted to make it  a story and almost  like a textbook.
    It's really important that the  listener of Absu understands what
    I'm talking about. So defining technical terms and foreign terms,
    I think, is very important.

CoC: [I explain my  point of view on  _Tara_. I do not  feel that the
     album  is quite  "innovative and  revolutionary" as  Proscriptor
     claimed it  was in  an interview in  issue #15  of Unrestrained!
     magazine, but  I do see  that in songs  such as "Shield  With an
     Iron  Face" there  are  unusual time  signatures  being used.  I
     explain that  to me _Tara_  is more an individual  record forged
     mostly of thrash metal origins. I question Proscriptor on how he
     can  justify  the  claim  that  the  album  is  "innovative  and
     revolutionary"  and  ask  him  to  describe  what  he  means  by
     "mythological occult  metal". I  believe I  also touched  on the
     fact that  many people  are likely  to pass  off _Tara_  as mere
     "retro-thrash". -- Paul]

PM: The  reason  why  it's  called  "mythological  occult  metal"  is
    strictly  due  to the  eclectic  and  eccentric lyrical  content,
    that's basically what it is. Of course we have elements of black,
    thrash, death, doom, heavy metal, hard rock and progressive music
    all concocted into one style that, ever since we genesised -- the
    spawn of Absu's  career in 1989 -- we felt  that we'd rather call
    "mythological occult metal" before some kind of label is stuck on
    Absu's  music by  fans and  the  critics. I  don't think  there's
    anything wrong  with actually  innovating our own  moniker inside
    metal music.  But of course  there are references  and influences
    innovating  thrash music  that are  very relevant  in the  music,
    especially on the album. But I believe that it's quite innovative
    and somewhat  original because I've studied  jazz fusion drumming
    and percussion and I've implemented  about fifty percent of those
    styles into  the music of Absu.  So, for example, in  some of the
    parts I've tried to create drum patterns similar to Genesis, King
    Crimson, Yes, Loft Machine and  Caravan, but sped up at quadruple
    speed  of anywhere  between  270  and 315  beats  per minute.  So
    basically, I'm taking old Seventies hard rock drumming influences
    and just speeding them up to a frenzied tempo.

CoC: [Exchanges I  can't remember  particularly well, but  which must
     have been about the underlying rhythms in Proscriptor's drumming
     --  underneath a  seemingly  simple  central rhythm  patterning,
     there  is often  an unusual  time signature.  I believe  my last
     comment  before  Proscriptor  here  speaks was  about  the  drum
     patterning in "Stone of Destiny". -- Paul]

PM: Correct,  and quarter rolls  that are used  on the snare  drum as
    well, which is highly influenced by Bill Bruford.

CoC: What  I found  about  the  album is  that  it  sounds to  modern
     Nineties  listeners like  you've gone  back, you  can definitely
     hear  influences, but  it still  sounds like  a single  band, it
     still sounds like Absu.

PM: Correct.

CoC: I think that's generally what  most good metal bands do: make an
     album that couldn't be someone else.

PM: Right, it gives their sound a signature to it.

CoC: Yeah,  definitely. What  I  found that  was  really great  about
     _Tara_  was that  it did,  like you  say, pull  together various
     different things. There are great bits of stuff that sound to me
     like Slayer, and  "Stone of Destiny" reminds me  of King Diamond
     or Mercyful Fate, but not in the sense that I'd rather listen to
     those bands.

PM: I understand.

CoC: It's a case of listening to it and going: wow, that's as cool as
     some of  the stuff they did  back in those days,  stuff I really
     like. Would  you say you  put a limit on  how much you  can push
     innovation  and revolution?  Would  you  put yourself  alongside
     bands like  -- I don't  know if  you've heard them  -- Dillinger
     Escape Plan or  Botch or other American noisecore  bands who are
     really  screwing  around with  time  signatures  and melody  and
     various  other things  which,  for  me at  least,  I found  very
     interesting.  And I  wouldn't say  that to  me _Tara_  sounds as
     revolutionary or as different as that.

PM: To a  prior question that  I had  answered about saying  how it's
    kind of original and innovative: it's not like we're going out of
    the way  by using  brass or woodwind  sections and  slipping them
    into the music, but what I'm saying about original and innovative
    is within  the -style- of  Absu because, since whenever  the band
    started,  one of  our objectives  was always  to -keep-  the same
    -style-. -But-,  on each release we  wanted to be able  to handle
    the  instruments in  a different  fashion. So  there's kind  of a
    difference  between the  two because  we don't  wanna drastically
    change the fashion  of the euphony, but on each  release we wanna
    be able to  progress, become better musicians, and to  be able to
    handle the actual instruments in  a different way and a different
    method.  And that's  kind  of  why I'm  saying:  yeah, it's  more
    innovated -within-  "mythological occult metal" and  -within- our
    particular style. Sometimes we try  to not really limit ourselves
    and  what  we do  as  far  as  how  guitar riffs,  rhythms,  bass
    lines and  percussion: how  it's written. But  then again,  I can
    ironically say  that we  do put  a limit  because we  don't wanna
    change  the style  of the  "mythological occult  metal", unquote,
    that we play.

CoC: _Tara_ seems like  a record that is made pretty  much outside of
     scenes and other music. It doesn't  sound like Absu sit down and
     listen to,  like, twenty  or thirty records  that came  out last
     year and go: right, what are  these bands doing? And either: can
     we do  something similar?  Or: can we  learn something?  I think
     there are good and bad aspects to that but would you say that in
     a sense  Absu is written  within a  bubble, in your  own bubble.
     Like  you were  saying  about  keeping the  sound  the same  but
     introducing elements  that come from your  own inspiration, your
     own minds, rather than what happens to be happening at the time.

PM: Yeah,  I  mean, my  influences  and  inspirations are  definitely
    different from Shaftiel and Equitant (Ifernain)'s, but then again
    we  do all  have similar  inspirations and  influences. So,  what
    we're doing is taking anything from  1959 all the way up to 1999,
    whatever style of music, and then concocting it into the style of
    Absu's music. But then again, like  you said, we are remaining in
    a small  kind of realm to  where there's only so  much limits and
    there's  only a  certain  kind of  euphonic  structure that  will
    always  remain  the same  in  Absu,  because  I think  it's  very
    important, not  only to  ourselves but to  the listeners  and the
    followers  of the  music,  because drastic  change  in style  and
    fashion -- I  think it ruins the signature of  a band's style. If
    you're gonna do that, you might as well terminate the band and go
    under a different moniker.

CoC: Yeah, definitely. I think there's a lot to be said for the whole
     thing of changing but remaining the same.

PM: Right.

CoC: It's really hard to balance.

PM: And there's  many bands within the  past four to five  years that
    have  drastically changed  the  fashion of  their  sound and  I'm
    thinking: well, I know you  wanna broaden your audience, but then
    again I  know you're  definitely gonna maybe  lose some  fans and
    listeners. So,  it's possibly a good  idea to change the  name of
    your band and go under a different rule, your own different rule,
    that's the way I feel.

CoC: One thing you  can argue about music is how  much the -name- and
     what  the fans  expect -is-  part  of the  music, and  a lot  of
     musicians -- I'm not gonna make comment on what is justified and
     not -- believe that whatever they  do with their music -is- what
     their band  is, whereas there is  in a sense quite  a worthwhile
     thing to  take on; what fans  want and expect not  only in terms
     of  changing but  also  in  remaining the  same,  may have  some
     relevance.

PM: Correct.

CoC: I  think  it's a  very  hard  thing  to  balance. What  I  found
     interesting about how far back you say you go with the music was
     listening  to the  album and  getting to  "Bron (Of  the Waves)"
     which just reminds me of mid-Seventies-era Rush.

PM: Yeah, correct.

CoC: In a really cool sort of way 'cause there aren't that many bands
     who  I've known  to insert  something  like that  into quite  an
     aggressive,  fast, technical  album and  manage it.  Was that  a
     direct reference or  something you came up with  and later went:
     hmm, maybe I was listening to _A Farewell to Kings_ that week?

PM: <laughs>  Yeah,  well,   it  does  have  a  strong,   kind  of  a
    mid-Seventies  feel  and  atmosphere  to  it  but  basically  the
    structure and  the melody of  the guitar  lines in "Bron  (Of the
    Waves)" was  written for  the Celtic mythological  character Bron
    who was the brother  of Mananna'n Mac Lir and he  was also a part
    of the sea and the way that the waves have rushed and crashed, so
    I wanted to make it kind of a  subtle piece and I wanted it to be
    kind of emotional,  a very sensational piece. And  that I thought
    was a  good preface before it  goes into the epic  song, which is
    "Stone of Destiny".  So, yeah, it's definitely a part  of the old
    influence  that I  have and  I thought  it would  just be  a good
    preface to the epic song on the album.

CoC: Coming onto  a more common  issue: a lot  of the people  who are
     gonna read this  are gonna be into death metal,  black metal and
     all  sorts of  other  things,  and Absu's  a  pretty  -- in  the
     traditional  meaning of  occult, it's  a pretty  occult concept.
     It's quite out there -- occult meaning esoteric...

PM: Esoteric. Definitely.

CoC: That sort of thing. I think the thing about this release is that
     you would  have to absorb  and take a lot  of time over  it, and
     people seem to be absorbing and taking time over things -- a lot
     of the time --  less and less now. What would you  say -- not in
     justifying  _Tara_  but  in  pitching _Tara_  to  this  sort  of
     audience?  If people  say:  you've all  got  Scottish names  and
     slightly kitsch Celtic themes --  what might seem to them kitsch
     -- how  would you  answer that  sort of person  or that  sort of
     attitude? Would you say they're the kind of people who could get
     into Absu and how would you go about convincing them?

PM: Well,  you  know   we  do  have  a  lot   of  European  ancestral
    attributions that are locked within  our souls and our minds, and
    since there's such  a short history behind North  America I think
    it's most  important that  we express our  ancestral attributions
    with our  Scottish and  Irish bloodlines. I  mean, of  course our
    ancestral  lines  are a  concoction  of  two to  three  different
    nationalities, but  what interests us  most is the magic  and the
    mythology and  the esotericism  behind Celtic mythology.  The two
    releases before _Tara_ -- _The Third Storm of Cythraul_ [CoC #18]
    and _In the  Eyes of Ioldanach_ [CoC #35] --  are actually parts,
    first and second  parts which lead to the last  part of a trilogy
    for Absu which is _Tara_. And, you know, _Tara_ being the exalted
    imperial hill  in county  Meath island where  the high  kings and
    tyrants once  reigned in Celtic  mythology, I thought  this would
    have been  the most appropriate  title for this album,  being the
    concept  that  it  is.  And  _Tara_ is  actually  the  "stone  of
    destiny". There's  a throne: that's  actually at the top.  So our
    objective was to  go through each of the songs  before we reached
    "Stone of  Destiny" --  track 12,  which is the  epic song  -- go
    through all these  battles, go through a shitload  of lessons and
    teachings with  magic and gnosticism, conquering  and beating the
    enemy and then being able to  go up to the throne, being crowned,
    as  kind of  like emperors,  and  to be  immortalised within  our
    minds.  That's the  way I  see it  and a  lot of  humans can  say
    that  we're a  pretentious,  pompous type  of  outfit: it  really
    doesn't matter, 'cause  metaphysically and conceptually speaking,
    combining the  history of  Scotland, and Ireland  especially with
    _Tara_, with magic and mythology  -- combining those all together
    -- those  are our certain  goals and objectives that  are finally
    accomplished with the album of _Tara_.

CoC: Right.  So,  the sort  of  impression  I  get  is that  this  is
     more  like  a  complex,  intricate  -- almost  like  a  sort  of
     well-researched  literary  work  which  you  seem  to  have  put
     together quite  meticulously. I mean, maybe  there's spontaneity
     lurking  there, but  a lot  of it  seems --  what's the  word --
     highly structured, carefully put together...

PM: Correct.

CoC: Nothing is out of place.

PM: Right. There are  really no general rules in  extreme metal music
    anymore and I've  never thought there were in  the beginning. And
    having a pagan heart  that we do, basically, to sum  this up in a
    conclusive thought, what I've done  is just basically created and
    concocted fiction and non-fiction  and actually put them together
    and that's part of what _Tara_ is all about, definitely.

CoC: Finally,  where  would  you  say the  Celtic  mythological  side
     and  the heavy  metal  side  meet? 'Cause  one  of  the ways  of
     interpreting Absu,  that some people  might take, is  that heavy
     metal  and rock,  more than  some other  forms of  music --  not
     necessarily more  than all but  certainly more than  popular pop
     music, maybe not more than opera  -- has this tendency to go for
     big  concepts, and  go for  costume or  mythology in  a sort  of
     -excessive- way which  in other genres would just  be thrown out
     the window. Some of the stuff  Rush would do with concepts would
     just be plain silly coming out  of certain other bands, but rock
     audiences seem to  just go with it. Would you  say that's at all
     the reason why you chose  metal to express this large, involved,
     intricate and complex concept?

PM: To most people  when they think of extreme metal  music and heavy
    metal music  I don't  think that  the first  thing that  comes to
    their mind  is the  geographical landscapes  of Ireland,  I don't
    think that's the first thing that comes to mind.

CoC: I completely agree.

PM: They think more of like denim and leather, wearing black and red,
    raising a fist up to the sky, more or less.

CoC: If  you're  pushing  into  the early-,  mid-,  late-Eighties  --
     pushing  into  thrash  --  it's the  whole  beer-swillin',  hard
     rockin' attitude, sort of thing. But if take a band like Manowar
     -- who  are quite shallow  in terms  of concepts maybe,  to some
     extent  -- a  metal audience  can accept  how utterly  ludicrous
     Manowar look to the average man  in the street. And someone like
     me who is serious, and  goes to university, and doesn't actually
     take it  all seriously  can enjoy  it and enjoy  it almost  in a
     contradictory way.  I find it funny  but also I find  it kind of
     cool, I can actually get into that.

PM: Correct. Well, when I think of Celtic myths and legend I think of
    three  words that  come  up  in the  top  of  my mind:  elegance,
    resonance [it sounded like he  said "renaissance" but that seemed
    unlikely considering the comparative historical contexts -- Paul]
    and chivalry.  Which I think  is what internally  represents each
    member of the  Cythraul Klan of Absu. But  ironically speaking at
    the same time, which is another side to our beings, I think of us
    as berserk-like, maniacal, tyrannical  and completely insane. And
    I  think --  I know  the  adjective that  I had  said earlier  is
    totally ironic  to what I  just said  now, but actually  with the
    music  of  Absu  and  especially  the album  of  _Tara_  it's  an
    intertwine of all those feelings  and emotions and state of minds
    all combined into  one. So with that album: it's  maniacal but at
    the same  time it's  very... it's  chivalrous, it's  elegant. For
    example, a song  like "From Ancient Times (Starless  Skys Burn to
    Ash)" is  tyrannical, it's maniacal  and it's murderous  but... I
    mean, look at "Bron (of the Waves)".

[Conversation later  turned to  whether Absu  had a  "philosophy". --
Paul]

PM: The way that I look at it, it's a philosophy that's perpetual and
    infinite. I  mean, that kind  of goes back  to what I  was saying
    about there  being no rules  in what we  do but actually  the way
    that I look at it is: realism is metaphysical, and truth is false
    and vice-versa. And actually it's survival of the fittest when it
    comes to what we discuss within the poetic patterns of the music.

CoC: Would  you say  there's  any influence  from the  existentialist
     movements -- not maybe Nietzsche in the typical way that extreme
     metal people take him but more his angle of asking why should we
     look  for truth  and  why  not look  for  falsehood? That  bears
     some  vague relation  to what  you were  saying about  truth and
     falsehood: you don't have to look for one or the other...

PM: Right, um, I would more say  that it's about how magic is applied
    to the mind and tau [I think it's this Eastern notion that he was
    referring to --  Paul]. There are no limits to  what the power of
    the mind  can see and forecast  and that's pretty much  the way I
    look at it.

CoC: I'm not particularly knowledgeable about mysticism and magic(k),
     with a  "k", I know vaguely  that there are texts  and there are
     "teachings". Would you say you  believe in magic(k) in the sense
     that you can affect the world with it?

PM: I look at  it more as a self-worshipping amulet  [I think he said
    "amulet" -- Paul]. I think of it not as something that can affect
    the physical world,  like you said, but it's  something more that
    can ward off any mortal and human and materialistic disturbances.
    It's basically  an internal shield  for the mind and  an external
    body-armour for the body. So an  internal shield for the mind and
    an external  shield for the body.  That's the way that  I look at
    it. It's not about casting spells  and "I'm gonna turn you into a
    pile of  ash". It's not  about that,  but it's about...  magic is
    about being a self-protectant.

CoC: What  would you say  for the record for  people who try  to cast
     Absu away as worthless retro-thrash...

PM: <a sinister, sigh-like chuckle>

CoC: ...as some people will and have?

PM: Oh, all  I have to say  is that you have  to be the judge  of the
    magic(k) and the mythology that I  create and that I solicit onto
    planet earth.

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

     S O N G S   O F   Q U I N T E S S E N T I A L   S O R R O W
     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
             CoC interrogates Jonas Renkse of Katatonia
         by: David Rocher, Pedro Azevedo and Adrian Bromley


     Katatonia have  always remained,  throughout their  now ten-year
long career, a truly mesmerising band, musically thriving in darkened
woe, heart-breaking  bleakness and majestic delusion.  The CD release
of  Katatonia's  demo,  _Jhva  Elohim Meth...  The  Revival_  (1992),
followed by the magnificent,  enrapturing manifest _Dance of December
Souls_ (1993) disclosed them as a doom-laden, melancholic and melodic
act ingrained in the growing Scandinavian blackness at that time. Far
from the many a time  efficient, yet uncannily predictable careers of
many acts reveling in the northern scene in the early '90s, Katatonia
then followed an evolution which  always maintained them ahead of the
growling, occult packs with whom they shared the scene.
     In the  space of two  consecutive releases -- the  _For Funerals
to  Come_ MCD  (1995)  and  the hermetic  _Brave  Murder Day_  (1996)
--,  Katatonia had  already foreshadowed  significant changes  in the
bleakness  of their  works to  come, with  the appearance  of Opeth's
impressive  singer  Micke  Akerfeldt   on  vocals,  and  their  music
following an increasingly gothic, incantatory slant. With the release
of the beautifully desolate _Sounds of  Decay_ MCD in 1997 [CoC #28],
the moody  Swedish three-piece  already seemed to  be writing  a sad,
frosty end to a chapter of their own history.
     Indeed, as  the very  confidential and  limited _Saw  You Drown_
MCD  was disclosed  in  the  same year,  foretelling  the release  of
Katatonia's  third full-length,  the aptly  named _Discouraged  Ones_
[CoC #31],  the band's following  was left bewildered  and perplexed.
Their music  became tangibly  more gothic,  owing to  more mid-paced,
linear compositions and, undoubtedly the  most unnerving shock at the
time,  Jonas  Renkse's  clear  vocals  replacing  all  the  forms  of
beautifully grim, literally tantalising death metal rasps featured in
Katatonia's earlier works.
     As  the initial  startled  reaction to  this change  dissipated,
though, it became obvious that  the poignant despair and subdued pain
that characterised  Katatonia were still  there, in a  more channeled
form which  appeared in  even more  focused ways  with the  sequel to
_Discouraged Ones_,  the ambiguous  and rather uneasy  fourth chapter
_Tonight's  Decision_ [CoC  #42]. Regardless  of their  quality, both
these releases nonetheless bore the stigmata of transition works, and
it seems that only now, anno  2001, with the release of the _Teargas_
EP  and their  fifth album,  _Last Fair  Deal Gone  Down_ [CoC  #52],
Katatonia have finally succeeded in  crafting a sound with which they
seem constantly  at ease,  and have  opened an  additional insightful
breach into their despaired world, writing another beautiful, refined
chapter of their evolution.

     With this  brief history of the  band spoken, it is  now time to
unveil  the massive  interview with  Katatonia's brooding,  quiet and
enigmatic vocalist Jonas  Renkse that no less than  three CoC writers
have prepared for you.
     In a way,  the first part of this article  is like vintage wine,
as  it relates  David's conversation  with Jonas  for the  release of
Katatonia's  former  album,  _Tonight's Decision_.  The  second  part
consists of  the merging  of Pedro's  and Adrian's  recent interviews
with Jonas, both of which took place shortly after the release of his
band's latest record, _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_.
     Please  read  on,  as  Jonas   Renkse  reveals  more  about  the
quintessential  sorrow  off   which  Katatonia's  majestic  evolution
feeds...


Part 1: FEEDING OFF A DARKNESS COMING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(shortly after the release of _Tonight's Decision_)
by: David Rocher


CoC: So,  how would you  introduce Katatonia's new  album [_Tonight's
     Decision_] to me?

Jonas Renkse: Well, it's...  a dark journey, basically.  It's quite a
              personal album,  of course, because as  you might know,
              we were doing  the "death metal" thing  earlier, but we
              have been going up quite  a lot musically over the last
              couple  of years,  and here  we are  now, you  know? --
              doing the  normal vocals, and... it's  a new direction,
              basically.

CoC: Do  you  actually  feel  as  though  there's  been  a  break  in
     Katatonia's history, or  do you view your  successive albums and
     MCDs as a natural evolution, like growing up?

JR: Yeah, I  think it's about  growing up, but  I feel that  with the
    previous albums, _Discouraged  Ones_, we opened up  a new chapter
    for Katatonia, with us trying the normal vocals.

CoC: You'd  already  had  a  try at  these  on  the  track  "Scarlet
     Heavens"...

JR: Yeah, we  did. But it was  just... an attempt, we  just wanted to
    try it  on one song, and  we never intended to  release that one,
    but it was released later. But I think "Scarlet Heavens" is quite
    different,  it's  not what  we're  doing  today  -- it  was  more
    goth-related, you  know? I think  what we're doing now  really is
    what we want to do.

CoC: Don't you believe that what  you're doing now is goth-related at
     all?

JR: Yeah... <chuckles> I mean, it's  goth-related, but I don't really
    call it "gothic". I can understand  people wanting to put a label
    on the music,  and that's totally okay with me,  but I don't know
    what to call our music... but it's kind of "goth-related", as you
    say. I mean, that's the closest you can get.

CoC: I guess  so. When you first changed vocal  styles, what were you
     trying to create?

JR: I  think that  we were  talking  about trying  the normal  vocals
    because  we felt  it would  give  the music  an extra  dimension,
    basically. There's so  many more ways now we can  vary our music,
    not being  limited by the  death metal  vocals with no  melody in
    them or  anything. So doing  the normal  vocals, we can  put more
    melody into the  music, make it more  interesting, basically. And
    when we started to do the  normal vocals, we were forced to strip
    down the song structures quite a lot -- you know, doing the usual
    verse-chorus songs, which was kind  of hard in the beginning, but
    very interesting to work with.

CoC: As it went with  "experimenting", is _Discouraged Ones_ an album
     you were satisfied with?

JR: Yeah!  Very  much  -- I  think  it  came  out  very good  at  the
    time,  because I'd  never been  singing "for  real" until  we did
    _Discouraged Ones_, so I'm very satisfied with it. I think it's a
    good first attempt towards this new style that we're doing now.

CoC: I'm a  bit puzzled about  this: the  first time you  tried using
     clear vocals, on  the _I Saw You Drown_ MCD,  it happened almost
     secretively -- it was like a "shy" release...

JR: Yeah, it  was. First of all,  it's a limited edition,  but we did
    want to  try releasing  something before the  album, just  to get
    people to get a picture of what  we were going to do on the album
    -- but we didn't have any hopes that it would be a big seller, so
    we wanted it  as a limited edition, and it's  always cool to have
    an  unreleased track  on it,  you  know? It's  the "Quiet  World"
    track.

CoC: "Scarlet Heavens" was almost unreleased, too.

JR: Yeah, almost. But it was just a cool thing to do.

CoC: You  mentioned  sales  --  saying  that  you  weren't  expecting
     _Discouraged Ones_ to  be a big seller. But  were Katatonia ever
     big sellers?

JR: No, not really. Not as far as I'm concerned. I think _Discouraged
    Ones_ has sold, all  in all, 20 000 copies, which  for me is very
    good. It means many people have  bought the album, which makes me
    proud...  but compared  to  other metal  bands,  it's not  really
    anything  special. I  still think  that it's  very good,  because
    _Discouraged  Ones_ was  released on  Avantgarde Music,  which is
    still kind of a small label, and they've done some very good work
    to promote  it and everything.  I hope _Tonight's  Decision_ will
    reach out a little bit more, due to the new label we have.

CoC: How did you sign to Peaceville?

JR: We got this letter from Hammy [Peaceville owner -- David] when we
    released _Discouraged  Ones_. He just  wanted to tell us  that he
    liked  the  music very  much;  he  didn't  tell  us that  he  was
    interested back then, he just wanted  to say "hey, it's a hell of
    a good album".  And then we got  in touch with him  and said that
    our contract  with Avantgarde  had expired, and  he was  like "oh
    shit, this is good -- I want  to sign you guys". It was very cool
    that he just got in touch to  tell us that he liked the music and
    nothing else,  and that he then  wanted to sign us  when he heard
    that we didn't have a contract  at the time, because we had other
    labels interested at the time, but they heard that we didn't have
    a contract and then got in  touch. Peaceville seems to be very...
    <ponders>

CoC: More sincere?

JR: Yeah, very much.

CoC: One of  Katatonia's endemic  features is  the sadness  and gloom
     that appear throughout all your releases, so how do you feel the
     change in vocal styles reflects this?

JR: I think it's  much easier to relate to the  lyrics when I'm doing
    the vocals [as  opposed to Akerfledt's death vox  -- David]. When
    you're using a normal voice, it's easier to perform the lyrics in
    a more sincere  way. So I think doing the  normal vocals can only
    take the music further, even in  the sad and gloomy style that we
    have, so  I think  it can only  get worse,  basically <chuckles>,
    with our new  vocals. There's so many ways that  you can vary the
    songs with these vocals, so I think it's a very good move.

CoC: Actually, I  think one of  Katatonia's typical features  is that
     even  when you  were using  the  death metal  vocals, they  were
     inflected, and very emotional...

JR: Yeah,  yeah,  I  think  so  too. I  did  [that  kind  of]  vocals
    on  the  first  album,  _Dance of  December  Souls_,  and  people
    are  always  telling  me  how  they think  the  vocals  are  very
    desperate-sounding... I think the vocals  on that album are still
    very cool. I  don't know how I  got that voice, but  it felt very
    natural when  we did  the album.  I'm still  proud of  that first
    record, but I  think what we're doing now is  far more... mature,
    yeah, exactly.

CoC: What about the releases after that, how do you feel about those?

JR: Well, I'm proud  of everything. I think the first  record is kind
    of stressed; we were very young,  but I'm still proud that we got
    to do an  album. <chuckles> When I think about  it, it would have
    been  better  if we  had  waited  like  one  more year,  if  we'd
    practiced a  little bit more  and had a  little more time  in the
    studio, but  I think it's still  a worthy debut. The  rest of the
    albums, well  -- I'm  proud of everything  we've done,  I'm proud
    that we've released those albums. _Brave Murder Day_ is a special
    album to me, because we found  something new on that one, that we
    still keep in what we're doing today.

CoC: _Brave Murder Day_ was the most repetitive and "painful" of your
     albums -- I suppose this  was when your gothic influences really
     started showing through  after the death metal  sounds on _Dance
     of December Souls_, so how have your influences changed over the
     years?

JR: The  influences have  changed quite  a lot,  because when  we did
    the  first album,  we were  mainly influenced  by Paradise  Lost,
    essentially, and Tiamat  as well. On _Brave Murder  Day_, I'm not
    really sure, but I don't think we had many influences when we did
    that album.  It was more like  we wanted to try  something really
    new for  us, which  led to  this very  repetitive sound,  which I
    think is very dark. But I  would say that the influences now come
    from more  alternative music, because  I think it's very  good to
    bring in influences from other kinds of music and bring them into
    our sound. It's very healthy for the band and for the music -- so
    we listen to more alternative music  now, not so much metal music
    anymore;  bands like  Jeff Buckley,  who we  did a  cover of  [in
    _Tonight's Decision_],  bands like  Radiohead and stuff.  I think
    it's a cool thing to indulge in, with our material.

CoC: So although you're proud of  your previous albums, am I right in
     supposing you could never write the same albums again?

JR: I think so. We could never  do another _Dance of December Souls_;
    it would be impossible, because we're such different persons now,
    if you compare us  to what we were back then.  Now, we have grown
    more mature,  and our music  has as  well. I understand  what you
    mean,  really. I  don't think  we will  do another  _Brave Murder
    Day_, with the death metal vocals and everything...

CoC: Would  you consider  mixing death metal  vocals with  your clear
     vocals?

JR: No, I don't think it would sound very good. Some bands can do it,
    but now that we've released two albums with normal vocals only, I
    wouldn't like to go back to  the death metal thing again. I mean,
    it's not that I  don't like death metal, I still  love it, but it
    doesn't fit us any more, because we have regular songs on the new
    album,  with verse,  chorus and  everything --  putting in  death
    metal vocals would  sound a bit awkward, it would  sound a bit...
    funny.

CoC: Although  there  are  no   death  metal  vocals  on  _Tonight's
     Decision_, Micke Akerfeldt still produced the vocals...

JR: Yeah. He  did it on _Discouraged  Ones_ as well. He's  very, very
    talented  and very  musical,  and he  has a  good  ear for  vocal
    melodies, basically, so while we were recording the vocals on the
    new album,  we just invited him  to the studio, and  he was there
    with us, recording and producing the vocals, and coming up with a
    lot of  good ideas, good  melodies. And  also, I think  it's very
    good to have someone who's not in  the band and can be there with
    a fresh  mind, because we were  in the studio for  so long, doing
    boring things like the drum takes and the guitars and everything,
    so when someone comes in with a  fresh mind and has a lot of good
    ideas, it's very easy. So it's  a very cool thing, and especially
    with Micke, we're very good friends, so it was a good experience.

CoC: On the  drums, you had Dan Swano, with  whom you've been working
     for a really long time now -- how are things going with him?

JR: It's going well, but the thing is that he didn't have anything to
    do  with the  album  except for  the drumming,  so  he just  came
    down...  actually, the  album was  recorded at  Sunlight Studios,
    here in Stockholm, so we just called  up Dan -- we know that he's
    a very talented  drummer, and we're good friends  with him, since
    we've been working so much with him in the past, so we called him
    up and asked him if he could  come down to Stockholm and lay down
    the drum tracks. I think it was a very good idea.

CoC: What's  he up  to these  days? Not  much is  heard of  him these
     days...

JR: I think he's doing the new Nightingale album; I think he's mixing
    it right now. He works in a music store now -- he closed down the
    Unisound studios,  because of his  family and everything.  But he
    still has  a smaller studio  where he  records his own  stuff and
    other people's projects,  so he's still very much  into the sound
    thing. He  also intends to  release another album under  the name
    Dan Swano,  so that'll  be more  of a death  metal album  -- he's
    still very active.

CoC: Okay, back to Katatonia -- precisely  at the time when all these
     bands were  recording at Unisound  studios, what do  you believe
     made you stand apart from the masses?

JR: Well, I'm  not sure -- it  might have been that  we had different
    ideas about  our music, that most  bands don't have when  they go
    into the studio;  they just want to have the  same sound as their
    favourite album,  or things like that.  But I think that  when we
    went into the studio, we  started from scratch, really, and tried
    to work out the best sound for  us. And I think it's good for Dan
    and  for other  engineers to  have someone  who is  interested in
    getting an own identity -- then  you can work very well together.
    And I think we worked very  well with Dan, he's very friendly and
    everything. But  the last  two albums  were recorded  at Sunlight
    Studios  [three now,  including  _Last Fair  Deal  Gone Down_  --
    David], and it's  the same thing, really -- if  you have the time
    and the will to do something of your own, you can really do it.

CoC: The  title  of  an  album  such as  _Discouraged  Ones_  has  me
     believing that the true meaning of Katatonia has slipped through
     most people's fingers, even among  your early followers, who may
     not be with  you anymore since _Discouraged Ones_ --  how do you
     feel about this?

JR: Uh... I'm  not really sure.  The only thing  is that I  hope what
    people understand what  we're doing today, because  we still have
    the same  vibes as always,  we still  have the same  interests as
    before,  and I  hope that  people can  reach a  point where  they
    understand what we're doing today, and look upon the old stuff as
    we do -- it's the old material  which has got us here, and that's
    the  most  important thing.  We  would  never have  sounded  like
    _Discouraged Ones_ when we started the band, that's impossible --
    we had to go through all the stages and everything.

CoC: How would you say your visual identity, which has always been an
     important part of Katatonia, has evolved?

JR: Well,  I guess...  <hesitates>  when we  started  with _Dance  of
    December Souls_, we were more  into having a "black metal" image,
    but nowadays, for me it's like... the way we picture ourselves to
    the outside is not important at all, because I think the music is
    far  more important.  So we  don't  have an  image, like  Marilyn
    Manson does or whatever. We just wanted to make music that people
    can relate to, that people can  love -- that's the most important
    thing.

CoC: And how did you land the cover concept for _Tonight's Decision_?

JR: Basically, we  just wanted to  have something that would  fit the
    title, so we  got in touch with this artist  called Travis Smith,
    from the  States -- we'd seen  some of his work  before, and that
    was very, very cool.  We got in touch with him,  and told him the
    title, _Tonight's Decision_,  and we said that we  wanted this to
    be done  with blue colours,  we wanted a  railway -- and  then he
    came up  with this picture, and  we said -- directly  -- "this is
    the one". It's a very cool picture, it's very dark, and fits very
    well with the music.

CoC: Okay, since we're talking about  artwork, what was the cover art
     to _Sounds of Decay_?

JR: Uh, it's from a film, it  was Roberto from Avantgarde who came up
    with the picture  -- you know, he has kind  of morbid tastes, and
    he was  like "I've got a  perfect picture for you!".  It's from a
    movie  called  "Begotten",  I  think, and  that  picture  is  God
    committing suicide,  and we thought  "Whoa, this is cool",  and I
    think it's very, very dark. It's kind of morbid!

CoC: How did you like Christian Death's artwork on which Jesus Christ
     was giving himself a fix?

JR: I think that  sometimes it's kinda cool. I don't  see myself as a
    religious person at all, so that kind of mockery, you know, Jesus
    Christ  getting  a  fix  is something  that's...  <pauses>  still
    tasteful.  I mean,  just picturing  Jesus Christ  on an  inverted
    cross  with knives  in  his  body and  things  like that  doesn't
    interest me -- it's too obvious and cheap. But that kind of other
    artwork is cooler -- I don't think it's bad or anything.

CoC: Hm,  I actually  thought it  was  a really  powerful cover.  One
     question  that comes  to my  mind now  is: what  about Katatonia
     live? 

JR: Okay, well, we haven't been playing  that much at all, really. We
    did  one tour  in  1996, for  _Brave  Murder Day_  --  it was  an
    European tour, a small tour. I think we had something like twenty
    dates with a Norwegian band called  In the Woods... So that's the
    only tour we've  done, and then we've been playing  some shows in
    Sweden, but  this was a  long way  back. We haven't  been playing
    live for a very long time.

CoC: What memories do you have of the tour with In the Woods...?

JR: Even  though  the  conditions  were  very  bad,  it  was  a  good
    experience for us, because we have to play live -- I reckon there
    is some  demand for it. We're  going on a Scandinavian  tour next
    week with Paradise  Lost, so it's our first  appearance since our
    last show  in Sweden for _Brave  Murder Day_ -- so  we're kind of
    nervous! We have a new line-up with  a new drummer and a new bass
    player, so we have to try them out.

CoC: Will you be playing material only off the last two albums?

JR: Yeah. Because we're opening for Paradise Lost, we don't have very
    much time  to play,  so it's  good promotion  for the  new album,
    basically. We're going to concentrate  on songs from the two last
    albums, because I want  to keep my voice -- I  don't want to sing
    death metal  in between and  ruin my voice. Maybe  if we go  on a
    bigger tour,  we can  figure something  out to  play some  of the
    older material, because it would be  a very cool thing to do. But
    right now, I  think we'll concentrate on this because  we have so
    little time on stage, and we have to find out how we should solve
    the vocal  problem -- because I  lost my ability to  [growl], you
    know?

CoC: Are you  looking forward  to touring  with Paradise  Lost? I've
     heard that they're kind of egotistical guys...

JR: Yeah. <sighs> I don't have any hopes for the tour, but it's still
    a very  good opportunity. I  don't expect it  to be a  treat, I'm
    just expecting the worst, and we'll see what happens! <chuckles>

CoC: Okay Jonas, I have one last question: how do you think you would
     have reacted,  back in '92,  if someone had  come up to  you and
     played _Tonight's Decision_?

JR: <chuckles> Yeah, I've been thinking about that a couple of times,
    recently. I would probably have been  shocked, and I think that I
    would have  been thinking  "oh shit, we're  gonna sell  out!" <we
    both laugh>,  because in  '91 and  '92, I  was really  into death
    metal, it was the only thing I would listen to, I hated all other
    kinds of music. So I would  probably think that the music's shit!
    <chuckles>

CoC: Okay,  the last words  are yours! Thanks  and all the  best with
     your new album!

JR: Oh -- thanks for the interview!


Part 2: DEPEND ON DARKNESS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(shortly after the release of _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_)
by: Pedro Azevedo and Adrian Bromley


     Katatonia's latest  effort _Last Fair  Deal Gone Down_  sees the
band greatly  consolidating the sound  they have been  developing for
the last three full-length albums in  this clean vocal era of theirs.
The record seems to be meeting critical acclaim virtually everywhere,
and Peaceville have even placed a sticker on the package saying it is
possibly the best  record the label has ever released.  Coming from a
label that has released albums by  such influential bands as My Dying
Bride and Anathema (and in other  genres At the Gates, Darkthrone and
Autopsy), that has to be quite a compliment.
     "It feels good, of course",  acknowledges Renkse. "We didn't ask
Peaceville to  do that, though,  we only saw  it when the  album came
out. But I am very satisfied with _LFDGD_. Musically it's superior to
anything else we've done;  we have put down a lot  of time giving the
material its  special edge.  It's more  diverse and  that makes  it a
little  easier to  listen to.  I  think it  matches the  sound I  was
looking  for and  hoping we'd  be able  to do  when we  first started
working on song demos. _Tonight's  Decision_ might have been a little
darker, but on the  other hand it was more of a test  for us, we were
trying out different things on that one."
     For _LFDGD_ Katatonia have recruited  two new band members. Fred
Norrman's role in the band has changed from bassist to guitarist, and
so his  brother Mattias was brought  into the fold to  replace him on
bass duties. Meanwhile, Jonas  Renkse now concentrates exclusively on
his vocals, leaving the drum kit for new member Daniel Liljekvist.
     "They  have  adapted extremely  well  to  Katatonia", Renkse  is
pleased to  report. "The  new bass player  is Fred  Norrman's younger
brother, so  we knew him  from before.  The drummer, Daniel,  is very
cool,  very easy  to work  with as  well. I  think they've  put their
personal touch to whatever they did on the record and that's good for
our sound. I also  think the fact that we were able  to rehearse as a
full  band made  us  sound better  when we  eventually  got into  the
studio."
     Speaking of which, Katatonia's work  at Sunlight Studios was not
without its difficulties  this time around. Jonas  explains: "It took
some  time  to make  and  record  this  album,  because we  had  some
financial troubles which  didn't allow us to be in  the studio all of
the time. It was  a very troublesome period for us, but  in the end I
think  it may  have  been good  for  us. We  recorded  from April  to
December last year, in small parts all  of the time, and when you are
away for a couple of weeks you  can come back and sit down, listen to
what you  have done and decide  if it is  good or not. If  there were
some guitar  parts we didn't  like, we could  take the time  to think
about whether it belonged there and either fix it or omit it from the
album. I think we actually gained something from all of this mess, so
it is cool.  It is getting a  lot easier for us to  achieve the sound
and vibe of what we want in each  Katatonia record. I am a big fan of
being in  the studio,  I am  happy with  our studio  experiences." He
adds: "We knew  that the record was eventually going  to come out, it
was just a matter of time. We weren't worried about it being delayed,
it was just something that came out from our problems with the studio
and the finances."
     Katatonia's  songwriting process  is  not a  linear one  either,
according to Jonas.  "I think it's different in  every record. Anders
[Nystrom, guitarist] is the band's  main songwriter and he can really
do a lot when  it comes to making music, but it  comes in spurts. One
day he'll be all  over the place writing music and  the next he'll be
struggling  to get  a part  down. Sometimes  it'll be  three or  four
months before we hear new stuff.  This album we started to write once
the last  record _Tonight's Decision_ came  out [in 1999], so  it was
about six or seven  months of writing. It was a lot  of hard work for
us."
     _Last Fair  Deal Gone Down_  is both  a varied record  and still
strongly Katatonia, and the  material contained therein provides vast
subject for discussion. Jonas reveals  that his favourite tracks from
_LFDGD_ are "Clean Today", "Tonight's  Music" and "Passing Bird", and
explains the  story behind the  _Teargas_ EP (which came  out shortly
before _LFDGD_)  and its title  track. "It wasn't a  label decision",
states Renkse. "We sort of knew when  we wrote the song that if there
should be a single from the album, "Teargas" would be excellent. It's
short but effective. The decision to  release an EP was ours as well:
we had a  few leftover tracks that  wouldn't be on the  record, so we
wanted to  release them  as well, and  then the idea  to put  out the
_Teargas_ EP came up."
     A  few of  the  tracks  on _LFDGD_  deviate  somewhat from  what
one  might expect  from  Katatonia  in some  ways;  most notably  the
electronics  on "We  Will  Bury You".  Jonas  offers some  surprising
revelations about that:  "Well, we had to use the  electronics on "We
Must  Bury You"  since  our drummer  lives in  another  town and  had
already left when Anders came down  to the studio saying "I made this
new song  last night". But  I think that's  cool, it gives  the album
more diversity  and that's quite  important. Also, it's a  very short
song, so it's not like we've changed our sound completely."
     "This is  something we  have worked really  hard to  achieve, to
make each song  a lone chapter or sound", Renkse  adds. "Our previous
albums, especially _Discouraged Ones_, they  are all very much alike.
So, we wanted  to go away from  that and have each song  have its own
identity, and I think we pretty much succeeded there. A lot of people
tell me this is quite the diverse record and I am happy to hear that.
That was the plan all along, to have this sound good and be diverse."
     Renkse continues:  "I think we  have a wide range  of influences
and that doesn't just come from other types of music. A lot of things
happen  around you  and that  tends  to get  into the  music and  the
lyrics.  Musically speaking,  we  have  been listening  to  a lot  of
different things over  the last little while and I  think it shows up
quite a bit on this record. People  say we aren't metal anymore and I
don't know how I feel about that.  I think we still play heavy music,
but it is  really hard to shake  our death metal roots.  We have been
listening to a  lot of stuff, but  not really metal or  doom music. I
think Tool has been a big influence on us one way or another."
     "Looking back,  I am  not sure  what we wanted  to do  with this
sound, but  it just seems to  have been the way  for us to grow  as a
band and  explore new things. When  this band started ten  years ago,
and we  were playing death  metal, I  couldn't have foreseen  what we
have become and the music we are playing. It is very far from what we
started out doing, but  as we grow older I think we  all want to make
music that our parents want to listen to", he quips.
     Renkse  and  his  bandmate   Fred  Norrman  have  also  produced
something far less parent-friendly since Katatonia started to develop
this new sound of theirs, a sound  which is far from the raw emotions
of _Dance of December Souls_ and the harshness of _Brave Murder Day_.
This project goes by the name  October Tide, under which guise Renkse
and Norrman released  two full-length records [CoC #30  and #41], the
second of which  with Marten Hanssen (of the now  deceased A Canorous
Quintet) on  vocals. This dark and  doomy project has now  come to an
end, however.
     "Basically  we did  it because  we thought  it was  fun to  play
guitar  together, coming  up with  cool --  and especially  for _Grey
Dawn_ --  awkward riffs", Renkse  explains. "There was  no philosophy
behind the  band, and thus  we couldn't really  continue. Inspiration
ran dry and  we decided to fully concentrate on  Katatonia instead. I
do especially like _Grey Dawn_, because it's very different, I'd say;
we wanted to do something that had not already been done, and I think
that we succeeded in that at least. But there will be no more October
Tide albums, we  are fully occupied with the duties  in Katatonia and
we'd rather save our ideas for the main band."
     None  of the  October Tide  records included  lyric sheets,  but
Jonas does produce  plenty of emotional and  intensely personal words
for Katatonia.  "I write  all the  time", he  affirms. "I  keep small
notes everywhere  and when  it's time  to do  a new  album I  have to
collect those small  pieces and try to see what  I was thinking about
at the  time --  it's sort  of a  puzzle to  make them  fit together.
Luckily my lyrics often deal with  similar subjects, so it's not that
hard after all. Some  of the lyrics for this new album  I had to make
up, though, since  I found everything being more or  less in the same
style. As you say, intensely personal.  And after a while I feel that
it might be too much to just read about my damn problems... So "Sweet
Nurse" and "We Must Bury You" especially are more fiction rather than
personal lyrics. The latter coming from  an article I read about some
people committing an accidental murder and they had to get rid of the
body. I tried to see myself  in their situation, with all their fear,
regret, excitement."
     Jonas  is not  very keen  on  describing the  kind of  emotional
qualities of  his vocals,  however. He explains:  "It's hard  to tell
since I don't really try to achieve something special with my vocals,
I just try to make them work  together with the lyrics. And since the
lyrics are  so personal,  I guess it's  just me in  the end.  I guess
there is some  desperation in the vocals, if you  listen close... and
troubles."
     As  the subject  of performing  live is  brought up,  Jonas soon
reveals he is  not very comfortable with those situations.  "I am not
really fond  of playing live", he  admits. "It is like  my nightmare,
really. I am  a bit shy and the  stage fright just hits me  when I am
playing. I  get real nervous, because  now I am singing  for the band
and the  focus is  on me.  I used  to be  the drummer,  but now  I am
leading the band and it puts  me in a totally different position. The
reason why I make an attempt to get past the nervousness is because I
like the  vibe and feelings  I get when I  play live. I  like meeting
people who  have and continue to  support my band. I  usually drink a
beer or something like  that before a show to kind  of make me relax.
Once I get on  stage it all changes: I start  to hear everything come
into place  and everyone is  playing together as  one and I  start to
feel in  control. I  tell you,  those five minutes  before you  go on
stage are the worst feeling for me.  It is terrible, but I am getting
used to it. It is all I can do."
     Katatonia recently  played three  dates in England,  Belgium and
Holland [CoC #52]  with all four of the other  bands that were signed
to Peaceville at the time (Akercocke have also joined the label since
then).  Despite the  stage fright,  Jonas reckons  it was  a positive
experience. "It's  good to play  live, we  need to practice  our live
performance  since we  haven't been  very active  on the  live front,
mostly due to our  line-up problems. So it was good,  it was good for
Peaceville  as well,  I  think, to  show that  they  are still  going
strong. The gigs could have been better, I guess, but at least two of
them were cool."
     On  a  different  subject,  the artwork  has  been  consistently
remarkable on  every Katatonia full-length since  _Brave Murder Day_,
and Jonas  comments on  that particular record  first. "We  found the
front and  back cover pictures in  an archive here in  Stockholm", he
recalls.  "They have  tons of  good --  and bad  -- pictures,  and we
instantly fell for those two as both of them represented what we were
doing  at  the time.  The  band  picture is  also  cool,  we had  the
photographer shoot our reflections in a  pool of oil in an industrial
area -- I think that gives the  picture a darker shade than if it was
just an ordinary photo."
     More  recently, renowned  artist Travis  Smith has  created some
impressive artwork for the last two Katatonia records; Jonas seems to
be quite  pleased. "This  time it  was a  bit different,  because for
_Tonight's  Decision_ he  did most  of the  work in  the computer,  I
think, but this  time he actually had  to go out and  shoot the right
pictures  for  us. We  told  him  what  atmosphere  we wanted  to  be
displayed through the  layout and he had to get  down to those shitty
places, like ghettos, to catch that urban decay feeling. The cover is
from inside an  old shack that he  had to break into,  and there were
beds there,  with blood on  them and  ratty curtains and  things like
that. And then he found this bathroom  and it was excellent to use as
a cover.  I personally like  the picture  with a sign  saying "closed
ahead"  because that  somehow reminds  me of  how my  life can  be at
times."
     Jonas has  little to reveal about  the future, but he  does give
some idea of how the band  is feeling. "We haven't been talking about
a new album yet.  I think it can turn out  different, though, we have
to develop  all the time  and now we have  made three albums  more or
less in  the same style.  I don't think  we will get  more electronic
than we already  are, though. The songs are the  most important thing
for us, a good song is always a good song, and if it sounds good when
you're writing it, it  can only get better. So I  think we will focus
on that, the songs. And then think of new ways to surround them."
     Renkse ends  the interview with some  words on what his  role in
Katatonia does for  him. "This just acts as a  real cleansing feeling
for me. To be able to write  music, write lyrics and work on an album
is a great feeling. Making things  happen and watching them grow into
such  powerful pieces  is just  such an  awesome feeling.  I need  to
create music to be happy, 'cause if not I'd be so restless I wouldn't
know what to do with myself."
     Let us hope things stay that way in Katatonia for a long time to
come.

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

              DEAD HEAT FOR THE POLITICIANS OF ECSTASY
              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              CoC chats with Jim Sheppard of Nevermore
                          by: Paul Schwarz


Nevermore were  behind Nile by  a mere  single point in  our Writer's
Poll of 2000  [CoC #52] -- and had  I had the time to  get into _Dead
Heart in a Dead World_ [CoC #50]  just a week or two longer than when
the  polls  went  in,  I  probably would  have  unwittingly  made  it
album  of  the  year.  Nevermore  would have  deserved  it  too,  not
necessarily  over Nile,  but in  different ways  just as  much --  as
reward  for the  true brilliance  of what  they created.  In _DHiaDW_
Nevermore created  one of  the greatest  classically metal  records I
have  ever had  the pleasure  to hear,  and yet  more admirably  also
made an  exceptionally contemporary,  modern metal  record. Chopping,
changing  and  percussive  riffs  and rhythms  one  minute,  acoustic
and  infectious, catchy  melodies  and refrains  the next:  Nevermore
synthesised contemporary  ideas of brutality with  truly classic, yet
non-regressive, songwriting. I almost expected my CD player to gain a
personality  and ask  to hear  some  other in  the weeks  when I  was
spinning _DHiaDW_  night, day, and to  just about anyone who  came in
the  room.  That's another  wonderful  thing  about Nevermore:  their
wide-ranging, deep-down appeal.  Without pandering, Nevermore present
sounds and  songs which  I believe  most listeners  to most  forms of
heavy music -- from Agoraphobic Nosebleed to AFI -- would latch onto,
given time -- and I have watched a varied selection do so. So, on the
day of  which the evening  would bring  my first experience  of their
mighty  live presence,  I  hooked  up with  bassist  Jim Sheppard  in
London's  Astoria  (where tonight's  Metal  Odyssey  gig where  Dimmu
Borgir, In  Flames, Lacuna Coil  and Susperia would also  be present)
and we had the  following chat on the way to and  on the very balcony
where from, a mere few hours later,  I would watch Nevermore put on a
show which  filled me with excitement  and prompted my lungs  to sing
along with the lyrical lines from every song I could remember -- that
being most of them!

CoC: How has it been touring with Annihilator and Soilwork in Europe?

Jim Sheppard: Pretty good. There was a positive vibe. The new  record
              seems to be affecting people a lot better.

CoC: It seems  to have caught people  more than the last  one -- just
     like the  last one caught  people more  than the one  before. It
     seems to be a good growing process.

JS: Slowly getting there.

[As  we  walk by  an  Astoria  advertisement poster  --  proclaiming:
 "Thursdays will  never be the same!"  -- Jim repeats the  tagline in
 mock-enthusiastic tones. As I relate  the amusing billings that come
 about as a result of this regular gay night falling after gigs (like
 "Napalm Death + Gay") and some  of the homophobic reactions of metal
 fans to such things, we reach the  balcony, and a table where we can
 sit down and get to chatting seriously.]

JS: I think Rob Halford's starting to break that a little, though.

CoC: Yeah,  I think  so.  That was  funny: it  was  really funny  how
     everyone was really  surprised and the guy has  been dressing in
     leather and wearing his cap for so long.

JS: Then he tells it with a boa and some eyeliner.

CoC: Yeah, strange that the way he said it [the industrial, Nine Inch
     Nails-flavoured  musical direction  Halford  took  on his  album
     under  the name  Two, _Voyeurs_  --  Paul] was  totally what  he
     wanted to do and then suddenly he turned out to want to do metal
     again. Suspicious. This is your first time in the UK, I'm told?

JS: Yeah, with Nevermore.

CoC: How are you enjoying it?

JS: Well, we just  got here and immediately went for  fish and chips.
    We were here  ten or eleven years ago with  Sanctuary. We went to
    Hammersmith and some other places on  a tour with Megadeth. And I
    haven't forgotten how good the fish and chips are.

CoC: Excellent, d'you find a good chippie?

JS: Yeah... <his voice takes on  a slightly disappointed tone> Not as
    greasy as what  we got when we  were here before, so,  a bit dry,
    but it was good.

CoC: This  being  the first  show here  with Nevermore,  how are  you
     feeling about playing for the first time for a UK audience?

JS: Excited.  Especially to play  to a  large audience, like  will be
    here tonight.

CoC: Yeah, the  show sold  out the  place next  door  [Mean  Fiddler,
     previously London Astoria 2] and they moved it in here.

JS: Yeah,  we're really excited,  I wish we  could play a  little bit
    longer.

CoC: How long have you got?

JS: Most  of  this tour  we've  had  forty-five  minutes and  it  was
    Susperia, Lacuna Coil, Nevermore, In Flames and Dimmu Borgir. But
    this show in  particular the promoter wanted to  switch the bands
    around so we play before Lacuna  Coil. I think they're a bit more
    popular here so we get thirty minutes.

CoC: That makes me pretty sad.

JS: I don't  really understand  how it works  production-wise either,
    'cause we've been sharing a drum  riser with In Flames, the first
    bands set up in front of it,  and then Dimmu Borgir has their own
    drum riser. So it should be a production nightmare.

CoC: Do you  know whether the album has been  doing well, or average,
     or badly?

JS: In the UK  we haven't been doing that well.  As Sanctuary I think
    we did  better, then  that whole  scene died  out and  bands like
    Machine Head  and harder stuff  got more popular here.  I noticed
    with this record we've been kind of  in the grey: we appeal a bit
    to a melodic  crowd, a little bit  to a heavy crowd. So  as we do
    get a little bigger I think we pull from each fanbase.

CoC: That's always the hope: that  you do that rather than alienating
     one or the other.

JS: I hope that we  can at least start doing the  set thing [In terms
    of sales, I think  he meant -- Paul] in the UK  to the point that
    we can  at least come here  and tour 'cause we  really like being
    here.

CoC: That's my  hope as well,  as a fan.  That's the thing  about the
     album that's interesting: it does kind of really cut a good line
     in-between  the two  [between the  heavy crowd  and the  melodic
     crowd], even better than _Dreaming Neon Black_ [CoC #38]. You've
     really  got that  heavier, more  percussive side  of things.  If
     people  -- which  I'd hope  -- discover  Nevermore through  this
     album,  does it  feel a  bit strange  -- having  done Sanctuary,
     having three or four albums with  Nevermore now -- for people to
     suddenly, sort of, discover you as a  new band? Is that a bit of
     a strange thing? 'Cause you're known in the underground and well
     respected throughout  magazines at  the level of  Terrorizer but
     above that people don't know the name of the band.

JS: It's strange but it's a  good feeling, 'cause it definitely means
    that  we're getting  a  little  more popular.  I  don't have  any
    unreasonable hopes  of being a  megastar or anything. I  wanna do
    well enough  to secure  a future  and make a  living. So  when we
    start reaching  the new  audiences it  definitely is  that really
    good feeling.  I mean, I've  seen things  on this tour  that I've
    never seen  at a Nevermore  show before  where we had  someone in
    full goth regalia  and somebody next to her in  a Slipknot shirt.
    We'll have  a kind  in a  Deicide shirt  moshing to  "Inside Four
    Walls" and  stop to sing  "The Heart Collector". I've  never seen
    anything like that, so...

CoC: That's really cool. I think Nevermore  like a lot of really good
     bands within the metal / extreme  music genre are doing well out
     of the scene that seems to be  emerging. I've talked to a lot of
     people recently from the guys  from Relapse, to Nile, to various
     other  bands from  all  over the  place and  people  seem to  be
     accepting a  lot more of a  general idea of extreme  music. They
     can listen  to Nevermore  and grindcore  and Nile  and different
     bands mixing different things. That's  the hope, and what you're
     saying backs that up. How does that fit with your vision of what
     you do  with the music? The  last album was a  concept album and
     this album isn't, is it?

JS: No, it's just a straightforward metal album.

CoC: And the  songs!... It's one of  those albums where I  can't deny
     any of  the songs. There's  no skipping.  I listen to  the whole
     thing and each  song has its own character. Having  done that --
     and I imagine being quite pleased with that -- how does that fit
     with your idea of what you'll do for the next one?

JS: Perfectly. I  think... The first  Nevermore record was  just some
    demos we were doing, shopping around.  It wasn't intended to be a
    record but it  happened that way. And then with  _The Politics of
    Ecstasy_ [CoC #15] we kind of felt  that we did an album where we
    had  to  prove  ourselves,  technically and  stuff.  We  kept  it
    different with _Dreaming Neon Black_ --  we kind of wrote some of
    the music  to the concept that  Warrel had and this  time we were
    kind of  relaxed. We just  decided that we couldn't  have another
    two years in-between records and just decided to do pretty much a
    straightforward metal record and get  it out as soon as possible.
    It made  me realise  that in the  past we had  a habit  of fixing
    things that  weren't broken  -- adding  bridges where  you didn't
    need one,  that kind of  thing. I think  we're all maturing  as a
    songwriting  team:  this one  flowed  so  much easier.  Sometimes
    people perceive that as selling out, but to me I see as just your
    songwriting gets better. And I hope  we can keep that vibe going.
    Our  record company  puts a  lot of  pressure on  us each  record
    'cause you've gotta do a better  job this time. We just don't put
    any pressure on ourselves and  it just kind of happens naturally.
    We're really  fortunate to have  two great songwriters:  Jeff and
    Warrel.

CoC: That's the  thing, _Dead  Heart..._ has  great songs,  yet heavy
     songs  and you  have a  lot  of off-time  riffs and  interesting
     structures but there's always a  central theme. There's always a
     chorus you can  sing-along to -- and it's  not cheap catchiness,
     it's the good side of catchiness. That's an interesting thing to
     get. Do you  find that comes out well live?  Playing the rest of
     the shows on the tour, have people sung along?

JS: Yeah. This  record, more than any  one we've ever done,  we get a
    lot of people who sing along.  I don't know about tonight because
    I'm  not sure  how many  records we  sell here  but obviously  in
    Germany,  Greece,  Portugal, Italy,  a  lot  of people  have  the
    record,  and  the favourite  sing-along  to  have is  "The  Heart
    Collector".

CoC: That's not surprising. It's a great song.

JS: It's  a great  chorus. The  response from  the audience  has been
    incredible so far. So, maybe we  can get that going tonight, that
    would be fun.

CoC: That would be cool. I'd like to see that. I'll help. Do you find
     it's kind of difficult doing Nevermore with the whole true metal
     revival that  has been going  on throughout Europe?  Some people
     would like  to fit Nevermore into  that -- I don't  know whether
     Century  Media  would --  but  one  of  the things  about  _Dead
     Heart..._ is that it kind of shies away from that by being a bit
     too heavy  and a  bit too  modern, to be  honest. That's  what I
     really  like  about it:  that  it  mixes  melody and  a  modern,
     percussive sound.  Do you  ever feel pressured  to go  down that
     road of writing cheesier metal songs?

JS: The thing  that makes  us more  original than  most bands  in the
    first place is that we added a newer guitar player -- Jeff was in
    a death metal band. He had some more modern influences, of course
    me and Warrel  from Sanctuary had some  old-school influences and
    brought 'em together,  but the whole true metal  scene puzzles me
    because we  have some  bands in Europe  that deny  Nevermore and,
    actually  [we get]  a lot  of this  thing with  Iced Earth  where
    Nevermore and Iced Earth are  American metal, and <adopts mocking
    monotonic voice>  "American metal  is not  true me-tal".  And I'm
    like: what's  true metal? To me,  true metal is that  first metal
    record I heard: _Black Sabbath_.  That's true metal. They're just
    trying to find  an identity, I guess.  To me, it's like  a lot of
    Helloween clones are calling themselves true metal.

CoC: God that stuff's awful!

JS: It's amazing  'cause in  Europe you  get one and  you get  ten of
    them. It's  almost like the  nu-metal scene  in the US  where you
    have a  band like Limp Bizkit  and then you have  all these bands
    who  copy  them  --  but  in  America  they  all  go  gold.  It's
    unbelievable.

CoC: I know, it's amazing how much that trend gets to permeate before
     it  goes. In  Europe,  Primal Fear  and all  that  stuff is  all
     becoming very popular. I think what is interesting is that metal
     has a history -- although Black  Sabbath changed a lot of things
     in  -their- time  --  metal has  this weird  sort  of stigma  of
     wanting to repeat itself, in some cases.

JS: Yeah.

CoC: Whereas other people wanna see it  as something where you can do
     something new. And they always  seem to clash. Some people claim
     that it's "not metal" when you  try to do something new and some
     people  are  very  much  the opposite.  I  remember  Satyr  from
     Satyricon talking about  black metal and he was  saying that for
     extremity  you have  to push  boundaries. I  totally agree  with
     that. This last year has been an amazing year not only 'cause of
     the  good records  that have  come out  but also  'cause of  the
     variety.  I  found  making  up  a top  twenty  there  was  Nile,
     Cryptopsy, Drowning Man, Nevermore and loads of stuff that hit a
     really  good range  of  music. Do  you find  in  the States  the
     audiences are less  or more? Do you find  they're more receptive
     to the  music 'cause  they're -not- coming  from the  true metal
     thing or do you find it's the same problem kind of the other way
     'round from the nu-metal side of things, maybe?

JS: A little bit. I think we've always been a band of the underground
    and I think, like you said,  it's a really exciting time for hard
    music and metal.  Especially in America, we usually  like to hook
    up with a Swedish band; Swedish  bands seem to be really popular.
    Even though  we would sell more  records than them, they  seem to
    have a really good draw at the shows. We just supported In Flames
    in the States  and that was awesome. We did  a tour with Mercyful
    Fate not  too long  ago and  had about a  thousand people  on the
    weekends, no less than six-hundred. The In Flames tour was pretty
    close to the same; you'd see some of the same fans there, not all
    of them. In Seattle especially, the  whole metal scene went a bit
    stagnant when grunge  came along. And then Korn came  out and was
    really big  and everybody  who was  into old-school  metal denied
    Korn  and, I  mean,  it's  not my  favourite  band  but I  really
    appreciate what they do and the fact is that in Seattle when Korn
    became  popular  a lot  of  the  nu-metal  fans were  looking  at
    their roots  like Iron Maiden,  Nevermore, and actually  ended up
    discovering  us. As  soon  as  that whole  thing  broke our  draw
    tripled in Seattle, again.

CoC: I  think that's  another weird  thing:  a lot  of metallers  are
     negative towards  nu-metal. For me, a  lot of the bands  I don't
     like; I  like a couple of  them, like Amen. At  the Drive-In are
     another band [I like] who get lumped in with nu-metal. The thing
     is, I  don't think nu-metal is  metal, but I think  it's still a
     valid form of extreme music and people can like it or dislike it
     on its own terms. But it's a  pity that there has to be this big
     fight about whether it's metal or not.

JS: Yeah, it is  a pity. Personally I liked Metallica,  I loved every
    song, every  record, it was  kind of like  the old days  of Rush:
    once you  been hooked by that  band, you can't do  anything about
    it. With nu-metal I actually call it pop-metal. If I hear Korn on
    the radio  and I like  a few  songs, I won't  go out and  buy the
    record just  'cause I don't  like 'em  all. Same thing  with Limp
    Bizkit: there's  a few  songs --  mainly off  the first  album; I
    really like quite a bit of it -- but the newer stuff is obviously
    a bit commercial and for MTV.

CoC: Limp Bizkit have always, to me, been the most commercial part of
     it and the part I really don't  like, but in the end you do have
     to give Fred Durst some credit for being clever. He's made a lot
     of money, he's  sub-head [yes, I meant,  Vice-President -- Paul]
     of Interscope Records and that, so...

JS: He's a  businessman more than a  musician. I really got  into the
    first album  'cause the bass  player really caught  my attention.
    He's an amazing bass player. Funny story: we were talking to some
    people in  the industry in  America and  they told us  this story
    about the band Linkin' Park. They're pretty big in the US now and
    there was  a major label behind  them and an A&R  guy said: let's
    get another singer involved, give them a little more depth, let's
    change your name  to Linkin' Park, and that way  we'll release it
    the same time as Limp Bizkit and we'll just massively push it all
    over the TV and  radio and that way when the kids  go to buy Limp
    Bizkit, right behind it is Linkin' Park.

CoC: That's thoroughly clever.

JS: Yeah,  and it went platinum  within a month: after  five weeks in
    the charts.

CoC: I remember people mentioning Linkin' Park to me, and a few weeks
     later it was  everywhere here in the UK, and  everyone had heard
     of it.

JS: I mean,  that's genius, that's a businessman at  work: change the
    name, put it right behind Limp Bizkit...

CoC: Yeah,  and good business -can-  mix with good music,  but it's a
     pity when business comes first.

JS: Yeah.

CoC: I think that's one of the problems with music, sometimes, at the
     moment.  You  said one  the  pressures  from Century  Media  was
     topping this record: do you mean  creatively or do you mean also
     in sales? Where do they put the most emphasis, do you find?

JS: I   took  it   creatively  but   they  might   have  been   meant
    business-wise. It's  a shame  you can't  separate money  and art.
    Painfully, I've learned that it has to be a business, you have to
    be business-smart  if you wanna  survive doing it.  Otherwise you
    might as well get out and get a real job.

CoC: Absolutely.

JS: Especially  this year  we've been  really focussing  on that.  We
    haven't  had a  manager for  a long  time so  me and  Warrel have
    pretty much been managing the band ourselves.

CoC: Do you find that better?

JS: No.  It's like  a Catch-22:  to get  to the  next level  you need
    management, to get management you need  to get to the next level.
    We  finally were  working with  getting management  the last  two
    years and  finally hooked up  with a guy at  Continental Concerts
    named  Gerald,  a  German  guy, really  good  manager.  So  we're
    psyched.

CoC: Let's talk  a bit about  the album. What  kind of themes  do you
     have  running  through the  songs?  Because,  in many  ways  the
     melodies  can make  it  seem --  not happy  --  but melodic  and
     consumable but in  general it seems to be quite  -dark- in terms
     of subject  matter: the  title, songs like  "Narcosynthesis" and
     "Inside Four Walls". Are you really trying to say something with
     the songs or are you just making a small point?

JS: Warrel  is actually  trying  to say  something;  he composes  the
    lyrical content. He finds a lot of inspiration in the darker side
    of the personality  and he does a lot of  his writings staying up
    drinking all night and getting a  little depressed: I think a lot
    of it  comes out.  It's just  where he  finds his  inspiration, I
    mean, he doesn't walk around with a cloud over his head when he's
    done with the creativity part of it.  He comes out of it a pretty
    happy guy. But  there's some threads that connect  this record to
    the past ones. Like: when we  wrote _The Politics of Ecstasy_, we
    saw the show on TV and  we were really disturbed by the political
    climate in America: laws, that "drug offenders would do more time
    than child molesters, rapists and murderers".

CoC: Used on "Inside Four Walls", right?

JS: Yeah, but that album [_TPoE_] wasn't  that personal to us, but we
    felt strongly  about it. Then years  later a good friend  of ours
    went to prison,  first offence, and he's in  prison for seventeen
    years. And violent  criminals get out before he  does. And that's
    where that  song ["IFW"] came from.  So that kind of  connects to
    _The Politics of  Ecstasy_ but we came to  realise it personally.
    "Dead Heart  in a Dead World",  the title track, was  pretty much
    just putting closure to _Dreaming Neon Black_, which was a pretty
    personal story for Warrel. Most of the rest of the songs are just
    fun.  When we  did "We  Disintegrate" we  felt like  Judas Priest
    doing balls-out metal.

CoC: Absolutely.  It's really  very  chorusy in  all  the good  ways.
     "Believe in Nothing" is a really good juxtaposition because it's
     probably the most melodic and imbuing song on the record -- "The
     Heart Collector" has a certain element but "Believe in Nothing",
     which  I  heard  on  samplers,  is  very  melodic  --  but  it's
     also  complete  nihilism  (lyrically) [though  that's  maybe  an
     exaggeration from a philosophic perspective -- Paul].

JS: That song  definitely is one I'm  proud of and we  really like. A
    lot of people, 'cause we did a video for it, were offended at the
    fact we did a  video for that song and wanted to  know if we were
    changing  our direction.  But if  you listen  to every  Nevermore
    album we have a song that's kinda like that. We grew up listening
    to Scorpions and  stuff and we don't deny ballads.  We all pretty
    much wrote that whole thing but  the whole lyrical thing could be
    summed up by the fact that  we covered "SoS", "Sound of Silence".
    Warrel's sisters were  big fans of that and he  grew up listening
    to Simon  & Garfunkel. And I  think you can see  this correlation
    between Warrel's lyrics and Paul Simon's lyrics. Paul Simon wrote
    some really dark, depressive material back then, but the melodies
    were kind of upbeat and poppy. And  I think you can kind of see a
    little bit of that in our music where the lyrics are pretty heavy
    and  dark at  times but  the music  isn't always  as dark  as the
    lyrics.

CoC: I think that's definitely something you can do with music. A lot
     of popular  songs from the  past, if  you actually sit  down and
     listen to the  lyrics, you can see how screwed  up some of these
     people must have  been. Is the music written  very separately to
     the lyrics -- are the lyrics put  to the music -- or do you kind
     of write them  in tandem? The bit in the  middle of "Inside Four
     Walls" really seems  to fit with that quoting and  with the feel
     of it: "Is this justice? Is this the American way?".

JS: It's actually,  I think, a kind  of magic. It's chemistry  in the
    band, we've been  together long enough. Sometimes  Warrel has the
    vocal melodies  and hums  the guitar lines  to Jeff.  Other times
    Jeff has the music and Warrel just... it's like magic: he'll have
    some lyrics that automatically fit to it. He has always wanted to
    do "The Sound of Silence" and we never set out to cover the song.
    Jeff wrote a  song and presented it to Warrel  and he immediately
    heard the vocal melodies of "Sound of Silence". We didn't plan on
    doing that as  a cover, we have a history  of bastardising covers
    but I think this time we took it a step further, you could say.

CoC: Foolish that I am I didn't  realise: it just sounded like a good
     song that fitted into the record.  [*see bottom] So, I guess you
     managed to do it properly.

JS: We're all  wondering if Paul Simon  is gonna like it  or hate it.
    It'd be  fun to see him  do a soundcheck with  that song. Really,
    the only part of the song that's connected to the original is the
    guitar line at  the beginning and as  soon as it kicks  in it's a
    completely different  song with the  exception of the  vocals and
    the lyrics.

CoC: How do you think Nevermore --  as the audience for the band goes
     -- fits with the other bands on tonight's bill [Susperia, Lacuna
     Coil, In Flames and Dimmu Borgir in case it wasn't clear]. Dimmu
     Borgir are  a very popular  black metal proposition and  then In
     Flames is a very different audience. Lacuna Coil maybe fits with
     Dimmu Borgir [wrong, wrong and wrong in retrospect! -- Paul] and
     so do Susperia, but  I think the one you'd fit  with would be In
     Flames?

JS: Yeah.

CoC: Do you think a  lot of the crowd are gonna  be a bit non-plussed
     or do  you think with your  earlier idea of the  different kids,
     things will be OK?

JS: It's  hard to  say.  In most  of Europe  the  crossover thing  is
    working  really  well.  With  this package  we  haven't  had  any
    negative response  from the  audience at all.  And I  kinda think
    there are two  bands who are in the same  kind of genre: Susperia
    and Dimmu Borgir, opening and  closing, which makes sense. Lacuna
    Coil is a completely different thing  to me and then Nevermore is
    different and In Flames are different.

CoC: In  Flames are  definitely  on  a different  sort  of trip  from
     Nevermore, but  I can sort  of, in a  very vague way,  see where
     people would link up the two. I know a lot of people who like In
     Flames  who  also  like  Nevermore. When  I  first  play  people
     Nevermore a  lot the comments I've  got have been: it's  kind of
     heavy  and it's  kind of  melodic and  I'm not  sure where  it's
     going. Then, after  a few listens, they like that  aspect of it.
     Do you  find that live, by  the time you're finishing  your set,
     people are  getting it,  or do  you find it  catches them  a bit
     off-guard?

JS: I notice that by the end a lot of people who were there for Dimmu
    with their faces staring at us blankly at the end are headbanging
    and getting into it.

CoC: So, not the typical "Slayer reaction"?

JS: I  think the  fact  that  we've never  really  budged or  changed
    direction and just stuck with the  grey area we were in, now that
    we're expanding into the other  audiences it definitely will give
    us some longevity  if we pull a little bit  from each audience. I
    am excited  for tonight, really.  I've seen shows in  Seattle for
    bands who open  for Slayer: that's like the kiss  of death. But I
    think with  this European  bill all the  bands are  different but
    there is a  thread between 'em all that we  can connect with. The
    gothic, thrash...

CoC: This is  a big enough thing  where it's not a  Dimmu Borgir gig,
     it's the "Metal  Odyssey" gig. They'll hopefully  be people here
     to see all the bands.

And there were, I can assure you...

[After the  interview, I  ask Jim  to sign  something. I  mention how
cliche it  seems for  me to  ask for my  album to  be signed,  and he
supplies me with a convenient quote to end this interview with.]

JS: It sounds kind of cliche, but it is my favourite Nevermore record.

[*Note:  I'd never  heard the  original version  until recently,  and
 after this interview  (you are further recommended to  check out the
 Simpsons  alternative take  on the  same song  in the  episode "Lady
 Bouvier's Lover",  though it was  the lyrics that they  altered). --
 Paul]

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

                    I N N E R   R E S O N A N C E
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              CoC interviews Danny Cavanagh of Anathema
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     You'd think that Anathema guitarist  Danny Cavanagh would feel a
bit of  pressure right now  with work being put  forth simultaneously
for the fall release of their upcoming new album _A Fine Day to Exit_
and  their two-part  retrospective collection  _Resonance_ [part  one
reviewed in  this issue]. Well  folks, he  isn't worried one  bit. In
fact, right now  he's more worried about getting time  in for a bath,
some house chores and a trip to the city with his girlfriend.
     "I've just been  busy doing things around the  house and sorting
through things", starts Cavanagh down the  phone line. I admit to him
that I  have been busy before  this interview, busy doing  my laundry
and cleaning  my apartment.  "Oh yes,  I'll have  to do  some laundry
later on if I get a second or two. <laughs>"
     For someone  who is having a  hard time finding downtime  in his
busy schedule to wash a load,  what gives with both projects going on
at the same time, Danny?
     "The whole  idea for the  collections came from Hammy,  who runs
Peaceville Records. We are not  with Peaceville anymore. He is trying
to re-launch the  label again with new distribution, so  he is trying
to put out  these two albums of  material. We told him,  to help out,
that he should release the  material separately. Have one record with
the softer, ambient  stuff and the second disc full  of all the heavy
stuff. Doing all  of this is really to help  Hammy and get Peaceville
up and running strong  again. I guess it will be great  if we can see
some money from  it, but I don't  want it to affect the  sales of the
album _A Fine Day to Exit_ [on Music for Nations]. I am going to have
to insist that he put out this collection -after- the new album comes
out this fall."
     "All we had to do for this  record was to tell him what material
to feature  on each disc",  he says  about the collection.  "He could
have done what he wanted with the collection, he does own the rights,
but it was nice that we could  be involved in some way. We also chose
some cool artwork. We have worked on this a bit. But most of our work
the last little while has been focused on the new album."
     He adds,  "But even  though we  have these two  on the  go, more
focused on the  new album, we also have another  idea coming down the
line for hopefully a  release in the New Year. The  new album will be
an ambient acoustic album with new  versions of old songs. There will
be the fist four songs on _Judgement_ and songs off the new album and
we are  just going out and  work them over with  acoustic guitars and
piano."
     Like  most bands  over the  years, Anathema  has evolved.  Their
sound has expanded, their musicianship  has grown and their music has
become a lot  more strengthened. New ideas are welcomed  and old ones
are reworked  to add  freshness to  the pot.  How does  Cavanagh feel
about old recordings and the current  ones they are working on and/or
just finished?
     "My favourite Anathema record is  always the next one", comments
the guitarist. "As soon as this album  is done and out, I am ready to
go onto  the new record.  As we make records  and finish them  up, we
always make notes of what we want to do differently next time or what
needs to  be worked  on and  take that into  the next  recording. You
always want to improve with your  music and make it last forever. You
always want  to be  more mature  each time out  and just  make better
music."
     "We can't make  the same record twice. We  just can't", exclaims
Cavanagh. "All  the best bands change  radically. If you look  at The
Beatles  or Pink  Floyd, both  of  whom are  in my  top ten  all-time
favourite bands, you  can just see the changes they  brought to their
music and  sound. If you listen  to the first Beatles  record and the
last one  and then  the one  in the middle,  they are  all completely
different. The  same goes with  Pink Floyd and  the early days  up to
_The Wall_. You couldn't be any  more different. Bands change and the
best bands always did. I am not saying we are like those great bands,
but we do move around and change. We like a lot of things and we just
take the best of  it all and throw it into one big  soup of sound. It
is just the way we have always worked."
     On the topic  of songwriting, Cavanagh says,  "What happens with
us is that one person comes in with about 90% of the song written and
then the rest of us just throw in ideas and try to work the song into
the  finished product.  Sure there  are disagreements  and agreements
with things as they  go on, but that is what  is expected. Songs just
don't happen right away, they need time to build."
     I comment to Cavanagh that while I  am a big fan of the band and
all of  their albums,  the band's 1998  release _Alternative  4_ [CoC
#32] hits a real nerve within me. I love that disc.
     "Yes, that is a  great disc. There are a lot  of good moments on
it. Both Vinnie [Cavanagh, vocals and  guitar] and I wrote about four
songs for  that record and  Duncan [Patterson, ex-bassist]  wrote the
rest of it, so I guess you could  say it was his record. He is such a
genius and  really brought a  lot into what  we were doing.  After he
left it was never going to be the same for us. He has and will always
be a dominant force in whatever band  he is in. When he left, it kind
of opened up the door for us.  John [Douglas, drums] came back to the
band and all of us [including new bassist Dave Pybus and ex-Cradle of
Filth keyboardist  Lester] just got  into this groove of  jamming and
writing songs. The band is very  different right now without him, but
I still love him as a friend and  a musician. But if he ever asked to
come back  to Anathema, I  wouldn't stop him.  <laughs> He has  a new
band called Antimatter.  It is great for those  who like chilled-out,
psychotic music."
     In closing I ask Danny whether  he thinks that with both _A Fine
Day to Exit_ and the collections coming out this is going to be a big
year for Anathema.
     "Not really,  I hope. What I  mean is that we  are really trying
to  push the  new  album.  The _Resonance_  collection  is Hammy  and
Peaceville and we just had some input." He says with some concern, "I
hope it doesn't affect the sales of _A Fine Day to Exit_."
     He finishes, "We just want to  do a lot of writing and recording
this year and really try to do  a lot for ourselves and our music. We
are just trying to stay busy and make it work. So far so good."

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  T H E   D I S C I P L I N E   O F   S A N D W I C H - M A K I N G
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
             CoC chats with Anders Oden of Cadaver Inc.
                          by: Paul Schwarz


     Have you been to www.cadaverinc.com? If  not, go do it now, then
come back and read this story.

     Since  the  musical histories  and  other  occupations --  apart
from  corpse disposal...  -- of  Cadaver Inc.'s  members are  complex
(partially by virtue of the use of various pseudonyms), I present you
with musical resumes for them all, for your interest and information.
Corrections and comments welcomed...

- Name: Carl Michael
- Cadaver Inc.: Drummer 
- Pseudonym(s): Czral, Aggressor
- Former bands: Ven Buens Ende, Inferno 
- Other bands (some possibly  now former): Dodheimsgard (Czral), Aura
  Noir (Aggressor), Void (Czral) and Virus

- Name: Olle Jurgen
- Cadaver Inc.: Vocalist
- Pseudonym(s): OJ, OJ Noir, Appolyon 
- Other  bands  (some  possibly now  former):  Aura Noir  (Appolyon),
  Dodheimsgard (Appolyon)

- Name: LJ Blavaz
- Cadaver Inc.: Bassist
- Pseudonym(s): unknown
- Other bands: unknown

- Name: Anders Oden
- Cadaver Inc.: Guitarist
- Pseudonym(s): Neddo
- Former  bands: Cadaver  (though Cadaver  Inc. is  debatably Cadaver
  reincarnated)

     I'll just say that _Discipline_  [reviewed in this issue] should
be on your shopping list if  you have any serious interest in extreme
metal, and leave the rest of Cadaver Inc.'s mysteries to be unraveled
by you, possibly with the aid of this phone interview.

CoC: Why restart  or reinvigorate Cadaver? By doing  Cadaver Inc. are
     you trying to distance yourself at all from the past, in any way?

Anders Oden: No, I'm trying  to get to my  roots from  the  past more
             than anything else.

CoC: What were the roots of Cadaver, really?

AO: The  roots  of Cadaver  were  originally  bands like  Slayer  and
    Voivod. <longish pause> And I'm just  trying to make metal now in
    2001 that is -as- extreme and  aggressive like that music used to
    be for me when I first heard it.

CoC: So, updating  all those sounds from the past  so they still have
     the same impact, right?

AO: Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do.

CoC: Cool. And how did you hook up with the line-up? How did you meet
     up with Czral and Appolyon  from Dodheimsgard? Obviously you all
     live in Oslo, but you've originally come -- it seems at least --
     from different scenes.

AO: No, well, not really: it's a small scene in Norway. I got roduced
    intto those guys through Fenriz,  originally. He got me into Aura
    Noir and that stuff.

CoC: Ah, of course, Fenriz' Aura Noir passion.

AO: Yeah, and Czral, actually, had this really, really weird band.

CoC: Ved Buens Ende?

AO: No, before that. Even weirder than anything else. It's nothing to
    do with metal or black metal. It  is really strange. And I got to
    know him through these tapes Fenriz had. And... he seemed to be a
    real  interesting guy,  and...  he  also sent  Fenriz  that --  I
    remember it clearly -- a  "Darkthrone sandwich". He actually made
    this  sandwich with  the Darkthrone  logo on  it. And  the -same-
    sandwich is actually sitting in Fenriz' kitchen now.

CoC: How bizarre!

AO: Yeah,  and that's where  we rehearse  -- in Fenriz'  living room,
    actually.

CoC: I'd have  loved to have  seen that shit!  So were they  guys you
     wanted to  work with because of  what they'd done? How  did that
     come about? Cadaver folded -- I suppose -- and then...

AO: Well, they both  loved the old Cadaver stuff. It's  more that I'd
    wanted to work with them for a long time, actually. They asked me
    at one point  to join Aura Noir because Blasphemer  got very busy
    with Mayhem.  But... then  we all had  different other  bands and
    stuff but we,  sort of, kept in touch with  the thought of always
    having something coming  together at some point. And  then in '99
    when  Mayhem recorded  their album  Aura Noir  was obviously  not
    really happening,  and Appolyon  came home from  the Dodheimsgard
    tour a bit disappointed, I  think. I was finishing recording with
    Satyricon and then we just met over a few beers and decided to do
    some rehearsals. And the bass  player is very important too, he's
    an  old  friend  of mine  who  was  in  Oslo  at the  same  time.
    Everything just fell into place.  It wasn't really... it was more
    the right time and the right place than anything else, actually.

CoC: So, why in the end did you  change the name and how much does it
     have to do with the website?

AO: Well,  I  wanted  to  have  a "dot-com"  attached  to  the  name:
    cadaver.com -- I'd have to pay  three and a half thousand dollars
    if I  wanted to get that.  And that's one thing  I really thought
    was  important for  a band  nowadays: to  have a  website. But  I
    thought  it was  important for  the reason  you've seen  now! And
    that's been my idea for a long,  long time with that. I wanted to
    create this world where there  is a company called "Cadaver Inc."
    that do that stuff. Luckily for us  we got in touch with this fan
    in America who wanted  to make a website for us.  And he just did
    these  normal band  websites in  the beginning,  just sending  me
    examples and stuff.  Then we just developed together  the idea of
    having this company.

CoC: So you're very happy with the website, I gather?

AO: Oh yeah.  Yeah, it's a  tremendous success. Just before  I called
    you I  looked up the latest  statistics on it. The  last few days
    have been  -extremely- phenomenal! I  don't know why,  this thing
    just spreads out, it has its own  life now! We have 12 000 unique
    visitors in one day now. That's extremely big.

CoC: So  do you  think the  website  is thought  provoking or  mostly
     humorous? Is  it supposed to  be in-line with the  press release
     and giving the band atmosphere, like a dark atmosphere, or is it
     more kind  of a joke on  people believing that? Or  that sort of
     bizarreness  of  modern  life  where that  could  really  almost
     happen?

AO: Yeah,  actually my idea with  filling that out is  quite serious.
    Serious in that if you believe it you are pretty much fucked up.

CoC: Yeah, absolutely.

AO: But I  wanted to  have this  social experiment  out there.  And I
    wanted to  do something which  I hadn't seen before...  and still
    haven't really.  I have,  because of this  website, got  in touch
    with some really  weird people on the internet,  obviously. But I
    haven't  seen  anything  like  this which  is  so  well...  done.
    Everything works there.  Everything you submit to  that site goes
    to me and the  webmaster and this other guy who  has done all the
    computer programming  stuff. So we  survey the whole  thing. Most
    people of course  understand the fakeness of what we  do. We also
    get... I don't know: some of the e-mails we get are really weird.

CoC: Like crazy people?

AO: The last couple of days it has  turned big in Brazil. I found out
    that there's some place, some web portal in Brazil giving out the
    news of this  site, and they don't know anything  about the band.
    So I received about ten employment resumes from Brazil right now.

CoC: So you find that it maybe hasn't quite created this image around
     the band in Europe -- where maybe people are a bit less inclined
     to fall for it -- but it's like... you remember Brujeria?

AO: Yeah.

CoC: It's  kind of  like the  atmosphere around  that where  at first
     people were  wondering whether  they were -really-  Mexican drug
     barons.  It's kind  of like  that but  on a  sort of  cyberspace
     scale, I  guess, which is  very cool.  But also, going  onto the
     music, the music of Cadaver Inc.  is kind of modern but cold. It
     has got  the darkness, in a  way, that you get  with older death
     metal or older sounds. It's cold-sounding. How much do you think
     the influences that have come  in, in the years -since- Cadaver,
     have influenced it, and how -modern- do you think it is?

AO: Well, I've  received questions about this before  and some people
    believe, actually, that we have used a drum machines on it.

CoC: No way.

AO: And  we haven't. I  don't know, that  might be a  very uneducated
    person who asked me that...

CoC: Well, I think uneducated  into the incredible drumming of Czral.
     He's actually that good, isn't he?

AO: He is actually that good: he's not faking anything.

CoC: Absolutely.

AO: And I  mean, every drummer in  this country has had  deep respect
    for him for many years, but he's  never been able to be in a band
    that really...

CoC: Exemplified it?

AO: Yeah, and that was able  to release the record properly worldwide
    with a  marketing budget 'round  it. And  I think that's  for his
    sake why he's  not more known right now. Because  all those other
    drummers  that people  put  in  those top  ten  drummer lists  in
    magazines every year, they have admired  him for a long time, and
    it's about time that people recognised his skills.

CoC: Yeah, I mean the closest he  came to getting more notoriety was,
     I suppose,  Dodheimsgard's _Satanic Art_. Which  sold relatively
     well but just  never went as big  as it needed to.  Do you think
     maybe Cadaver Inc. will do that?

AO: I  sure hope  so. I mean,  we have all  the opportunities  now to
    reach out to new crowds with this tour coming up.

CoC: Absolutely, with Morbid Angel and Zyklon.

AO: Yeah.

CoC: Sounds like a real monster  and something you can really, really
     do something with.

AO: I think  so. I hope so,  actually, anyway. But when  you refer to
    the coldness in  the music it's... I wanted to  have this sort of
    metallic  sound and  we managed  to sort  of get  that with  this
    engineer that has  never recorded metal before.  He's a Norwegian
    guy, an  old friend  of mine.  He has always  been out  there. He
    co-produced the record  of a Norwegian pop  phenomenon who toured
    with A-Ha. That  band is quite good actually,  kind of Cardigans,
    Blondie kind of music. They  also sound very cold. It's something
    to do with  Scandinavian rock or pop  in the scene. It  is also a
    bit  cold and  dark sounding  compared to  other scenes.  Swedish
    bands like Kent, all those  bands sound very melancholic and have
    influences also from music like Kraftwerk and stuff like that. It
    leads on to making new sounds, anyway.

CoC: You've  taken  elements as  well  --  I  hear  bits of  the  way
     Satyricon have gone in a sense,  like the production side of it.
     Even though  it may not  come from  that particular part  of the
     Norwegian scene I  suppose it's 'cause the same  cold element is
     prevalent. Those bits  of that horrible thrashing  of Aura Noir,
     that's so  great. What  I think  is interesting  is that  it has
     really, really hard  blastbeats. That is one of  the things that
     seems  to have  been carried  over  from the  old Cadaver:  that
     really hard, grindcore sound.

AO: We just wanted to have that unclean  touch to it which I think so
    many bands  lose when they go  into the studio. I  think too many
    albums sound too  clean. And this music  shouldn't be controlled,
    it should be out of control.  But at the same time controlled: if
    you want to speed up the tempo  you should be able to do it, it's
    not meant to be recorded with click-tracks, I think.

CoC: I agree: click-tracks can sound good in their place but analogue
     drums are far more impressive and I prefer the sound.

AO: You mentioned Satyricon earlier: when I created the first song on
    the  album, "Primal",  I used  Frost  as a  drummer. He  actually
    kicked me  into those  riffs and  everything. He's  excellent, he
    plays extremely fast too. He's amazing on his blastbeats.

CoC: Yeah, the  other thing  about Cadaver is:  how does  the lyrical
     focus  work?  Songs  like  "Killtech",  "Primal",  "Discipline",
     "Manic" and "Reptile Robots" show kind of a futuristic slant but
     it has also sort  of got a cold, dark, grind  feel. The cover, I
     think, goes  with that: a  surveillance camera and the  image is
     almost mangled and old. It's  kind of interesting. How does that
     fit with the lyrical side of it  and also how does that fit with
     the whole body disposal website thing?

AO: Well,  everything  is  not  connected to  each  other  that  way,
    actually. It's more a mixture of different bits and pieces of the
    lyrics we had lying around and  stuff just written for the songs.
    It's not a  concept album in that  way. The thing I  wanted to do
    with surveillance  camera thing  and everything with  the website
    was  to  create a  no-tech  world  in  the high-tech  world.  Use
    technology to show what is not technology.

CoC: What is just simple and basic, right?

AO: Yeah. So that's all we really want to do now: focus on those very
    simple things and to the core.

CoC: Do you  find that with  the whole PR statement  -- it has  got a
     humorous slant  to it completely but,  the idea is kind  of that
     this is  your day  job and Cadaver  Inc. is what  you do  in the
     evenings.

AO: Yeah. <laughs>

CoC: The lyrics do seem -- from not having a lyrics sheet but hearing
     bits --  quite odd,  a little  William S.  Burrows, kind  of how
     Dodheimsgard go...

AO: Hmm.

CoC: But also they're quite dark, quite urban dark.

AO: Yeah, that's what we try to achieve, basically.

CoC: Although  a couple of  the members  were in different  bands, is
     Cadaver Inc. a full-on, full-time, serious band?

AO: Oh yeah, definitely!

CoC: 'Cause I've heard rumours and  been told that Czral, this is now
     his main thing that he's probably gonna do.

AO: Yeah, well everybody felt that  this is the main thing that we're
    doing.

CoC: Yeah, Appolyon as well.

AO: Yeah.

CoC: So their Dodheimsgard duties will, kind of, come second now?

AO: Yeah, definitely. I would say  that, definitely. This is the band
    they really wanna be in, and I  mean we want to take this band as
    far as we can.  Now, it's all up to the  public to decide whether
    they like it or not.

CoC: So we can look forward to more albums as the years roll by?

AO: Oh yeah, definitely. We are already writing new songs.

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

                    A N G L E D   T O   A M A Z E
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              CoC chats with Chris Smith from Keelhaul
                          by: Paul Schwarz


Though Akercocke's _The Goat of Mendes_  may be likely to deserve the
overall accolade  of "extreme  music album  of the  year", Keelhaul's
_II_ has distinguished  itself as my favourite record of  the year so
far. And about  three months since I first got  it, its appeal hasn't
waned. I think that only listening will really give you a proper idea
of  whether or  not _II_  [reviewed in  this issue]  will be  to your
liking,  but  if  you  dug  the band's  first  album  --  _Keelhaul_,
re-released last year on Escape Artist [CoC #48] -- you'll definitely
want to check it out. If  you've never heard Keelhaul before, I'd say
_II_  is  well worth  taking  a  risk  on,  especially if  you  enjoy
music-making  which  is  almost  entirely  undiluted  by  non-musical
concerns, and extreme to boot. Lovers of the work of Dillinger Escape
Plan, Botch,  Converge and others in  a similar field, you  will very
probably  dig Keelhaul.  I  hope this  interview  with guitarist  and
vocalist Chris  Smith will help  sway you towards checking  out _II_.
Interview conducted by e-mail in May.

CoC: How  would you say _II_  has moved on from  _Keelhaul_? What has
     stayed the same, what has changed in your music?

Chris Smith: Well,    obviously   the    production   has    improved
             dramatically, due a great deal  in part to the fact that
             we have less  of a budget constraint now that  we are on
             HydraHead. The first  album was all out  of our pockets,
             so we actually ran out  of money long before we finished
             the record. As  far as the songwriting  goes, this album
             was a lot more of a  group effort than the first. As far
             as what has  "changed" in our music, I  would leave that
             up to you to tell me.

CoC: I find  Keelhaul has  the strange  combination of  sounding very
     jam-like  and natural,  while also  being very  complex and,  at
     times,  tightly structured.  What would  say about  the way  you
     created the music for _II_ in light of that comment?

CS: What you have  just said is exactly what I've  always tried to do
    with the music  that we write, to  always be able to  have a warm
    earthy jam-type quality in the  midst of harsh structure. The key
    is  to be  able  to  purvey the  two  qualities equally  together
    without making  the songs  sound too bolted  together. I  like it
    when a band can do that really well, like a musical paradox.

CoC: Why  did  you  choose   Bill  Korecky  (Integrity,  Incantation,
     Withered Earth)  to produce _II_? How  do you think his  work as
     producer affected this record compared to the last one?

CS: Bill Korecky has been a friend of  mine and most of the people in
    the band  for a long time.  I first began recording  with Bill in
    1988. I have always felt really comfortable in his studios and he
    has always been very honest about his opinions of the material as
    we record and mix  it. He lends a good ear and he  gives us a lot
    of  free reign  over his  studio, lets  us on  the board  and try
    things that a lot of other guys would probably tell us are stupid
    and not even  worth the time, even if they  really are stupid and
    not worth the  time. He helped us equally on  the first album and
    also in everything I've ever recorded  with him, he has lent some
    really good  ideas and insights  to the mixing of  production. In
    the future if we end up  bringing in a producer, we will probably
    still  end up  working  at  Bill's studio  because  of all  those
    reasons.

CoC: Since Keelhaul does  not provide you with money to  live, why do
     you give up so much of your  time to the band? What does it give
     you to be in Keelhaul -- since it is not currently a living, and
     from the sounds of your music, is not intended to ever be?

CS: It's funny  that you  would say  our music  sounds like  we would
    never make a living  at it. A lot of times  people are blown away
    to find  out that  we make so  little money being  in a  band and
    spending so much of our time  and money doing it. The other night
    I was  having a conversation with  a guy about playing  in bands,
    him being  a sax player.  For some reason  he assumed that  I was
    making a good living at it, being  that we spend so much time and
    money on it. He  asked, "So what do you guys  make, $1000 bucks a
    night?"  When I  told  him  its more  like  100  bucks he  looked
    perplexed and just  said, "Wow". I think that in  many ways being
    in a band  is almost the same  as having some kind  of hobby that
    takes up time and money that only  you get the real value out of.
    Some guys  work on their  hot rods,  some guys collect  stamps, I
    play in a  band. It's my main therapeutic outlet,  its one of the
    things that keeps me sane. I think  I can speak for most of us on
    that. If we were  really trying to make a living  at it, we would
    have to learn how to write really gay songs, spend a lot of money
    on clothes  and I would  have to loose a  lot of weight.  I don't
    think  I could  write a  commercially palatable  song to  save my
    life. Really, its  just about writing the kind of  music you want
    to hear, and hopefully someone else digs it too.

CoC: Why is the title simply _II_? Will the next album be _III_?

CS: "II" was  the only title  we could all agree  on. I opted  for no
    title at all, and different cover art on every pressing. That got
    shot  down. I  won't even  go into  any of  the titles  that were
    tossed around. I hope to god the next album is not called "III".

CoC: What  bands or musical  movements would you say  most influenced
     the sound of Keelhaul?

CS: This will  be a  tough one.  I can  for the  most part  speak for
    myself, but I  would imagine that I  can do a pretty  good job of
    summing it up for all of us. Will [Scharf, drums] brings a lot of
    jazz-type experience to the table. Dana [Embrose, guitars], Aaron
    [Dallison, bass  and vocals] and  I bring  a lot of  hardcore and
    metal influence. For  me personally, some of  the most formidable
    influences in my career as a  musician would be people like Frank
    Zappa,  Captain  Beefhart,  Angus Young,  Black  Sabbath,  Celtic
    Frost, Slayer, COC, Varese, and about a million other people. I'm
    also really  partial to Syd  Barrett-era Pink Floyd. We  all like
    crazy riffs with lots of numbers and kick back space out jams.

CoC: Are the lyrics you write for the band important? I am assuming y
     theare not, or possibly are  personal, since you regret to print
     them.

CS: Most of the  lyrics are just a bunch of  random crap. Sometimes I
    can  find some  personal meaning  in them,  but usually  they are
    written only with the intent of sounding interesting and vague. I
    think  I can  speak for  Aaron on  that as  well. The  lyrics are
    representative  of places  and times,  but  are not  meant to  be
    blatantly descriptive.  When I was  younger, I always  thought it
    was  so  important  for  the  lyrics  of  your  songs  to  convey
    philosophies and politics and stuff  like that. I have eventually
    decided  that  music is  not  always  the  best vehicle  to  make
    statements of political and  social opinions, that's what writers
    are for. I think that our  music conveys enough emotion by itself
    that having real "messages" in  lyrics is really secondary to me.
    We find ourselves writing most of the lyrics in the studio as the
    songs are  recorded, so  that tells you  how much  thought really
    goes  into them.  We don't  print  them in  the records,  because
    they're really  not that  important. Maybe eventually,  but right
    now, a lyric sheet for us would consist of maybe five paragraphs.

CoC: Is the music of Keelhaul  constructed while in a sober state? If
     not, do you think it could be?

CS: I would say half the music  is conceived, written and arranged in
    a sober state by  at least one or two members. We  are not a band
    that makes  any point of  being loaded  when we write,  or sober.
    Dana and  I are stoners,  Aaron's the  drinker, and Will  is just
    plain weird.

CoC: What are your favorite and least favorite parts of touring?

CS: Favorite  things:  Not  having   to  punch  a  clock,  sustaining
    ourselves from  the merits of  our music,  being able to  eat and
    drink and drive  with money that we make doing  something we love
    to do. Meeting cool people,  seeing cool places, and experiencing
    things we would only experience because of being in a band. Least
    favorite things: Breaking down on the side of the highway, shitty
    clubs with  shitty promoters,  getting pinned  into conversations
    with stupid people  about stupid things when you're  stuck at the
    merch  table  and  nobody  will  come and  save  you.  Having  to
    practically  threaten bodily  harm just  to get  paid our  measly
    guarantee.

CoC: How did Keelhaul come together, and what keeps the band together?

CS: Will and I had been trying to  put a band together for years, but
    our schedules with the other bands we were in made that less than
    possible.  I had  played with  Dana in  high school  some fifteen
    years ago.  He moved to Boston,  where he spent years  playing in
    some local  heavy hitters  up there. About  four years  ago, Dana
    moved back to  Cleveland. We stared jamming and worked  out a set
    of tunes with a guy named Jim  Redford who was a drummer I worked
    with in a restaurant. We played our first gig in the fall of '97.
    It  would be  our only  gig, as  Jim soon  left for  school. That
    night, who  shows up, but Will  Scharf. We told him  that we were
    going to be  out a drummer and  he said that he  for some bizarre
    reason was  actually not  in a  band at the  moment. So  we began
    playing with  Will. Dana on guitar,  Will on drums and  myself on
    bass. I had put down the  guitar in exchange for the bass because
    I was getting bored with the  guitar. But when we started jamming
    with Will, his style  opened up a lot of our  songs to where they
    screamed  for more  instrumentation,  I could  hear these  guitar
    parts in  my head,  and I knew  that between Dana  and I  that we
    could come up with some  pretty interesting interplay between the
    two of us on guitar. So  here comes Aaron Dallison, he originally
    hails  from Virginia,  but had  been living  Cleveland for  a few
    years now  playing in local bands  as a guitarist. We  all agreed
    that he was a pretty brutal bad ass mother fucker and so we asked
    him if he would like to tear some  shit up with us, so now he's a
    bass player.  And that all came  together in the Fall  of '97. As
    far as what  keeps us together, the fact that  we enjoy the music
    that we write together, that we are able to work together despite
    differences that  we know we will  have when it comes  to writing
    music.  The  conflicting aspects  of  our  personalities and  the
    differences between us  are prevalent in the dynamics  of some of
    our material. We all bring good stuff to the table and between us
    all we  manage to write material  that we can all  groove on. For
    the most part, we  all feel that this is the best  band any of us
    have ever been in.

CoC: I hope those  questions suit you and bring  out some interesting
     points about the  band. Any other thoughts or  ideas, just write
     them as  well, they don't  need to be  the answer to  a specific
     question.

CS: Hopefully  I don't sound  like too much of  an idiot and  you are
    able to write this article without us seeming like total dorks.

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

                        S A T A N I C   A R T
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      CoC chats with Jason Mendonca and David Gray of Akercocke
                          by: Paul Schwarz


This will be brief, because explaining why I think you should pick up
_The Goat  of Mendes_ [reviewed  in this issue]  can be summed  up in
three sentences. I believe it's probably among the finest examples of
extreme metal ever to be pressed  onto plastic. Separated from it for
a few days, my  elation at putting it on again  was comparable to the
relief  and  joy of  a  deprived  drug  addict.  _TGoM_ is  a  strong
contender for ending up  as my album of the year.  And just as _TGoM_
speaks  for  itself, so  do  the  members  of Akercocke.  The  band's
sincerity belies  the idea that they  do what they do  for any reason
other than personal satisfaction, in a creative sense. This interview
was  conducted in  the backroom  of  Glasgow's Cathouse  a few  hours
before Akercocke performed live, on the 1st of July.

CoC: With the  new record  out and you  touring Europe  in September,
     what  does _The  Goat  of  Mendes_ represent  as  a document  of
     Akercocke in comparison  to _Rape of the  Bastard Nazarene_ [CoC
     #42]?

David Gray: _RotBN_ was really...  it's like an account  of the early
            days of the band, of the  formation of the band. We had a
            very isolated  upbringing; all we  knew was the  music we
            had been into in 1990/1991 when Jason and I played in our
            last band, Salem Orchid. So we just got all the old stuff
            that we  used to  be into  -- Celtic  Frost, and  all the
            usual suspects -- and just  got together and used as kind
            of a template: that was all we...

Jason Mendonca: That was all we knew.

DG: That was all we knew. And I  think _RotBN_ is a great document of
    that time, which  was 1998, when we  actually recorded _Rape..._.
    And  after that  then we  became  very, err...  what's the  word?
    <pause as David  looks over to Jason> -Spoilt-, by  all the other
    kind of influences that were opened up to us.

JM: All the stuff that we missed out on, y'know, certainly in my time
    'cause I was away from metal for a very long time. Suddenly being
    back in metal circles, there were  so many great bands I'd missed
    out on.  So I  had a  tremendous amount of  stuff to  go through.
    Fortunately, I had a couple  of friends with huge CD collections.
    Ear candy! It was great!

DG: So that's  why I think _TGoM_  -- if anyone does  think it sounds
    different, from our point of view  it does, that's because we had
    so much more to contend with. We were absorbing so many different
    things... Whereas  before, y'know, we  were just very  into doing
    our own thing.

CoC: I  think _TGoM_  definitely shows-off  two massive  differences.
     Firstly, the  actual production of "The  Blast", that particular
     sound, was much more powerful. _RotBN_ was like a good companion
     to seeing  Akercocke live, but  it didn't really bring  out your
     strongest  aspects of  being very  powerful. It  actually sounds
     kind of a bit dry because  of the actual production of it, which
     really didn't work.  The other thing is that _TGoM_  is unlike a
     lot of records  from the metal scene in some  ways -- it's quite
     sonically complex and  deep. If you listen to it  more than four
     or five times  or on headphones there are a  lot of extra sounds
     and effects  going on in  the background  which buff it  out. In
     that sense, would you say it  represents more of what you wanted
     to bring out sonically than _RotBN_ did?

DG: Martin [Bonsoir, in charge  of Akercocke's "electronics" and also
    _TGoM_'s producer  -- Paul] had  different tools to work  with; I
    think that was the difference.

JM: That is the key difference, isn't it.

DG: With the resources that we had at the time we made a recording of
    our music --  what was going on -- and  that's exactly what we've
    done second time 'round, but the tools are better.

JM: The   thing   with  the   first   record   is  that   we're   not
    procrastinators. We don't mess about. We recorded that album live
    in six hours:  the whole band playing live,  y'know. No overdubs,
    no nothing. Yeah, sure, we dropped the guitar solos and vocals on
    afterwards. And  then we  spent a lot  of time  mixing _Rape..._,
    just  purely  because... I  think  there's  a quaint  expression:
    polishing a turd. <laughs> We had to try and polish up what was a
    very rough and ready recording. But,  we were and we are still of
    the  philosophy that  it's  better  to do  something  than to  do
    nothing. So, as David said, that's what we did with the resources
    that  we had  to hand.  But, we've  been very  fortunate in  that
    Goat  of Mendes  studio is  now  much better  equipped with  some
    half-decent equipment. And so -- also the fact that it is our own
    facility --  we had a  great luxury and  were very lucky  to have
    that to spend a  lot of time with _TGoM_. Sure,  sure it could be
    better, but we're constantly striving to be better.

CoC: You never want to say you've hit the top of your game, of course.

JM: Of course.

CoC: But seeing  _RotBN_ almost as a  collection of demos is  in some
     ways a more accurate way of looking at it that as a debut album?
     It's certainly what a couple of people have said, but...

JM: I  think that's  probably a reflection  on the  production alone,
    really.

CoC: True. I mean,  from the kind of  international perspective where
     everyone wants to  cut up this or that, if  someone wants to cut
     up  your debut  as being  bad,  it would  be better  to see  the
     production as a demo-level recording, I think. _TGoM_ being on a
     label and having a  lot more behind it -- plus  the kind of hype
     and speech  about you that you've  had from _RotBN_ --  where do
     you  think you  can  take  Akercocke in  terms  of exposure  and
     popularity?

JM: In terms of exposure and popularity...

CoC: And in terms of touring...

JM: Touring is something that we're very, very keen to do. We're very
    keen to get  out to Europe and play for  the European fans. We're
    out touring period, y'know, wherever. But as far as the publicity
    and  that goes  we have  no  control over  that at  all. We  just
    concentrate on blasting  for Satan. We concentrate on  what we do
    best, y'know, knuckle down, push the boundaries of music and keep
    writing. At  the moment  we're writing our  third album.  We just
    concentrate on that,  y'know. And we're lucky to  be afforded the
    time to do that and we've grown to appreciate what it means to be
    signed  to a  good record  label insofar  as there  is a  team of
    people, now, taking  care of all those other  things, those other
    important factors that go hand-in-glove with any band.

CoC: Absolutely. One thing I just  thought of: in terms of publicity,
     there  is  a  -certain  way-  the  band  will  be  presented  in
     advertising and  in promotional  spiel and  how worried  are you
     about being misrepresented one way or another?

JM: It's totally  honest, it's  who we are.  Advertising is  a tricky
    one, but as far as the visual representation, the printed matter,
    the material  on the  internet, the  album sleeves,  whatever: we
    take care  of all of that  ourselves. So, we're very  honest as a
    band; what  you see  is what you  get, end of  story. Spiel  is a
    funny word.

CoC: You have  a musical "blasting for  Satan" thing and you  do have
     what  seems to  me to  be quite  a sincere  lyrical content.  As
     opposed to a  number of "Satanic", quote/unquote,  bands who may
     write things  for what people  will take from them  or whatever.
     How much  are you trying to  bring in any message  through that?
     What are you trying to give to your listeners?

DG: It's totally subjective. Everyone  takes something different home
    from it. As  you were saying about you listening  to the album on
    earphones:  that's different  again  from listening  to it  while
    you're  doing the  washing-up,  or smashing  up  your bedroom  or
    whatever it is you want to do  when you listen to it. <laughs, as
    do I> I would never tell  anybody anything that they should do or
    what they should think. I've actually had kids say: "ah, I really
    like the band and whatever but,  I read your lyrics, and I didn't
    think they were very Satanic". <I pause, before laughing slightly
    incredulously>

CoC: That doesn't make you wanna make them more "Satanic", obviously,
     for the next record.

DG: No,  what it  means  is that  maybe English  is  not their  first
    language  and they're  expecting to  hear about  blood rites  and
    sacrifices  and, you  know,  comic-strip horror  or something.  I
    don't know.

JM: Comic Satanism.

DG: Yeah, but  Satanism is not  about that,  because if it  was about
    that  then we'd  probably be  sat  here in  God-armour. <I  laugh
    heartily> Y'know,  doing the  Glen Benton thing.  There's nothing
    wrong with  that, y'know, that's  fine. But, we're  not preaching
    Hammer Horror Satanism. We're not  saying that. What we're saying
    is: it's very practical. It suits  us, it could suit you, y'know,
    it's up to you; I don't give a shit. <moderate laughter> And as a
    very  functional philosophy  and also  in the  same respect  that
    Christian art is wonderful.  Everyone should enjoy Christian art.
    Churches, y'know, throughout history and also Satanism can create
    good art,  it's just that  generally all  you see is  Glen Benton
    and  all the  rest of  it.  But great  things, beautiful  things,
    life-affirming  things  can  be achieved,  for  non-Satanists  to
    enjoy, from Satanism. That's what I believe. But yeah, at the end
    of the day everyone interprets lyrics  and music in their own way
    and that's  good. I don't try  to preach or confuse  or whatever:
    it's not  really my job.  My job is  to try and  communicate some
    sense of atmosphere or feeling for the listener to enjoy.

CoC: Not saying  that it's a  task, but in  choosing to use  the word
     "Satanists" and things like that there will always be people who
     will misconstrue  this and  will read "Akercocke  are Satanists"
     and think Glen  Benton or whatever, but that  doesn't worry you?
     You'd rather, not exactly -reclaim- the word, but use it and let
     people get  it wrong and then  try to understand it  rather than
     you shy away and use some sort of watered-down term...

JM: Personally, I don't really care.

DG: It doesn't really  matter, I don't think, really.  It's just that
    I'm not  responsible for anybody,  and if  people want to  go and
    shoot themselves after they listen to our record, or fuck dogs, I
    don't care.

CoC: Sure, but I was thinking more of the hassles that you might get,
     the kind of hassles that Sabbath got from -- not even from being
     real Satanists, but  from having their record  label stick their
     inlay in black and that sort of  stuff. I mean, if you guys ever
     head out to the States, depending  where you play, you might get
     into a lot of this and that...

DG: We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

CoC: Fair enough.  So, musically, where  are you headed for  the next
     record? How far removed will it be from _The Goat of Mendes_, do
     you predict?

DG: I don't think we contrive to  move in any particular direction. I
    think it  has to be  natural, and I think  it will be  still pure
    Akercocke. We happen  to have got three or four  songs that we're
    working on and we really believe that  to get the best out of the
    material that you've  got, work things and sleep  on it sometimes
    and think, "Is that working? Is this maybe going on a bit long, a
    bit short?",  whatever, so it is  quite early days but  we've got
    lots and lots of stuff  floating about. More electronics. More of
    everything.

CoC: Taking into account what you  said earlier about absorbing a lot
     of music in your years after you were away from metal, with that
     in mind,  how much would you  say Akercocke is made  within your
     own sort of bubble? 'Cause one of things I like about Akercocke,
     personally, is  that it doesn't  just come  across as part  of a
     scene or a band that has done  this or that: it has got quite an
     individual character and that makes  it more enjoyable, I think.
     How much would you say you try to avoid going with the times?

JM: I think  it's probably  easiest to  explain through  saying that:
    when the  five of us write  together, everyone has an  input, and
    whilst there are  key bands that we all share  in common as fans,
    we've all got  really, really diverse, eclectic  tastes in music.
    So, each member, in their  own way, brings something different to
    the  table.  And  when  we  set about  to  write,  we  write  for
    ourselves, purely.  And we just try  to make the music  that we'd
    like to hear. It's as simple as  that, and if that means it comes
    out sounding perhaps a little bit  more left-field -- for want of
    a  better adjective  -- than  some  other more  generic, kind  of
    derivative bands  that may  be happening  right now,  then that's
    just the way it is. It's just how we write.

CoC: I have a few more questions.  Specifically, I remember a year or
     two  years ago  when you  guys  talked to  Terrorizer, you  were
     talking about the  -specific- lyrical content of  _RotBN_. As an
     overview, what sort of subjects are covered on _TGoM_ apart from
     the general, catch-all term of "Satanism"?

DG: I've  used  the metaphor  of  the  nun  a  lot, and  that  wasn't
    intentional.  'Cause everyone  thought --  well, not  -everyone-,
    that's a stupid thing to say.  But, a lot of people in interviews
    have said, "So, what's the concept on this record?", or whatever.
    There isn't...  if there is  a concept  other than Satan  then it
    would  be like  an  emancipation of  feeling,  of liberation,  of
    celebration. And  I used the  metaphor of  the nun about  four or
    five  times.  Those songs  were  constructed  over quite  a  long
    period. We had "Masks of God" and "...Menstrual Blood..." in 1999
    when we talked to Greg  Whalen [ex-Terrorizer writer]. We already
    had some of the songs for _The Goat of Mendes_ then. So, it was a
    very long period of time. We usually write in a very chaotic way.
    And, it just so happened that when I came to compile the lyrics I
    suddenly realised: oh, that's about  nuns; oh, that's about nuns.
    But  it  wasn't  intentional  at all.  So  yeah:  mental,  sexual
    liberation, y'know,  the whole thing.  I try  not to work  in any
    specific concept because I think  the songs are different. I just
    try to  use it as a  table at a  buffet, kind of thing,  and say:
    well, this is  what this is about, it's not  about that. And just
    kind of create...

JM: You always  come back  to food analogies,  what is  this!? You're
    always presenting buffets to people and baking fucking cakes. <we
    all laugh as David struggles to begin an answer> You're a fucking
    cook!

DG: Thing is,  when people keep asking the same  questions and I keep
    saying the same answer: it's reliable.

CoC: And it's  consistent... if  people read different  interviews, I
     guess. Just  finally, but,  this is  a bit of  a cliche  sort of
     question...

DG: Oh, go on, give us a cliche!

COC: I've  probably come  out with  a few already  but, do  you think
     you'll always be writing about Satanism?

JM: Yes.

DG: There's no <something>

CoC: I'm not questioning  whether you'd always be  Satanic as people,
     but  do you  think you'd  ever sort  of feel  like maybe,  maybe
     that's not a part or is it pretty much symbiotic.

DG: Well, let's just think, yeah: we're in this building now.

CoC: Right.

DG: And, it's on fire.

CoC: Uh-huh.

DG: I'm gonna do what I can to get myself out of this building, first
    priority.  Second  priority's  gonna  to get  Jason  out  of  the
    building  because our  livelihood, and  all the  rest of  it, our
    interests are relevant to each other.  Now, I'm not gonna get you
    out  of the  building, I'm  not gonna  get your  man here  out of
    building, and the reason why is 'cause I'm a Satanist. So, when I
    walk across the  road and someone is  going to get run  over by a
    bus  or something  I have  a decision,  a moral  decision, as  to
    whether  I think  it's -worth-  risking myself  to help  somebody
    else. At the end  of the day, is it going to be  to my benefit to
    prevent somebody  from being  hurt? Anything  I do  in life  is a
    Satanic decision  'cause that's the  way that I see  life, that's
    how I  view life. So  if on  our next album  there is a  song all
    about celebrating  a particular woman or  something, that's about
    Satanism,  because that's  my viewpoint.  The band  is all  about
    Satanism. There could never be a non-Satanic Akercocke song.

CoC: I see what you're saying. So you'd say that they'd be Satanic in
     the sense that they'd come from your worldview.

JM: No Satanism, no Akercocke.

DG: It's not a jacket that you put on to then say: oh, right, now I'm
    being a  Satanist, now  we're in  a band. Either  you are  or you
    aren't.

CoC: If  you think  what  you've  said about  that  is sufficient  to
     describe what  kind of Satanism  you support in  yourselves then
     that's cool by  me. But if you want to  mention what perspective
     that comes  from to  do with  what writers  or what  views, then
     you're welcome to say that. Simply for the fact that some people
     read about you being "Satanists" and will construe it one way or
     another, and you  may want to clarify it. By  the expressions on
     your faces, I'd say you're probably not too concerned.

DG: A lot of  places we've been playing the last  couple of days I've
    had a lot  of strange people come  up to me after  shows. You get
    the classic ones that you tend to get in the street like, "how do
    I join a coven?". Oh, you're  wearing an inverted cross, oh yeah.
    If you're not a Satanist already then why do you want to get into
    a coven? And if you -are- a  Satanist why would you want to -get-
    into a  coven: either it'll  come naturally or it  wouldn't. It's
    very difficult to  explain to people that -- it's  almost like if
    you have to ask that question, then...

CoC: ...then you're not really getting it right?

DG: Yeah.

JM: Yeah.

CoC: Fair enough.

DG: But, y'know, I  don't think there is anything  wrong with people,
    like-minded, bands  or people of  that kind of  interest, y'know,
    they  should get  together  and  do their  own  Satanic thing  or
    whatever that may be, y'know, I  think that's healthy, to do what
    you wanna do and whatever. So I don't really think it's really my
    place.

CoC: Finally, this a stock question: why the suits?

JM: Oh no!

DG: <groans>

<I laugh>

DG: You were doing so well until the last question. <I laugh>

CoC: I really  didn't want  to ask  it, but then  I thought:  this is
     gonna  be the  first interview  many people  will read  with you
     guys. And, if  I don't put in something about  the suits, people
     will go:  <I adopt mock-moronic  voice> "why didn't you  tell us
     about the suits".  If you've got a form letter  I can use, about
     the suits, that would be fine...

DG: We  should create one. <to  Jason> You've got the  standard reply
    about the suits...

JM: Stock question, stock answer.

CoC: How about  I give you what  I think -- what I  can remember from
     when you talked to Terrorizer.

DG: Go on.

CoC: I  remember you  saying that there  isn't any  -really- specific
     thing about it but that it's what you guys wear in general...

JM: Pretty much, apart from when we're unloading buses.

CoC: And that it's  what you wore in the covens,  I believe, though I
     don't know whether that's the connection.

JM: There is a  practical connection with regards  to an organisation
    outside of what  we discuss, but more than that  -- not more than
    that, as  well as that, it's  a symbolic thing. It's  symbolic of
    our  discipline.  We're  very,  very  disciplined  people.  We're
    very disciplined  in -all-  respects. To  be a  Satanist requires
    discipline. To be  a musician at this  level requires discipline:
    we practice four times a week,  -at least-, every week. The suits
    are just  like a visual  representation of our  discipline. We're
    not scruffy kinds  of guys, we're not jeans and  T-shirts kind of
    guys in day-to-day life. We're smart guys, we're gentlemen.

[Note: After deliberation with people who  actually live in the US, I
 have reconsidered  my opinion  -- as expressed  to Akercocke  in the
 above interview --  that Akercocke would likely get  hassles if they
 went to  the States. My opinion  as I write  this is that a  band of
 their size with an esoteric name such as their name would likely not
 be noticed. Just as Norway's  black metal bands (including convicted
 arsonists in  the case of Emeperor)  had few hassles when  they made
 the trip over the pond, Akercocke should too. -- Paul]

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

    T H E   A V E N G E R S '   C R U S H I N G   C O M E B A C K
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
               CoC talks to Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth
                          by: David Rocher


The yarn  of death metal Vikings  Amon Amarth is an  epic one indeed.
Plagued with line-up changes, cursed  with a failed recording session
in  the  famed Sunlight  Studios,  this  five-piece have  nonetheless
always made a point of moving on against all odds, delivering quality
melodic  death all  the way  along their  tumultuous career.  One MCD
(_Sorrow  Throughout the  Nine  Worlds_, 1996  [CoC  #12]) and  three
full-lengths later  (_Once Sent From  the Golden Hall_, in  1997 [CoC
#29], _The Avenger_, in 1999 [CoC  #44], and _The Crusher_, anno 2001
[reviewed  in this  issue]), it  seemed a  fine time  indeed to  have
raging vocalist and really, really  scary beermonster Johan Hegg tell
us the tale  of these bloodthirsty Swedes... So hark  now to tales of
Avengers and Metalwrath!

CoC: So how's everything going?

Johan Hegg: Everything  is  going really, really  fine -  I'm sitting
            here with a small drink in my hand, you know...

CoC: Oh -- testing the local ale?

JH: Exactly,  and I  bought some  vodka  on the  way down  -- I'm  in
    Germany right  now --, so I  made a fifty/fifty drink  of Absolut
    Vodka and Red Bull... good stuff! <we laugh>

CoC: Cool!  So, what's gone  on since  the _The Crusher_  promos have
     been shipped out?

JH: Actually, it seems that people  really liked it. The reviews I've
    seen have  been very, very  good, and  the reviews in  some major
    magazines in  Germany have  given it full  points, so  that feels
    really,  really  good,  and  it's very  promising.  I  just  hope
    that  we'll get  the same  response everywhere,  you know?  So, I
    definitely hope this  will be a big  boost for us as  a band, and
    that  we'll be  able to  go  up a  little,  as from  now on.  I'm
    personally very satisfied with the album.

CoC: Yeah, it sounds great!

JH: Thank you very much!

CoC: It seems to me that as  regards various Amon Amarth albums, _The
     Avenger_ was maybe  a bit of a transition album  -- the material
     it featured was  quite different from what  you usually produce,
     so what had influenced you at this time?

JH: I have  no idea,  actually. Olli  [Mikkonen, guitarist  -- David]
    creates most of the music, and  it just turned into that. I guess
    all of us are into bands  like Deicide, and Morbid Angel, and Six
    Feet Under at the moment, and maybe something different showed up
    in our  material at the time,  but I wouldn't say  there were any
    major influences. But  you're right in saying  that _The Avenger_
    was  somehow stepping  in  another direction,  and  I think  _The
    Crusher_ is perhaps  a more logical follow-up to  _Once Sent From
    the Golden Hall_ than _The  Avenger_ was. You're definitely right
    there, but as I say, it's difficult to say why _The Avenger_ came
    to be  that kind of  album. It just turned  out that way,  and we
    don't really try to force the songs in a certain way or anything,
    we just let them develop into whatever they become, and see where
    it leads us.

CoC: _Sorrow Throughout  the Nine  Worlds_ was a  really confidential
     release, but  it seems  that you've  gradually picked  up speed,
     especially since you've signed to Metal Blade, and _The Crusher_
     is really an album a lot of people are awaiting -- have you felt
     any pressure in this regard?

JH: Erm... not  so much from  the fans, actually, as  from ourselves,
    because we  didn't want to  let the band rest  for as long  as we
    did.  We  wanted to  release  something  pretty fast  after  _The
    Avenger_ -- of  course, one year and a half  is perhaps not fast,
    but it felt like working fast to  us. We really pushed it, and we
    actually were supposed  to record the album in  September, but we
    realised we  couldn't make it  pretty early  on, so we  moved our
    studio time  to November,  instead. But we  really wanted  to get
    going,  and since  _The Avenger_  got such  a quick  response for
    reviews and everything, we figured we had to be out there and get
    noticed for people to remember us  -- so that's what the pressure
    was about. I think, as you  said, since _Sorrow..._, we have been
    picked up by Metal Blade, and things have been moving faster. The
    only thing  is that unfortunately, we  had a bit of  bad luck, as
    the recording of _Sorrow..._ came out about one year too late. We
    would have  liked to release it  earlier, if we'd had  a contract
    back then. Then,  we had the problem with the  recording of _Once
    Sent From the Golden Hall_, that really set us back.

CoC: What happened with that, exactly?

JH: Definitely everything was wrong in that studio...

CoC: Where was it, Sunlight Studios?

JH: Yeah. I don't know where to  begin, but let's just say that there
    was one person  in there that was remotely interested  in doing a
    good  job for  us,  and that  was Fred  Estby,  the drummer  from
    Dismember. But unfortunately,  I don't think that at  the time he
    was really  qualified to run  a whole  recording -- at  the time,
    anyway, because I don't know how good he is now. So that's why it
    didn't really work out, everything  was really fucked up, whereas
    with _The Crusher_, everything went really smoothly.

CoC: There's a bonus  track featured on the CD, the  "Eyes of Horror"
     cover, which  has a lower  sound quality  than the rest  of _The
     Crusher_...

JH: It was  recorded in Das  Boot studios,  in Stockholm, a  bit more
    than a  year ago,  and the  reason we  did this  -- it's  a cover
    version  of  Possessed's  song,  obviously  --  is  that  we  got
    contacted by  some guy who was  going to make a  tribute album to
    Possessed, and he had contacted other bands like Cannibal Corpse,
    and blah blah blah, and he  asked us if we wanted to participate.
    And we  thought that Possessed  being a pretty legendary  band in
    the death metal  scene, that it would be good,  and that it would
    also be good for us to  be seen between albums, on this recording
    with other  people. So we  accepted to  do this, and  we recorded
    only for one day at Das Boot  studios, and of course, in one day,
    it's very  hard to  do a  good job with  people with  whom you've
    never worked  before, so I  guess that's  the main reason  why it
    didn't really turn out very well sound-wise. But still I think it
    works on that song, because although it sounds like a really crap
    sound, it fits the song pretty good, I think.

CoC: You said _The  Crusher_ is more of a logical  follow-up to _Once
     Sent From  the Golden  Hall_; is this  because you're  more into
     all-out death metal these days?

JH: I wouldn't say we're all into  death metal that much... All of us
    have  very different  influences,  it's very  different music  we
    listen to. At the moment, I  pretty much listen to Slayer and old
    Metallica, whereas Oli and Fredrik  are very much more into death
    metal, and Ted  as well. But they also listen  to black metal and
    stuff like  this. I would  say that  perhaps we've moved  back to
    what we've  always been doing,  in a sense  -- not that  I regret
    doing _The Avenger_, I think it's  a very good album, and I think
    we did the right thing to record it. It was good for us, and also
    it was  a wider range of  material to choose from.  So I wouldn't
    say we've stepped -back- to the  way we sounded before, it's just
    we made a new beginning with it.

CoC: As _The  Avenger_ sounds more "warlike"  to me than the  rest of
     your material, maybe it expressed the anger you felt at the time
     with the line-up changes, the recording issues -- it sounds like
     battle hymns to me.

JH: Yeah,  maybe that's  true... it's  very difficult  for us  to say
    ourselves.  We just  work with  the material,  and try  to create
    songs which we think reflect the  way we feel, you know? And when
    people read  into it, it's more  to the people that  listen to it
    than it is for us. I think that perhaps if you analyse it, you're
    pretty close to the truth --  perhaps it's not the line-up change
    in  itself that  pissed us  off as  much as  the trouble  we went
    through with the  recording of _Once Sent From  the Golden Hall_,
    which really upset  us. We were really pissed off  with that, you
    know, because it set us back nearly one year, which was of course
    not in our favour.

CoC: Did it actually make  you feel apprehensive about further studio
     recordings?

JH: In a  sense, we now  know that we don't  want to mess  around, so
    that's  why we  go to  Peter's studio  [Abyss]. We're  very, very
    sceptical about  trying out new studios.  What we will do  -- not
    that we're not satisfied with Peter's  studio -- but what we will
    try to  do, is record  some songs  in different studios,  and try
    some others out, because some day, we will have to change, or try
    something new. But then, maybe Peter's studio will work for us in
    the future as well, it depends on what we do!

CoC: Is there  any reason that you're  already considering switching?
     Maybe because so many bands  recording in the Abyss studios tend
     to have the same sound, nowadays?

JH: In  a way,  that's so...  but not  entirely, because  I think  we
    managed  to go  to Peter's  studio  and get  a pretty  individual
    sound, but  on the  other hand,  I think  every band  thinks they
    sound very  unique -- I don't  know, it's up to  the listeners to
    decide, but  I think  we have  found a sound  that suits  us very
    well.

CoC: Sure, _The Crusher_ has a really nice, powerful sound...

JH: Peter is a very good sound engineer, and the sound he created for
    us is  clean, but aggressive,  and he's  very good at  getting us
    that sound. But  as you said, a  lot of bands go  into the studio
    and have  the idea  that they  want to sound  like this  and this
    band, whereas we go in and say "we want the guitars to sound like
    they're dragging on the floor" --  you know, really raw, and shit
    --, and he  then turns the knobs until we're  satisfied. It takes
    more time, perhaps, but I think it's the best way to go about it.

CoC: How long did _The Crusher_ take to record?

JH: Uh... three  weeks --  two weeks recording  and one  week mixing.
    We've  worked really,  really  fast, and  everything went  really
    smoothly, also  because we feel  really comfortable in  the Abyss
    studios. We've been  there before, it's a nice  environment to be
    in, you can concentrate on the music full-time... because there's
    nothing  else there,  except the  forest, so  it's very  calm and
    soothing to  be there.  [Have a  look at  the interview  with The
    Forsaken below if you really want to confirm this. -- Pedro]

CoC: Okay, how did it feel shifting over from Opeth's Martin Lopez to
     Fredrik Andersson on  the drums? I read in an  interview that he
     was the drummer you always wanted for Amon Amarth...

JH: Yeah... When Nico,  our first drummer, left,  we were considering
    asking Fredde to play with us, but as it turned out, he was still
    with A  Canorous Quintet, so we  figured that we should  look for
    somebody else  first, and  see where  we could  get. In  fact, we
    never  really  had  a  chance  to start  looking  before  we  got
    contacted by Martin, so we decided  to try him out, and it worked
    out really well. Martin being a very good drummer and a very cool
    guy, we  decided to go  with him; of course,  it was sad  when he
    left, but it  turned out that when he left  the band, Fredrik was
    kind of in-between bands -- he  was playing with Guidance of Sin,
    but when we asked him, he  immediately said "yes". And I think he
    suits us better than Martin does.

CoC: I  actually felt  that on _The  Avenger_, Fredde's  drumming was
     very basic compared to Martin's technique...

JH: Exactly. The problem with Martin was  that we kind of had to hold
    him back.  He wanted to do  too much technical stuff,  and that's
    not really for us, as we're  a bit more straightforward than that
    -- and Fredrik's perfect for that.  I mean, Fredrik can do almost
    anything that Martin does -- when  we play the old songs live, he
    does the same  things as Martin did --, so  he's technical, but I
    think Fredrik  and Martin improvise  in different ways.  Still, I
    think Fredrik is a very good  drummer, and he suits the band very
    well.

CoC: Sure, that's actually something that struck me on _The Crusher_:
     I was a bit disappointed by his drumming on _The Avenger_, as it
     seemed kind  of uneventful compared  to Martin's, but  he's more
     than  made up  for  that  on _The  Crusher_;  his  drum work  is
     amazing.

JH: Yeah, I  think so too. The  biggest problem on _The  Avenger_ was
    that when Fredrik  joined the band, Martin had  already made most
    of the drum beats, but hadn't worked  on them as much as he would
    have if he'd stayed in the band. So when Fredrik got in the band,
    we mainly told  him "you should play like this"  -- end of story.
    So he did what we told him to do, and perhaps that was wrong, and
    perhaps not. We still had to tell  him how to go about the songs,
    as they were  already finished, but I think that  on the songs on
    _The  Avenger_  which  he  originally made  the  drums  for,  his
    drumming is better.

CoC: This is maybe why I get the recurring feeling that _The Avenger_
     is a transition album...

JH: Hmm, I don't know... We couldn't have lost our drummer at a worse
    time, because we were almost finished  with all the songs, and we
    had to find a drummer to go  into the studio, so he actually only
    had  a couple  of months  to learn  all the  songs, plus  help us
    create the last couple of songs.

CoC: How  easy is  it  changing musicians  up in  Sweden?  I get  the
     feeling that  there are a hell  of a lot of  metal musicians for
     only nine million inhabitants...

JH: There are  a lot of  musicians, true, but a  lot of them  play in
    several  bands.  We were  lucky,  actually,  because when  Martin
    joined Amon Amarth,  he'd just moved back from  Uruguay, where he
    lived with  his parents for six  or seven years, and  he needed a
    band to  play in. He had  heard of us  and had heard the  MCD, so
    when he saw  that we were looking for a  drummer, he contacted us
    and wanted to play with us, so... When we needed a new guitarist,
    we actually tried six or  seven guitarists that absolutely didn't
    fit, or couldn't  play the way we wanted, or  couldn't handle the
    difficult stuff.  It seems that a  lot of guitarists are  good at
    playing the stuff  they know -- "okay, we can  play Metallica, we
    can play blah blah blah" -- but when it comes to playing material
    you've never heard before, it's like a different story, you know.
    Luckily, we found Johan; he's an  old friend of Olli's and Ted's,
    from the neighbourhood where they  grew up, and he's been playing
    guitars  in  different  hobby  bands and  stuff,  nothing  really
    serious,  helping people  out  in other  bands  when they  needed
    something. As  it turned out, he'd  been wanting to play  with us
    for a while, but he never  said anything, and when Olli asked him
    if he wanted to try out with us, he was really fired up about it.
    And  he worked  out really  well; he's  a really  good guitarist,
    perhaps the best guitarist we have  in the band -- Olli will kill
    me for this! <laughs> Olli always says he's not a good guitarist,
    he just creates the riffs -- I think that's true. He can play the
    guitar, and he plays better than  he thinks he does, perhaps, but
    Johan is a more technical guitarist. Anyway, we've been fortunate
    in that way.

CoC: So you feel confident about your line-up, right now?

JH: I think  it's the  most stable  that we've  had during  the whole
    process of Amon Amarth, obviously, because it's been the same for
    two albums now. But when we  started out in 1992, it was actually
    after the band  Scum broke up, which lead to  us getting together
    and recruiting some  new members -- so it wasn't  all that stable
    to begin with.

CoC: Where did you get your name, Amon Amarth?

JH: It's  taken from  J.R.R.  Tolkien's novel  "Lord  of the  Rings",
    though it's  not in  the actual  book, "Lord of  the Rings"  -- I
    think it's in the book called "World of the Rings". It's mostly a
    description of the  world and the people who  live there. Tolkien
    was a language professor, as you perhaps know, and he created his
    own languages;  and in  one of these  languages he  created, Amon
    Amarth means "mountain of doom". So that's where it's taken from.

CoC: Amon Amarth's endemic feature is  the really strong Viking image
     that goes  with all your releases,  so I'd like to  know to what
     extent you live this in your daily life?

JH: I don't go around with axes and swords, and shit like that, and I
    don't sacrifice  in blood everyday,  and stuff like that  -- it's
    just the mentality of the Viking people. The main thing, I think,
    about the Viking  people, is they had integrity,  they had honour
    and they were  honest to each other. Of course  there are lots of
    stories of deception and everything,  but they were always mainly
    truthful, and I try to live this, and it's something which has of
    course affected me in the way I live my life.

CoC: So it's mostly about ethics?

JH: Mainly, yeah.  I mean, I  sort of believe  in the gods  you might
    say, but on the other hand  I don't, because I'm too rational and
    logical for that, unfortunately. I rather believe in the sense of
    the gods, in what they represent.

CoC: Bathory were  the first band  to produce this Viking  image, and
     since then,  it's been massively  overused in time. What  do you
     think of the other tentatively "Viking metal" bands out there?

JH: I  don't  know, I  think  it's  okay...  We're  all part  of  the
    heritage, you  know, so  why not?  I write my  views on  it, they
    write  theirs, and  basically  I don't  think  there's that  much
    difference between our points of view, in general.

CoC: What do you think of Enslaved, for instance?

JH: I haven't heard the last album, but they had an album a couple of
    years ago,  which was called  _Frost_, right? I thought  that was
    pretty good.

CoC: Hmm. That's a -long- time ago!

JH: Yeah! <we laugh> I haven't  really followed them, but it's a band
    that I respect, they've been around for a while.

CoC: Have you spotted any other bands worthy of interest?

JH: Well, I would have to say that  one of the newer bands that I was
    really surprised with was The Crown -- I really got into _Hell Is
    Here_  [CoC  #36].  It's  a  great  album,  and  the  new  album,
    _Deathrace  King_ [CoC  #47], is  also great.  I was  also a  bit
    impressed by God Dethroned's  last album [_Bloody Blasphemy_, CoC
    #41 -- David], but I haven't heard the new one. The thing is that
    I work so  much with music, that  I find it hard to  buy new CDs,
    and CDs are  so expensive that you can't really  afford to take a
    chance.  It may  seem strange  that I  mentioned two  Metal Blade
    bands right away, but it's just that  I get so much from here for
    free, that I have the opportunity to listen to Metal Blade bands.
    And I  can't say that  every band I hear  from here is  good, but
    those two  are new stuff that  really impressed me a  lot. But to
    mention a band that's not on  Metal Blade, I started listening to
    Behemoth's _Satanica_ [CoC #43], and I think that's great album.

CoC: Sure! Okay, last words are yours, Johan!

JH: I would  like to say to  all our fans and friends  that we'll see
    you on tour, and buy the album! And uh... "salut"!

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

         F O R S A K E N   B U T   N O T   F O R G O T T E N
         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
           CoC interviews Nicke Grabowski of The Forsaken
                          by: Pedro Azevedo


While I  am not planning to  elect The Forsaken's debut  _Manifest of
Hate_ [CoC #52] as my favourite  album of the year, I am nevertheless
sure  that by  the end  of this  year it  will have  been one  of the
records that I spun the most -- if not -the- one. The reason for that
is very simple:  _Manifest of Hate_ is an unpretentious  slab of pure
metallic enjoyment in  the Swedish death vein,  written and performed
by a  very skilled and  determined band,  and well produced  to boot.
_MoH_ is not just another record in the crowded Swedish scene, simply
because  The Forsaken  have  done  a stellar  job  in gathering  much
of  what makes  brutal,  yet  melodic, Swedish  death  metal so  damn
enjoyable. Here is  what the band's talented  drummer Nicke Grabowski
had to say.

CoC: Having your debut  disc released by a label the  size of Century
     Media is not  something that happens to too many  bands. What do
     you think made this possible for you?

Nicke Grabowski: I do not know for sure,  I have not thought about it
                 that much  before. We  received several  offers from
                 both "small" and "big" labels, so I can only imagine
                 that the  demo we  posted was very  well appreciated
                 and maybe it was just  what many labels were looking
                 for at  that moment.  Musically, I  think we  have a
                 really brutal  sound, but  still clear  and melodic.
                 Maybe that  was one of  the things that  appealed to
                 the labels. I think that one of the important things
                 about the  demo was that  we paid a little  extra to
                 record the  demo in  The Abyss with  Tommy Tagtgren!
                 Together we produced  a very punchy and  a big sound
                 on the  _Reaper_ demo.  I think  that when  you have
                 a  very  high  standard,  and  a  very  professional
                 sound that  represents the music, then  you get your
                 music to  a higher level,  which makes it  much more
                 interesting  for  everyone  that listens  to  it.  A
                 crappy  sound can  be  fatal to  a band's  material,
                 especially when you play death  metal -- as it tends
                 to  be really  blurry  with  low-tuned guitars.  For
                 example,  if  a  demo  band  with  high  performance
                 skills and  really good songs would  record a really
                 crappy-sounding demo, then it  would probably not be
                 as interesting as it might  have been, and maybe the
                 labels that  receive a  demo from  a band  with that
                 kind of production and great potential just throw it
                 away. I recommend that  every band that has thoughts
                 of recording a demo should  check if they can afford
                 to  record  in  a  professional  studio  instead  of
                 choosing one that only want  to "rip off" bands (for
                 less money, but still money) with no interest and no
                 knowledge of the music. Not  that I think that -all-
                 "small" studios  are like  that; they have  to begin
                 and learn  as everyone else,  but in Sweden  we have
                 lots  of studios  that book  bands just  to get  the
                 money,  even  if they  lack  interest  in the  music
                 that  the band  performs, no  matter what  it sounds
                 like. That  is pretty  clear if you  think of  it, a
                 "pop-engineer" would probably not  do his best for a
                 metal band.

CoC: Are you  glad to  be on  Century Media,  considering it  isn't a
     label  that people  tend to  associate  too much  with the  more
     extreme side of metal these days?

NG: I think their  roster is very mixed with all  kinds of metal, and
    that is one of the good things  with Century Media. If a label is
    too deep  into only one part  of the huge metal  scene, the label
    might end up in a dark corner. Being open-minded always opens new
    doors  and  new  channels  to  explore.  It  is  like  that  with
    everything all  of us do; if  you close your mind,  you only know
    the  small things  that surround  you  and you  never see  things
    outside the  locked door. The metal  scene has changed a  lot and
    many metalheads now  listen to more than just one  kind of metal,
    and that is another important aspect of why labels should be more
    open: to have different kinds of metal under their wings. Century
    Media has  been very good  for us and we  are proud to  share the
    same label  with many  of the  great bands  they have.  One other
    thing is that  they are one of  the big names on  the market, and
    that is good for us; they are respected in the music business and
    their trademark is well known  for releasing quality music. For a
    new band like us,  it is very good to have  the opportunity to be
    signed with a  label like Century Media. It is  easier and you do
    not have  to find all the  contacts by yourself; you  are able to
    concentrate on the music rather  than doing the promotion, or the
    huge work to  get a name known on the  market yourself. And there
    are never any problems when  it comes to economic situations. But
    we had big  discussions about which label to sign  to, because we
    thought that signing to a big  label like Century Media would put
    us in a very bad situation, being a very low priority for our own
    label. Of  course, I  understand that  they put  down a  lot more
    effort on a band like Iced Earth, but we did not want to be under
    a pile of papers waiting for  someone at the label to notice that
    "oh, we have The Forsaken as well, I wonder if they have material
    for a  new album  -- hey,  that was three  years ago!",  and then
    having a contract for like seven  albums that we could not break.
    Well, they proved  themselves to us, and we were  wrong. For some
    reason everything has been very satisfying, I wonder if we should
    be suspicious!?

CoC: In my opinion, _Manifest of  Hate_ is a markedly -Swedish- death
     metal album,  in the best  sense of the  word. I think  you have
     done  a  very  good  job  in creating  a  record  which  is  not
     revolutionary, but  rather a superb  example of a  certain metal
     genre. What bands do you feel closer to in terms of inspiration?

NG: A question that is hard to answer, because all of us listen to so
    many different kinds of metal. What  you can hear on the album is
    a mix  of everything that you  can think of. Impressions  that go
    through and circle around us from all kinds of music is something
    closer to where we get our inspiration from, rather than just one
    or a few bands.  I think you can hear that on  the album; we have
    brutal riffing close to old-school Swedish death metal and to the
    American  style of  death.  Within these  influences  we mix  the
    melodic elements of the more modern  style of death metal. I also
    think  that  we  have  a  more heavy  metal  sound  on  the  solo
    arrangements than most other death  metal bands (but really, that
    question is  for the guitarists  -- I  am "only" the  drummer). I
    think every band  has problems with this issue,  you know, trying
    to say  that our band sounds  like this or like  that band! Every
    band  tries to  write  their  own music  with  their own  special
    presence and appearance,  at least I hope so! Or  at least a band
    wants to create something unique that belongs in their genre.

CoC: And what do  you think can make The Forsaken  stand out from the
     Swedish scene as one of its greatest exponents?

NG: I think that the mix I  mentioned before is one of The Forsaken's
    most important  elements. I think  that on _Manifest of  Hate_ we
    show the  beginning of  what the  band will  become. We  are very
    proud of  the album and  I personally think  that it is  close to
    many other bands -- as you said, not revolutionary -- but I still
    think that we  have come up with  a style that suits  us and that
    you can  hear; this is  The Forsaken. That  you can hear  our own
    style is  pretty much something that  I think makes us  stand out
    from  the rest  of the  Swedish  bands. Not  that I  think we  do
    not  have any  good bands,  because  we really  do: The  Haunted,
    Darkane, Evergrey, Vomitory, Abyssos, Ominous, Soilwork, Spawn of
    Possession  and Carnal  Forge, just  to  mention a  few, are  all
    really great!

CoC: Indeed, despite being  firmly rooted in the  Swedish death metal
     scene,  you still  prove to  have your  own individual  style on
     _MoH_. What  can we expect from  the evolution of your  sound in
     the near future?

NG: At the moment, we are in the progress of writing material for the
    next album, which will be recorded in December. We have completed
    four songs  so far, and as  far as things have  proceeded you can
    expect the album to be a little different without changing who we
    are. I  think the  new material  is darker  and more  brutal, but
    still melodic. We  still have the mix of death  and thrash metal,
    but I  think the  main thing  that has been  changed is  that the
    songs  are a  little  bit  shorter than  on  _MoH_  and that  the
    melodies have more  thrash elements and are more  evil. You know,
    we want to  develop our sound and explore the  grounds we entered
    on _MoH_ without losing our own style.  But as we still are in an
    early phase  of the writing  progress, it is  hard for me  to say
    exactly how the album will turn  out to sound like. But expect it
    to be killer!

CoC: What else can you tell us about the follow-up to _MoH_?

NG: Other than what  I already told you, we will  use the same artist
    that did the cover for _MoH_.  Mike Bohatch is an incredible guy,
    and I  think his  kind of  artwork suits  us perfectly.  Both the
    music  and the  lyrics  are  very well  in  hand  with his  ideas
    and  thoughts. Check  his artwork  out on  www.eyes-of-chaos.com!
    Another thing is  that Lord Rhen from Abyssos  will write another
    mid-section track for the album. It will not be like "Manifest of
    Hate" on the _MoH_ album; we will work with him on something that
    is written to  fit with our setting,  and it will not  be just an
    instrumental track with choirs and  orchestra only. You guys will
    have to see how it will sound like when the album is released!

CoC: One of the things I liked about _MoH_ was that your drumming was
     quite distinctive  and involved, besides powerful.  I especially
     enjoy  the  beginning of  "Soulshade"  and  the "Truth  of  God"
     pre-chorus sequence. Any passages  in _MoH_ you are particularly
     fond of, drumming or otherwise?

NG: Thanks a  lot for  those words.  It is always  cool to  hear when
    people think that the drums  are well written and involving. Then
    I know that all the hours  of blood and sweat are being rewarded.
    I like  almost everything on  the album; there are  always things
    you  know you  could have  done  better, but  all in  all we  are
    satisfied with everything. Some of my favorite parts on the album
    are the introduction on  "Collector of Thoughts" and "Dehumanized
    Perspective" -- really brutal and pounding. I also think that the
    mid-section parts of "Inseminated by  the Beast" and the solos on
    that song are  really intricate. Another one that I  think is the
    best song on the album is "Seers Hatred": there you can find lots
    of passages and sequences that are really cool.

CoC: According to  the _MoH_ booklet,  your singer -- whose  vocals I
     thought were very  good -- appears courtesy of  Holy Records. Is
     he not a full-time band member, then?

NG: Yeah, his  vocal abilities are  really powerful, especially  in a
    live situation. I  think he is in his best  shape on stage, where
    he can be more  live with the music. He is  a full-time member of
    the band and  he has been since 1998, when  the first singer went
    out  of the  picture.  The reason  why it  says  that he  appears
    courtesy of Holy  Records is that he is also  a member of Ominous
    and therefore is  bound to another contract as well.  That is the
    only reason!

CoC: You recorded with Tommy Tagtgren  at Abyss Studio. Do you reckon
     the Abyss is too  busy for its own good these  days, in terms of
     having become  too expensive  or its sound  too generic  with so
     many bands recording  there, or do you plan to  go back for your
     next album?

NG: Yes, we recorded the album at the Abyss Studio with Tommy, and we
    will be back in the Abyss for  the next album as well. The reason
    why we  choose him is  that we know each  other very well  and he
    knows  what kind  of sound  we are  after. It  is a  very natural
    choice for  us, and it  is a really relaxed  place to work  on an
    album. In  the middle of the  forest in the middle  of nowhere...
    <laughs> really,  it is! The  good thing  about that is  that you
    only have the music to concern yourself with, whereas if you were
    recording in a studio in a  big city, you have, for example, lots
    of pubs to attend to... But I do not think that they are too busy
    for their own good. People I talk to always say that because they
    record so  many albums up there,  the bands tend to  sound pretty
    similar  sound-wise.  But  I  think  that  is  up  to  the  bands
    themselves. If  a band goes up  there and do not  know what sound
    they want  or what is the  sound that suits their  music, then of
    course  the  technician  will  produce the  album  with  his  own
    personal style.

CoC: Being signed to Century Media  will probably give you the chance
     to tour a lot more than if you were on a smaller label. How's it
     been going  in the  live front  so far? Any  plans for  the near
     future?

NG: The near future will be busy at the rehearsal studio to write new
    material, and therefore  we are not looking for any  shows at the
    moment. But if any gigs come up, then we will be there, molesting
    the stage. About the touring, well, one week after the release of
    the album  we were out  on a three  week long European  tour with
    Nile, The  Haunted and Carnal  Forge. [<groan> -- Pedro]  When we
    came home,  Century Media called us  up and asked us  if we could
    join  the Marduk  tour that  reigned in  countries that  were not
    covered by the  Nile tour. We were not able  to join that because
    of our job situations  -- who ever said it is easy  to be a death
    metal musician?! With these things in  mind, I must say that they
    really want to get their bands  out on the roads. That is another
    good thing  to say about  Century Media,  as touring is  what you
    want to do, one of the absolute best things!

CoC: That's it... any final words from The Forsaken?

NG: Yeah,  thanks for  the  interview  and thanks  to  all those  who
    support us, and the whole scene. I hope that I will be seeing you
    on tour sometime  next year! Remember to swing the  fist and bang
    your heads, and let the metal rain -- cheerz!

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             T H E   G E N E S I S   O F   T H E   E N D
             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
         CoC interviews Andreas Katsambas of The End Records
                           by: Aaron McKay


Many  times things  remain  an enigma  that would  be  of the  utmost
interest to people would they have known about it. For instance, have
you or someone  you've known ever held a position  in a company where
an  advancement opportunity  comes  along? Subsequently,  the job  is
filled before you  even know about it, but you  would have applied if
given the chance.  The End Records is something like  that in the way
they are an untapped precious music resource for anyone's use. As you
will  bear witness  to  in this  interview with  one  of the  label's
originators, Andreas Katsambas, this company has a unique history and
a rare talent  for non-duplication of a band's sound  that happens to
already  be  signed  to  The  End.  Progressive  and  most  certainly
forward-thinking,  Andreas is  also a  benevolent sort  the likes  of
which is rarely seen. Enjoy this e-mail interview with Mr. Katsambas,
whose energy and passion for  his business ultimately knows no limits
in The End.

CoC: When The End  put out the compilation _White:  Nightmares in the
     End_ release,  there is a nice  history of the label  inside the
     cover.  For those  readers  who  do not  have  the  CD in  their
     collection, could you tell us a bit about the history of The End
     and Sergey Makhotin?

Andreas Katsambas: Yes,   the  _White_  compilation  was  our  second
                   compilation release. The first one, _Until the End
                   of Time_, was released the second month we started
                   as a label  as a means to create  an awareness for
                   the label and  our bands at the  time. The _White_
                   compilation was released in the summer of 1999 and
                   for me  it was  the point  that marked  the second
                   wave of  the label.  The first wave  was to  get a
                   name and  become established and the  second was a
                   step  up where  we would  show everybody  that now
                   that we are  here, this is what we  have to offer.
                   So  I  decided  in  the booklet  of  the  comp  to
                   explain  who we  are as  a label,  how and  why we
                   signed our  bands and what  are the plans  for the
                   future.  I  will  try  and  sum it  up  in  a  few
                   words: The  End had  its first release  in January
                   of  1998. It  started  between  myself and  Sergey
                   Makhotkin,  whom I've  known  since college.  Both
                   of  us  really  liked  metal music  and  after  we
                   came  across  some  amazing unsigned  bands,  i.e.
                   Mental Home, Nokturnal Mortum, Odes of Ecstasy and
                   Sculptured, we decided to  start a small label and
                   help them out. It actually  started as a hobby but
                   it kept  getting more  and more serious.  Our goal
                   from the beginning was  to release music we really
                   liked  and work  with bands  with strong  artistic
                   skills. Plus we make sure  that every band we sign
                   sounds different from what  we already have. If we
                   have  a  band  like  Nokturnal  Mortum,  there  is
                   absolutely no  reason to  sign a band  that sounds
                   like them.  I can even  proudly say that  even the
                   bands  themselves try  to  do something  different
                   with  each of  their releases.  And while  we work
                   very closely  with our bands, we  allow them total
                   freedom and tend to work around their schedule. So
                   after  three years  we are  still around  and with
                   every release  we are  we hope  to make  our small
                   mark to  the scene. We now  do more advertisements
                   and promotion than ever plus  we also work the new
                   releases with  outside promoters, i.e. we  use The
                   Syndicate for  all our  radio promotion.  And this
                   year we have actually  added another person, Tomer
                   Pink, to our staff  who handles the mail-order and
                   distribution.

CoC: I  know that most know  the compilation as _White_.  How did the
     subtitle, "Nightmares in the End", come into being?

AK: With the compilation  and our newsletter we always try  to have a
    title that contains  the words "The End". For  example, the first
    compilation was  entitled _Until the  End of Time_.  In addition,
    the _White_  comp came with  a very  basic cover (the  reason was
    that we wanted people to buy  it for the music itself and nothing
    else), and thus we wanted a title that kind of gave a hint of the
    kind of music that was featured  inside. At the same time we like
    to use contradictory terms  or non-conforming effects. Inside the
    booklet we wrote  a story on why we called  the album _White_ and
    the last sentence may hint that The End is a very serene state of
    being, but then  album title adheres the  exact opposite meaning,
    which is, expect nightmares in the end. And obviously the layouts
    are all  white and minimalist while  the music is truly  dark and
    quite complex.

CoC: It seems to  me that The End  is filling a key  gap in providing
     music to  the world from places  like the Ukraine. Do  you agree
     and if so, why is that?

AK: I  guess  we  would  sign  a band  regardless  on  their  origin.
    Considering  the  small  size  of  the label,  we  are  quite  an
    international group of individuals.  I'm from Cyprus, Sergey from
    Russia,  Tomer  from  Israel  and we  have  bands  from  Ukraine,
    Norway, USA, Greece, Czech Republic,  Australia, etc. To us, what
    matters mostly  is the quality  of the  music, and only  then the
    country they  are coming from.  And with the internet  and recent
    technological  revolutions we  have the  capability to  deal with
    bands from anywhere in the world. Once, the Mental Home master CD
    got lost  in the  mail and  in order to  meet the  deadlines they
    actually transferred the sound files over the internet!

CoC: Do you feel that having roots  from Greece has given you and The
     End a unique perspective on metal?

AK: I am sure it had a strong effect in shaping up my musical tastes.
    I  was taught  to appreciate  classic art  and I  am also  deeply
    inspired by  ancient Greek mythology.  Maybe that's what  gave me
    the drive to always search for  the artistic, the dark and tragic
    in music.  Also, I cannot stand  shallow music. It has  to have a
    really deep meaning and strong inspiration to capture me.

CoC: You and  Sakis from  Rotting  Christ  are  pretty good  friends,
     aren't you?

AK: Yes, we  know each other  for a while now.  Last time we  met was
    actually at the Milwaukee MetalFest  a few years ago, although he
    calls me every now and then and we also correspond via e-mail. He
    is one  of the few  Greek musicians I  kept contact with.  I hope
    they tour the US soon again, as I like their live shows.

CoC: The  End has some type  of working agreement with  Century Media
     for distribution, correct? If so, how is that working out?

AK: Century Media did license one of our albums, which was the latest
    Mental Home, _Upon  the Shore of Inner Seas_.  Besides that, they
    carry  our titles  through  their mail-order.  We  also had  some
    releases  licensed to  other  labels in  Europe, i.e.,  Nokturnal
    Mortum to Nuclear Blast, etc. But other than that, we are a small
    self-financed underground label.

CoC: Andreas, I know that you are  also a writer for the magazine Ill
     Literature, so interviewing  is nothing new to you.  Is this the
     first time you, personally, have been interviewed?

AK: I get  interview requests quite often.  Overall, I try to  keep a
    low profile  on the label  and work  more on promoting  the bands
    instead, but it  seems that people do want to  know what is going
    on with The End and how it started. I guess people think of us as
    an unusual label with unusual releases and want to know about it.
    That was actually the reason I wrote the story which was included
    within the White  comp. I started getting too  many questions and
    thus  wrote  a  general  bio  of the  label.  And  while  it  was
    informative,  it actually  sparked  numerous  new questions  from
    people! <laughs>

CoC: In your  experience, have you had success in  dealing with other
     labels, press people, and bands?

AK: Just like any  other industry you have to deal  with all kinds of
    people  in  various  aspects  of the  business.  One  thing  that
    separates  the  metal  scene  is  that you  can  deal  with  very
    good  professionals (i.e.  a major  magazine, press  plant) to  a
    high-school  student that  runs a  fanzine or  has a  radio show.
    Plus, since I am also a  metal fan, in many conversations I blend
    business with  various other  music topics and  most of  the time
    it's  just  friendly conversations.  Overall  we  have very  good
    relationships with everyone  else. My top priority  though is the
    well-being of our bands. Since they trusted us with their music I
    want to make sure we keep up to the task.

CoC: Speaking of that, one of the best pieces I remember you doing is
     one with Septic Flesh and, of course, the Slayer interview where
     you  had the  -whole- band  there in  person for  a face-to-face
     intie. Do  you have a favorite  review or an interview  that you
     done previously?

AK: My favorite interview is by far the one with Slayer. I drove with
    Marco  Barbieri [editor  of  Ill Literature]  to their  rehearsal
    studio in Anaheim, and as Kerry King was late we just had various
    other  conversations  with the  rest  of  the members.  Then  the
    interview was with the whole band and right after that they did a
    rehearsal of  their live set.  As it  was the night  before their
    show, they played the whole set exactly as they do on stage and I
    was quite overwhelmed.  Slayer is my top metal band  and it was a
    dream-come-true getting to  meet them in person, let  along do an
    interview with them. In regards  to phone interviews, my favorite
    was with Garm. Not only has  he released some of the most amazing
    albums  of the  '90s (Arcturus,  Ulver,  etc.), he  is also  very
    intelligent and he gave very thoughtful answers.

CoC: Heaven knows  you have  helped me  with some  intricate computer
     questions I have had in the past.  It truly seems to me that you
     are very good with programs and the internet, among other things
     computer related. Is this a hobby  turned into a passion or just
     a gift you possess?

AK: Yes, it started  as hobby, as I never took  any computer courses.
    It seems  that metal  and computers  were my  main hobbies  and I
    consider myself quite fortunate  that my main occupation involves
    both.  My first  ever  computer related  full-time  job was  with
    Century  Media and  at the  moment I  maintain their  website and
    computer administration.  Sometimes it  can get a  bit stressful,
    but I like it as it  is challenging and it is constantly evolving
    with new technologies and concepts.

CoC: Turning things  back to  bands you  are associated  with, unlike
     some other labels, The End seems  to have a very wide variety of
     metal  signed with  you.  For instance,  the  subdued sounds  of
     Agalloch  to  the  elaborate  efforts  of  Mental  Home  to  the
     concentrated material  of Mistigo Varggoth Darkestra.  Is this a
     conscious effort  on the label's  part to strive  from something
     diverse or unique?

AK: Yes, we always  look to sign unique bands. We  have a few beliefs
    that we stick quite strongly to them and look after in each band.
    Of course, we have to really like  their music and see them as an
    evolving band with potential to grow and offer unique releases to
    the scene.  We also try to  sign bands that sound  different from
    the ones  we already carry.  And we  really like bands  that work
    around  dark  melodic angles  and  manage  to successfully  blend
    various styles of music.

CoC: Tell  me, if you  would, a little bit  about one of  my favorite
     groups: Epoch of Unlight! How did they come to be on The End?

AK: We actually  signed the band in  November of 1997 before  we even
    registered as a company. We  got their promo from Marco Barbieri,
    who at  the time also  wrote for Metal  Maniacs, and said  he was
    very impressed by  their demo. We checked it out  and we liked it
    very  much! When  we  actually  contacted the  band  they were  a
    bit  skeptical  since  they  previously had  some  really  bitter
    experiences  with other  labels.  But after  a few  conversations
    things got  much better and  we signed  them up. Since  then they
    have recorded two albums with us and we have also managed to help
    them go on  a national tour with Samael and  Dimmu Borgir! What's
    interesting though  is that people  ask me  why we signed  a band
    like Epoch of Unlight as they are a more traditional extreme band
    while we tend to go with somewhat more bizarre sounding acts. The
    fact though is  that I define a band that  pushes their limits to
    create something  new and different.  You can listen to  any song
    from the new album and it  sounds unorthodox and unlike any other
    band.  There are  so many  death metal  bands today  that lack  a
    distinct  sound. But  you can  play me  two seconds  of Epoch  OF
    Unlight and  I will pick  it up right  away. They have  their own
    style and  are very talented.  Actually, someone summed it  up in
    one short  sentence: "Epoch  of Unlight  are an  avantgarde band;
    just like  your other band,  Sculptured, but just  more extreme".
    So, they are  perfect for us. Plus I grew  up listening to thrash
    and Epoch of Unlight manage to revive some of that past glory!

CoC: In  more than  one form,  is seems  like Nokturnal  Mortum is  a
     relatively prolific band  cranking out quite a  bit of material.
     Do you think this the case, as well, and can you give us some of
     the finer details of this consequential group?

AK: I think it  more of a matter  for us to get caught  up with their
    releases.  When we  released _Goat  Horns_ [their  second album],
    they were actually done with the next  one. So in 1998 we put out
    _Goat Horns_, in 1999 _To the Gates of Blasphemous Fire_, in 2000
    _Nechrist_ and  very recently  their first album  _Lunar Poetry_.
    They haven't  recorded a new  album for  about two years  now, as
    they are busy  with their side-projects and  Varggoth started his
    own small  label. Next year  they will  celebrate ten years  as a
    band and Vargotth suggested releasing  a box set with cover songs
    and other  unreleased material.  Since my communication  with the
    band is  sporadic, I  don't know  of any  latest details.  But it
    seems that  with every  release they  keep getting  more extreme,
    both musically and lyrically. They are fully following the primal
    black metal concepts of  staying as controversial and underground
    as possible.

CoC: What is  next for  The End?  Any new  signings?  New  efforts by
     stable bands on the label?

AK: We actually  have a lot of  things going on. We  just signed four
    new  bands,  each  from  a different  continent.  Here  are  some
    updates. Agalloch have just released  an MCD, _Of Stone, Wind and
    Pillor_, with five songs, and  are now working on their sophomore
    release.  They will  enter  the studio  in  September, but  don't
    expect to finish the recordings  until maybe December. Soon after
    that,  Sculptured will  enter the  studio to  record their  third
    album, and according  to Don [Anderson, vocals  and guitars] they
    will continue their truly unique sound. Scholomance just finished
    their second album, _The Immortality  Murder_. The album is a lot
    more complex and powerful then the debut and it will take many by
    surprise. It  will actually come  as a  double CD. The  second CD
    will  include  five songs  in  an  instrumental form  plus  seven
    additional piano interludes! In regards  to our new acts, we have
    signed the following. Green Carnation from Norway, who are in the
    studio recording  their second  album, which will  be a  one song
    album at 60 minutes. They will include saxophones, church organs,
    classical music and choirs among other elements. Another new band
    is Ninth  Level from  San Diego.  Imagine a  wide range  of death
    metal, dark progressive  rock and experimental jazz,  and you may
    get an idea of what to expect from them. The plan is to enter the
    studio late in the fall. Sleepless is from Israel and is going to
    be  our least-metal  band.  Still very  dark  and artistic,  they
    remind me of a more underground  version of Pink Floyd. The album
    is recorded and  will go for printing soon. Virgin  Black is from
    Australia. They  create a  truly dark but  very diverse  sound as
    they can  deliver black metal and  lounge piano music all  in one
    song. I guess this covers it  in a few words. More information is
    available on our site: www.theendrecords.com

CoC: Finally, will  we see  you at  The End  booth  at  the Milwaukee
     MetalFest this August?

AK: Tomer and  Sergey will take  care of The  End table and  Epoch of
    Unlight are already  scheduled to play. I will  actually be there
    only  on Friday,  as I  am then  flying to  San Francisco  to the
    Thrash  of the  Titans. There  are too  many great  bands playing
    there and I just cannot lose such a great opportunity. But anyone
    please pass  by our  table to say  hello and we  will be  able to
    answer any questions  you may have. Thanks for  the great support
    and all the best!

Contact: http://www.theendrecords.com

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                 A N   U N L I G H T L Y   S T O R Y
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     CoC chats with Tino LoSicco of Tennessee's Epoch of Unlight
                          by: Paul Schwarz


All I gotta  say is: they ain't  a black metal band  and their latest
album, _Caught  in the Unlight_ [CoC  #52], sounds like Carcass  in a
very odd  but not unpleasant way.  I hope this e-mail  interview with
drummer Tino LoSicco will be to the liking of some of you.

CoC: When did  Epoch of Unlight form,  and what was (and  is now) the
     idea behind  the band: what  are you  here on the  extreme music
     scene -for-?

Tino LoSicco: The band  has existed in various  forms under different
              names  since 1990,  but it  wasn't until  1994 that  we
              officially decided  upon the name Epoch  of Unlight. In
              essence, we  are here to  write and play music  that we
              would enjoy listening to. We've been doing this for far
              too  long to  expect to  make any  kind of  substantial
              living  off of  it, so  we continue  to do  it for  the
              personal satisfaction it brings.

CoC: Your latest release _Caught in  the Unlight_ brings the sound of
     Carcass to  mind; yet I  wouldn't say you actually  sounded like
     Carcass. How  would you  characterise the  sound of  this latest
     release?

TL: First off,  thanks for  the Carcass  reference. They  have always
    been  a personal  favorite of  all the  guys in  the band  and we
    definitely appreciate the  mention. I think the  first thing that
    will stand out  on the new CD  is the production. In  the past we
    have been  limited to working with  guys in the studio  that have
    had no experience recording this type  of music. This time we had
    the opportunity  to work  with an experienced  recording engineer
    (Keith Falgout) that basically knew  how to record a metal album.
    The guitar sound is much thicker  and the drum production is very
    deep and natural sounding. This was especially important to me on
    this release  because we have some  of the fastest songs  we have
    ever written on this album.

CoC: How  would you say it  differs from previous releases  in sound,
     lyrical content, and song structures?

TL: The music still has a  strong melodic/thrashy component to it. (I
    think the fact that we all grew up listening to '80s thrash metal
    should be a bit more apparent on this release!) The vocals should
    be  noticeably different.  With the  exception of  a few  backing
    vocals  by  Ben Falgoust  (Soilent  Green  and GoatWhore),  Jason
    handled all of the vocals this time. The lyrics were focused on a
    central theme based on an  original story rather than being based
    loosely on  the collective works  of a single author.  Overall we
    are much happier with this release  than the last. The writing on
    this album has matured. The songs  are built around a melody that
    makes  the songs  seem to  flow more  consistently from  start to
    finish. Also, the longer the band has played together the tighter
    the band has gotten overall. The overall intensity on this record
    has increased as well.

CoC: If  you wished to  place a label  on your band,  or put it  in a
     genre category, what would either be?

TL: I have gotten into so  many pointless discussions over what genre
    we belong  in that I  try to avoid  the topic. There  is -always-
    someone that  disagrees with the  classification of the  band. We
    listen,  and  are therefore  influenced,  by  bands from  varying
    categories of metal. I guess if I had to apply some sort of tag I
    would describe us as  thrashy, black-influenced death metal (with
    a hint of melody). I think that just about covers it!

CoC: Do you consider yourselves to be representing any regional scene
     within the US, or to be representing US metal / extreme music on
     the international scene? Or do you do not see things that way?

TL: Unfortunately, there is  no real regional scene of  any sort near
    us in Tennessee.  There are a few good extreme  bands that aren't
    located too far  away from us like Fallen Empire  in Arkansas and
    GoatWhore in Louisiana.  At best I would say we  try to stand out
    in comparison with  other US bands just for the  fact that brutal
    death metal seems  to be more prevalent on this  side of the pond
    as opposed to any kind of aggressive music with melody.

CoC: Do your aspirations for Epoch  of Unlight in terms of popularity
     reach beyond the international underground scene?

TL: Of course  it does.  We would  never have  worked with  an actual
    record label if  we didn't want our  music to get out  to as many
    people as possible.

CoC: What is the focus of  the lyrics contained within _Caught in the
     Unlight_?

TL: I'm basically  just a  big fan of  science fiction,  fantasy, and
    horror, so I drew upon this  as a source of inspiration for album
    lyrics.  There  is an  underlying  story  that is  carried  forth
    throughout  the CD's  duration.  It is  about  someone that  gets
    caught in  the Unlight.  The album is  a brief  introduction into
    this sort  of purgatory/void containing  the Unlight is  and what
    the  character  experiences.  The protagonist  wanted  access  to
    something that he did  not completely understand and subsequently
    becomes stuck in it. The Unlight,  which was thought to be only a
    portal between  universes, is actually  a sentient being  that is
    slowly encompassing all of  the cosmic infinities... every world,
    land, space  and time. It  is, by will  alone, a being  of sorts.
    (Kind of like a multi-cosmic  malevolence... to borrow a phrase.)
    The individual that is in it is  now being used in the Unlight to
    achieve  its goals.  Every time  he  passes through  a portal  he
    enters a  different time, land or  space. In each place  he has a
    different role, such as sage,  warrior, slave, etc. Often when he
    is drifting  though the  void (before  he is cast  down to  a new
    plane of existence), the Unlight taunts him by showing him scenes
    through doors only it can open...  scenes of life, scenes of man,
    and ultimately scenes unobtainable to the lone traveller.

CoC: What does  the cover of _Caught in the  Unlight_ represent? Does
     it fit in with the lyrics?

TL: The concept  of the cover art  fits with the underlying  story on
    the  new CD.  The figure  on  the cover  represents a  struggling
    warrior caught in a foreign/alien environment.

CoC: If  the  next  Epoch  of  Unlight  album  sounded  exceptionally
     different from _Caught in the  Unlight_, would it be because you
     sold out,  or is  the possibility for  change within  the band's
     sound  and style  broad enough  to incorporate  whatever musical
     change you might choose to put into action?

TL: As I said  before, we write and play what  we enjoy listening to.
    Considering we have been listening to  music like this for over a
    decade, I would  not expect any radical changes in  our style any
    time soon. The focus on  the combination of intensity with melody
    will always  be there.  I also  think that we  have such  a broad
    range of  influences that we  could expand on certain  aspects of
    those influences in future recordings.

CoC: Thanks a  lot, hope that wasn't  too boring for you.  Please add
     anything  about the  band's current  situation, history  or work
     which you would like to, or anything else you might wish to: you
     have the floor.

TL: Thanks  for  the interview.  Epoch  of  Unlight will  be  playing
    the  Milwaukee MetalFest  again  this year.  The  Fest will  also
    feature  the  debut  performance  of our  newly  acquired  second
    guitarist. Several tour  dates are being considered  for the fall
    as  well.  We also  have  a  split  7"  on Bloated  Goat  Records
    (www.bloatedgoatrecords.com) coming out this fall with GoatWhore.

Contact: mailto:tinoEOU@hotmail.com
         http://www.epoch-of-unlight.com

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                M E S O P O T A M I A N   H U N G E R
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                      CoC interviews Melechesh
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     Melechesh vocalist/guitarist  Melechesh Ashmedi has  indeed been
granted some  fancy wishes in  his career,  none so greater  than the
collaboration that  has ensued with  his band's Osmose  debut _Djinn_
[see review in this issue].
     You see, people, Absu drummer  Sir Proscriptor McGovern had been
summoned  to play  on  the new  album, a  collaboration  that he  was
pleased to be a part of  and something Ashmedi would be grateful for.
The collaboration is  a metal masterpiece that invites  all to sample
the musical diversity of what  Ashmedi calls "Mesopotamian metal", as
well as the enthusiasm flowing within the release.
     So  Chronicles of  Chaos tracked  down Ashmedi  to find  out how
Melechesh  managed to  snag the  talented  drummer to  play on  their
record, as well  as find out just what the  hell "Mesopotamian metal"
is. The call goes out to  Holland where Ashmedi currently resides and
this is how it all went down...
     "Mesopotamian metal is the style of  music that we play. That is
what I call it", starts Ashmedi  when asked about the band's distinct
sound, no doubt a homage to their Mediterranean homeland. "It is what
we have  always been about  and something we  have made an  effort to
create throughout the years as a  band, even before our first record.
This sound has become so natural of  late for me. Whenever I grab the
guitar, it just  sounds like that. It has become  very mechanical for
me now when I play. It just happens."
     "That is  the only  real thing  that we  are making  a conscious
effort to do with  the music of Melechesh. We want it  to have a real
Mesopotamian metal  sound. It is  not really about paying  tribute to
our ancestors, but rather to just to  create a sound that we can call
our own and be proud of. We like what we do and I hope others embrace
it too."
     With _Djinn_,  Melechesh has put a  lot of time and  effort into
the making of the record. The band -- rounded out by guitarist Moloch
and bassist  Al'Hazred -- worked  hard to  fine tune their  sound and
deliver  a record  that would  surpass any  expectations. Ashmedi  is
excited about the whole deal.
     "We  actually  accomplished quite  a  bit  with this  recording,
especially seeing that we were in the studio for a very long time. It
was about a month  that we were in the studio, so we  got a lot done.
We have been preparing  for this album for so many  years that it was
all there  and ready to go.  We just wanted  to go in there  and make
Mesopotamian  metal and  just create  music  in an  original way.  We
didn't want  the guitar  sound too highly  pitched, but  rather rough
sounding. We  wanted low end, fat  guitar sounds. We also  wanted the
lyrics to be  original like the music, so we  sing about Mesopotamia,
though not necessarily  taking text from the mythology,  but make the
ideas come  from my own  mind and just write  about the djinn.  It is
part of Mesopotamia's past, so we include it."
     Sounds like a lot of hard work went into this album.
     "Yeah,"  he  responds. "We  are  very  interested with  what  we
create, but we are  also very picky with what we  do. We create ideas
all the time, for example a really  good riff, but if it just doesn't
sound like the way that we want  it to go along with the Mesopotamian
metal sound, we throw  it out. It takes a long  time to make material
because we are  always changing things around, working  on sounds and
just trying to make it all sound right. We need to develop to get the
sounds working well off one another."
     And while Ashmedi  is no doubt the ringleader for  the band, his
choice in  welcoming drummer/percussionist Proscriptor into  the fold
was a great decision on his  part. About working with Proscriptor and
how it all came about, Ashmedi explains, "We really hold Absu in high
regards, and vice  versa. Proscriptor and I  really "click" musically
and ideologically."
     He  continues, "It  has all  worked out  so well.  We have  been
friends  for  a long  time,  way  back  since  the first  album  [_As
Jerusalem  Burns... Al'Intisar_  on Pulverizer  Records]. We  used to
talk all the  time and he'd call  me when I lived  in Jerusalem. We'd
exchange ideas and things, as well as talk about the occult."
     "I  approached him  somewhat indirectly  about joining  the band
because at the time  we were looking for a drummer and  he knew a few
here in  Europe. We  tried out  a couple of  drummers, but  it didn't
work. We  were getting ready  to record an  album for Dies  Irae that
didn't really  work out, but I  suggested that he come  and work with
us. He e-mailed me back and said  he'd love to come and play with us.
I had said that he should join us  to get him to say yes and join us,
but not  really thinking that he  would say he'd want  to really join
us."
     "He liked what he had heard  with the demo of that recording and
he learned  it all.  We then  went on  to record  three new  songs in
Holland with a drum machine and then sent them to him so he could see
what we  wanted. We had Proscriptor-ized  it and put in  all of these
fills so  it would be  up to what  he could do  as a drummer.  We met
three days before the recording for  the first time. We rehearsed the
songs for twelve hours a day for  three or four days and then went in
to record the album. It all turned out great."
     "When I play  back this record I am always  trying to hear parts
and see what I could have done differently. I should be enjoying this
all and  tripping out on  what I have created,  but instead I  am too
busy finding ways to make our music better."
     So I guess  having Proscriptor as an official  member only makes
the future look better for Melechesh?
     "Yes. Proscriptor  has a lot to  give to every project.  He just
can't sit still. He just always needs to do something musically."
     He ends,  "Melechesh is one of  his projects that he  takes very
seriously. I  believe his  input will  be much  greater for  the next
Melechesh album."

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          M O N K E Y S   T A U G H T   M E   G U I T A R !
          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
             CoC chats with Nate Newton of Old Man Gloom
                          by: Paul Schwarz


     Old  Man  Gloom  just recently  simultaneously  unleashed  their
second and third  releases onto a pretty  unsuspecting public. Titled
_Seminar II: The  Holy Rites of Primitivism  Regression_ and _Seminar
III:  Zozobra_ respectively,  these "albums"  are probably  sonically
representative of  the whacked-out  concepts and  ideas which  are --
sort of -- presented  in some of the words lining  of the CD booklets
to each.  However, I  haven't spent hours  comparing words  and sound
waves one-for-one,  so I  guess I shouldn't  really be  saying things
like that.
     I found _SIII:Z_ and _SII:THRoPR_ to be a mighty breath of fresh
air. I have  a pile of "albums"  sitting next to me,  and pretty much
all of them are rule-  and convention-governed -- different rules and
different  conventions  abound, but  sets  of  rules and  conventions
govern  the  behaviour of  pretty  much  all the  musical  recordings
sitting in said pile. And if, like  me, most of the albums in your CD
collection consist of  8 to 10 songs written in  one central "style",
_SII:THRoPR_  will,  at  first,  probably be  hard  --  and  possibly
disorientating --  listening. For  many of you  reading this,  if you
went out and bought _SII:THRoPR_,  brought it home, played it through
once  and then  downloaded your  first impressions  from your  brain,
they'd probably consist  in enjoyment of some the bits  of "music" --
of tracks like "Bells Dark Above Our Heads", "Hot Salvation" or "Rape
Athena" -- and bemusement at why  so many tracks consist only of long
sections of "noise". If that -is-  -- or -was- -- your first reaction
to _SII:THRoPR_, then  I suggest you go  back and listen to  it a few
more times,  and while  you're doing so,  consciously try  to prevent
yourself from categorising  what you hear in terms  of the structural
norms for what  "songs" and "albums", "should" consist of.  I have no
interest in  describing _SII:THRoPR_  or _SIII:Z_  to you  in greater
detail here. However, I do highly recommend both releases: start with
_SII:THRoPR_,  and move  on to  _SIII:Z_ if  _SII:THRoPR_ leaves  you
hungry for more OMG.
     If that paragraph didn't convince you to check out these new OMG
releases  -- and  let's be  fair:  why would  such a  scatter-brained
diatribe convince  you to  part with your  hard-earned cash?  -- then
this next one might do the trick...
     OMG consists  of Aaron Turner  from Isis, his old  school friend
Santos  Montano,  Caleb  Scofield  from Cave  In,  Nate  Newton  from
Converge and  Luke Scarola (from somewhere,  I assume). Additionally,
Jeffrey  Caxide  of  Isis  has  also lent  a  helping  hand,  as  has
Kurt  Ballou  (apparently  from  "the   God  City  Centre  for  audio
manipulation").  J. Randall,  who works  with Agoraphobic  Nosebleed,
assisted  in making  these  two releases  what they  are,  as did  J.
Hellmann from "Disposable Heroes Inc.". When I wrote to Old Man Gloom
by e-mail to ask if they'd be  up for answering some questions for an
interview, main band "spokesperson" Aaron Turner said that they liked
interviews "as abstract as possible", and encouraged me to "go nuts".
So when I  sent questions to Nate  Newton, I did... and he  did so in
turn.

CoC: If  I called  you a  "damn dirty ape",  would you  take it  as a
     complement?

Nate Newton: Well, that depends. If  I punched you in the nuts, would
             you cry like a little girl?

CoC: Is there any connection between OMG  and the film "2001: A Space
     Odyssey"? [I  ask because though  I know  that the name  Old Man
     Gloom (the translation  of "Zozobra") was chosen  in relation to
     the new Mexican practice of  burning a huge Zozobra puppet, when
     I recently saw "2001" (for the  first time!) -- after having had
     Seminars II & III in my possession  for a few weeks -- I noticed
     "OMG" written in  identical typeface to the one you  use on some
     of the video screens on the  ship controlled by Hal, the Jupiter
     probe, I think it's called.]

NN: I  can't really  speak for  the rest  of the  members of  Old Man
    Gloom, but I  can say this: It is absolutely  imperative that you
    1. stop  watching so  much tv,  and 2. stop  smoking so  much pot
    that you  actually find  these correlations.  But to  answer your
    question, there  is a  connection to  everything through  Old Man
    Gloom because to put it bluntly, Old Man Gloom IS everything. Now
    on a completely different note, how the hell did you go this long
    without ever having seen that movie??

CoC: Since you've said there are  connections between OMG and "Planet
     of the  Apes", would you  say there's also a  connection between
     your  minds,  and ways  of  behaving,  and the  Sixties  (acid?)
     culture which spawned so many whacked out films?

NN: I have never had to answer such introspective questions before. I
    don't think there is any connection between our behaviour and the
    Sixties. I mean we haven't gone out and made a record inspired by
    bell bottoms.  Really, the  deeper issue here  is this:  were the
    Sixties inversely influenced by the  simple idea that someday Old
    Man Gloom could actually exist and come to fruition?

CoC: Do you  think it would  make for  interesting viewing to  make a
     follow-up to the  "Planet of the Apes" series  called "Planet of
     the Clams" (it would be a  strange world, where lobster is slave
     to clam!)?  [I must confess,  all credit  for that idea  goes to
     Matt Groening or  whoever it is that helps  write "Futurama" and
     thought of it -- Paul]. Would you write the soundtrack?

NN: I think I saw a porno  movie called planet of the clams once, but
    the soundtrack didn't sound like us so I don't think we did it.

CoC: What do you think of cliche  UFO theories, such as those offered
     in programs  like "The  X-Files", or such  as were  thrown about
     around the time the "Roswell" alien autopsy "footage" turned up?
     If you would agree  that most of these ideas are  a bit coy, how
     would you say yours differ?

NN: First and foremost,  we simply believe in alien  apes. We believe
    in  alien apes  because said  alien apes  taught us  how to  play
    guitar. They could  all put The Nuge to shame  ["The Nuge" is Ted
    Nugent,  famous for  all-American  rock antics  over  a long  and
    degraded  career which  survived  the Eighties...  sort of...  --
    Paul]. The alien  apes aren't very good drummers  though, so that
    is why  we have Santos. His  steady diet of pinto  beans has made
    him quite a terror behind the skins.

CoC: Old Man Gloom has a noise component and a noisy music component.
     Which is  the "central" sound  of Old  Man Gloom? Which  are the
     songs and which  are the intros -- or is  my feeble, ape-evolved
     brain failing to comprehend the synthesis of the two as a single
     sound?

NN: I  have said  this  before.  NO human  can  fully comprehend  the
    magnitude of creative genius that we have realized. So don't feel
    bad, you are not alone in your naivete'. The central sound of old
    man gloom  is not even audible  to human ears. It's  an extremely
    high frequency  sound emission  that when  played at  full volume
    sends  a  message into  the  cosmos  saying "PANOCHA,  HACHE'  EN
    MEXICO"

CoC: Was Darwin an ape or an alien?

NN: I was  under the impression that  he was a small  metal fish with
    adhesive on the backside.

CoC: What about Desmond Morris?

NN: What?? How  do you  know about  Desmond Morris??  I took  her  to
    junior prom. She put out on the first date.

CoC: If you want to  turn into an ape, should not  your first step to
     be to remove  your clothes, since apes have no  shame not having
     eaten the  fruit of knowledge in  the garden of Eden?  Or is the
     "Genesis" a  steaming mound of ape  jissom prematurely evacuated
     from the mouth of an unkind  and unthinking alien race doomed to
     failure? Or option 3?

NN: Shrude thinking indeed. Apes don't  have clothes on. You are very
    smart. What you are beginning to  touch on here is the concept of
    infinite regressionism.  If you want to  turn into an ape  as you
    asked, you would first need to  find Superman. Once you find him,
    you must then convince Superman to fly around the world backwards
    multiple times, thus  causing the earth to rotate on  its axis in
    the opposite  direction. This  may be somewhat  difficult because
    Superman  drives a  hard bargain.  Maybe you  could buy  him good
    drugs. Now, if you have gotten  this far, you will notice that as
    Superman flies backwards, and the world turns the wrong way, time
    is now going backwards also. You will be able to walk, run, jump,
    swim, and talk backwards with the greatest of ease. If you bought
    Superman  enough good  drugs then  he will  keep going  until the
    world has regressed  back to its primordial  state. No buildings,
    no jets, no Seven-Elevens, no  Telemundo, just you and the jungle
    and voila, look down at your feet. Dear god, you have turned into
    an ape. Thank you Superman!!

CoC: How does the creative process for Old Man Gloom function, how is
     the "noise" and the "music" synthesized?

NN: There really isn't a creative process  for Old Man Gloom. It kind
    of just happens  when we decide out  of the blue that  we want to
    practice. In my  opinion everyone in this band  are very talented
    individuals, and when  we do find the time to  get together, good
    ideas and good music seem to  just flow out of us like diarrhoea.
    The "noise" and  the "music" aren't really looked  at as separate
    entities. To us its all the same.  They are all tools used to get
    the same point across.

CoC: How  will  the  (at  least)  two-tiered  nature  of  the  albums
     translate into the live setting?

NN: That is a question that only Yahweh himself can answer. We have a
    very hard time finding the time  for Old Man Gloom to play shows.
    Us being the  suave playboys that we are. The  songs that we have
    played out thus  far have all come across well.  I think it would
    be hard  to do some  of the  same things we  do in the  studio on
    stage. But I would  hope we would make up for  the lack of talent
    with an over abundance of male nudity.

CoC: If you  could train them  to do it,  would you teach  monkeys to
     play your instruments, and your songs, and send them onstage for
     the  ultimate experience  in simian  insanity? Or  would you  be
     worried they'd  get all  the girls  and sign  your band  away to
     Sony?

NN: We already  have that problem  with the girls... Caleb  gets them
    all. Listen  to our music and  tell me what would  make you think
    that anything female  would at all be attracted to  any of us. As
    far as the  monkey idea, yes of course. We  already did that. The
    monkeys  have  played three  shows.  Two  in  Boston and  one  in
    Switzerland. They were really good.

CoC: Could thousands  of humans  sitting at thousands  of typewriters
     eventually come up with a mathematical formula to figure out how
     to grow a prehensile tail, 'cause I want one?

NN: Again this sounds  like a job for  Superman. Typewriters wouldn't
    help  anyways,  they  would   need  protractors  and  the  xpm587
    precarmfabulator [Remember Marvin the Martian from "Duck Dodgers!
    In the twenty-fourth and a half century!" No? Then you won't know
    what Nate's talking about. -- Paul]

CoC: Where are some of the samples on II and III taken from?

NN: There  was a  tiny  microphone  hidden in  your  toilet. All  the
    samples, with the exception of the actual space ape transmissions
    we have intercepted, are actually sonically mutated recordings of
    your ass.

CoC: If Old Man  Gloom and Isis got  in a fight, who  would lose, who
     would win,  and who  would look  more like  a martial  arts film
     doing either?

NN: Well, being friends  with Isis I really don't want  to choose any
    sides, but Old Man Gloom  would definitely kick their asses. They
    would all be too hopped up on drugs to fight back. Not to mention
    that we have angry Caleb Scofield  on bass. Santos is Mexican, so
    of course he's handy with a  blade. But Aaron would have to fight
    himself, and that would look fucked  up. Actually, that is why we
    would  win, because  Isis would  be high  and see  Aaron fighting
    himself, so  they would  start laughing uncontrollably  as Caleb,
    Santos, Luke and  I would bludgeon them with  bicycle chains (and
    monstrous riffs)  while in  between laughs  they would  say: "Hey
    man,  watch the  joint man,  I mean  like I  paid for  this stuff
    man..." Aaron Harris might cause us some trouble, though.

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  D E M O N I C   B A T T L E   M O M :   D A N A ' S   R E T U R N
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
            CoC interviews Dana Duffey of Demonic Christ
                            by: Alvin Wee


Followers of  the old  death metal  scene might do  a double  take at
hearing the  name of Demonic  Christ these  days, but old  habits die
hard, and the semi-cult figure of Dana Duffey is once again poised to
loom over  the hungry underground. Formed  in 1992 from the  ashes of
the infamous all-girl  Mythic, Demonic Christ has  virtually been the
solo project of  Dana, with various musicians  completing the line-up
on  three  demo tapes  and  one  under-promoted full-length.  With  a
somewhat  stable  line-up established,  the  band  has been  steadily
encroaching  on  epic black-metal  territory,  a  distinct move  away
from  their  familiar  guttural  rumblings. Limited  to  a  mere  250
hand-numbered  copies,  the  band's latest  release  _Demonic  Battle
Metal_  on  Cryonics  Records  may be  annoyingly  elusive,  but  the
impressively epic,  martial music  on offer makes  it well  worth the
effort to seek  out. As murmurs of  a new release began  to spread, I
managed to hook up with Dana herself for a fascinating chat...

CoC: Greetings, Dana! How's your  daughter doing? Is she gonna become
     a regular metalhead like her mom?

Dana Duffey: Hails! My daughter, Morgana, is  now three years old and
             is great.  She loves  black metal  and already  likes to
             play  my guitar,  so  hopefully she  will  follow in  my
             footsteps.

CoC: So  how has becoming a  mom affected your metal  lifestyle? Some
     things must've had to change, right?

DD: Yes, it has  been difficult. That's why I  really wasn't involved
    in the scene much for three  years, since I had a rough pregnancy
    and then  taking care of  my baby was  my number one  priority. I
    still practiced my  guitar and even wrote some music,  but I just
    didn't have time to record or look for a line-up. Now that she is
    a bit older, it is much easier to  do the things I want and it is
    time to complete a new line-up for Demonic Christ.

CoC: Well,  as a  fan  I'm  certainly  looking  forward  to  any  new
     material! It's a pity there had to be such a long break...

DD: As I  explained in the  previous question,  it was related  to my
    daughter. Being a  woman I have a lot more  responsibility than a
    man would  whose wife just  had a baby. I  put 100% into  being a
    mother and I  have no regrets about that. My  music could wait. I
    knew that I  could pick it up  again whenever I was  ready, and I
    was right.

CoC: But the fans can't wait...

DD: Everyone seems anxious to hear what I am writing, and to tell you
    the truth I think a little  stagnation has done me good since the
    new material is in my opinion far superior than that of the past.

CoC: Stepping back in time now... Back in '95, when you released your
     LP, there was this black metal  boom just starting up. With your
     death metal roots, how well were you received back then?

DD: It  is true  I  have death  metal roots,  however  I have  always
    considered  Demonic Christ  to  be more  black  metal than  death
    metal. The  response was  overall pretty  good. There  are always
    going to be  critics. Honestly, I was not that  thrilled with the
    final product  anyways, since  I had only  been playing  with the
    members a  few months and the  drummer really was not  very good.
    Making an  impact was not  hard, since blasphemy has  always been
    accepted in death/black metal  and _Punishment for Ignorance_ had
    plenty of that!

CoC: But at  that time wasn't there some sort  of "war" between black
     metal and the then-popular death metal?

DD: As far as  a "war" between death  and black metal, I  am not sure
    that  I feel  there is.  I  mean, they  are definitely  separated
    genres, however some bands are really hard to categorize...

CoC: So what  do  you think  about  the new  wave  of  melodic  death
     sweeping the metal world of late?

DD: I definitely  prefer the sound  of black metal over  death metal,
    but can  appreciate any  kind of music  done well.  Melodic death
    metal included --  I like Sentenced (_Amok_) and  Shadow a lot...
    Any music that has the musicians' soul  in it is great, as far as
    I'm concerned. I  will not listen to a band  just because they're
    considered "black  metal" or whatever.  I am very open  minded to
    different types of heavy, aggressive music.

CoC: There's been  a resurgence of  death metal these days,  and even
     the neo-black  metal joke has reached  its limit. So will  DC be
     taking up some of that electronica stuff -- horror of horrors --
     that's been coming out of Norway these days? Or old-school death
     maybe?

DD: <laughs> No, no electronics for DC! And no, we are not going in a
    more death metal  vein... if anything, it is  probably more black
    than ever at this point. I just write what I feel and however you
    want  to  interpret  it  or  categorize it  is  up  to  you  (the
    listener).

CoC: There's been a huge development from the _Deceiving the Heavens_
     tape and the latter two demos  towards a more black metal sound;
     why this change?

DD: Well, the  main reason  for the change  was growth  and obviously
    what I  was listening to at  the time... I was  also very limited
    with what I could write, since  I didn't have a drummer who could
    do blastbeats or  much double bass. When  "Deceiving the Heavens"
    was recorded  I had only been  out of the death/doom  band Mythic
    for a few  months -- I had not  yet had time to conjure  up a new
    sound/creation. It is very primitive.  Not to mention the drummer
    played  on the  tape  after  playing the  songs  two times  each.
    <laughs>

CoC: So things are moving more in the black direction these days?

DD: Yes, the newer material is definitely more black and fast.

CoC: There's also some experimentation with martial beats and rhythms
     on "Witches Fall", any particular  thing that inspired that epic
     sound?

DD: Yes  -- WAR!  I  wanted it  to  sound like  battle  was about  to
    begin... Scott (the drummer at the time) and I worked on this and
    did achieve the sound we were looking for!

CoC: It's certainly  one of  the most  memorable and  striking  black
     metal tracks I've heard in recent times!

DD: Thank  you for the compliment.  There will definitely be  more of
    this kind of drumming in the new Demonic Christ material.

CoC: On  to the  lyrics now:  it's pretty  obvious what  your subject
     matter  is, but  what drives  you in  this direction?  Was it  a
     personal experience perhaps? Or upbringing?

DD: Surprisingly, I was  not raised with religion. I  was just always
    "aware" of  the inconsistencies  religion held. When  I was  12 I
    read the Holy Bible and the Satanic Bible and it all became clear
    to me... From there I  began reading more philosophers' teachings
    like  Crowley and  Nietzche and  just  sort of  developed my  own
    theory.

CoC: So you're against organized religion as a whole?

DD: Organized religion disgusts  me -- the whole idea  of control and
    teaching humans not to be human  but to be robots is sickening. I
    could go on  and on about this  subject, but if you  just read my
    lyrics, it is self explanatory.

CoC: But do you see how Christianity  -- or any organized religion --
     could be beneficial to humans in general? As a form of spiritual
     support, perhaps?

DD: It  may be  helpful  if they  are  sheep. I  am  not saying  that
    "believing in something" or "being spiritual" is negative -- only
    that belonging to a church or  group of people for social reasons
    or because "that is what you are supposed to do" is pure bullshit
    and a sign  of weakness. Organized religions do  all the thinking
    for you and allow you NO room  to make choices for yourself. I am
    so down  on organized religion  because it  makes you a  clone, a
    puppet, a sheep. However, if we  were all intelligent and had our
    own ideologies of spirituality, we would have other problems.

CoC: So on the same topic, who and what inspires you to write the way
     you do? Both lyrically and musically, I mean.

DD: I  base my  lyrics on  the way  I feel  about things  -- life  in
    general, society, etc. Sometimes thoughts  I have to hold in that
    only makes them stronger. Sometimes  I have dreams that turn into
    lyrics, but mainly it is my  own experiences and deep feelings in
    my subconscious. I convert my  emotions into music. I never write
    just to write a song -- I write when I "feel it", kind of hard to
    explain...

CoC: You write only when inspired, then.

DD: I could  go months without writing  and then I can  write four or
    five songs in a month. I write when the time is right.

CoC: You know,  it's interesting that with a young  daughter to bring
     up, you're still maintaining your outlook on life...

DD: Well, I take  that as a compliment that I  maintain my outlook on
    life, since  I would  agree that many  change their  beliefs once
    children are brought into the picture.

CoC: So how do  you plan on raising your daughter?  I mean, would you
     be  exposing her  to  the  "darker side",  so  to speak?  That's
     something not traditionally held to be good parenting!

DD: To answer your  question, I will raise my daughter  to be strong,
    to think for herself and to never assume she knows anything about
    the universe.  When she  goes to school  and has  questions about
    Jesus, I will give her my "PG" version of what I think but add in
    that it  is only  my opinion  and that  there are  many different
    views and  no one really knows  which one is right,  and that she
    should decide for  herself based on a combination of  her gut and
    her head.  As far as exposing  her to "the darker  side", I don't
    see anything wrong with it. I do not force her to do anything and
    all she sees is a lot of  positive energy from me. I am happy and
    love what I do -- what could be wrong with seeing that? The way I
    see it is she  will have an advantage most kids  do not: she will
    not have  to overcome  a fear  of the  occult and  witchcraft and
    Satanism, so her journey of finding  her own beliefs will be that
    much easier.

CoC: Well put indeed... but that's not a perspective many people will
     be able to adopt. Most people  would see your metal lifestyle as
     a negative environment for a child to grow up in.

DD: Well, there  isn't an "environment" that I see  negative. At this
    point all my daughter knows is that mommy plays metal.

CoC: What about all the negative  sentiments expressed in your music?
     A song  title like  "Church of  Profane Masturbation"  is highly
     questionable, don't you think?

DD: As far  as "Church  of Profane Masturbation"  goes, she  will not
    hear this song or read the lyrics as long as I can prevent it. Of
    course I think that  is unfit for a child to see --  but I do not
    write or play my music for kids...

CoC: So, to  bring in a heavily debated point:  is there a difference
     between black metal as Art and black metal as a lifestyle?

DD: Yes, there  is a  difference in  the mental state  I am  in while
    writing/performing and  while being a  mom and going to  work and
    living amongst society. If I am  not "true black metal" because I
    have a  life outside  of Demonic  Christ, then so  be it.  To me,
    "true black  metal" is one who  sticks to their roots  and writes
    what they  feel and  does not  compromise their  sound/lyrics for
    anyone or anything. I am who I am and I do not claim to be or try
    to be anything different.

CoC: Look  what Venom  dragged in:  a whole  host of  black metallers
     turning the music  into a lifestyle. Didn't Venom  intend it all
     to be taken with a pinch of salt?

DD: I do believe Venom intended it to  be taken with a grain of salt,
    however it has  gone way beyond Venom for many  years now. I love
    Venom  and agree  they  were  definitely one  of  the bands  that
    pioneered the  road for  black metal, but  there were  many other
    bands as well.

CoC: What then do you think  of the black metallers actively involved
     in illegal activities? Like Jon Nodtveidt, Bard Eithun, etc.?

DD: My  opinion on  the  illegal  acts of  these  black metallers  is
    that  the fact  that  they are  in black  metal  bands is  merely
    a  coincidence. These  individuals  would  have committed  crimes
    anyways. I  mean, look at the  whole Judas Priest trial  -- it is
    ridiculous.  [Dana probably  refers to  the 1985  lawsuit against
    Judas Priest for  the suicide of two youths,  allegedly under the
    influence of the album _Stained  Class_. -- Alvin] Music does not
    make you commit  illegal acts -- only you can  make that decision
    for  yourself.  There  is  a  very  small  percentage  that  have
    committed  these crimes  amongst a  large amount  of black  metal
    musicians/fans.  I personally  would  not do  any  of these  acts
    because I value  my freedom too much. I think  that once you give
    that up  for another you are  only hurting yourself --  sure, the
    fag is dead, but  you are now locked up for  all of your "strong"
    years. That is just the way,  I think... only my opinion. That is
    the way my mind works -- but perhaps to those who have done these
    deeds it is validated.

CoC: OK, I'm  curious about one  of the tracks  on the CD:  "Blut Und
     Ehre", which  sounds rather  suggestive with  the title  and the
     martial beats. Now there's a growing popularity of NS-influenced
     black metal  and other White  Power sentiments in the  scene, so
     one might be forgiven for thinking...

DD: Indeed the pride of the European American is on the rise in black
    metal music and I hail that. Note  I did not say White Power -- I
    said pride, two different things. "Blut Und Ehre" was the perfect
    title of this  song which is about being stabbed  in the back and
    deceived by  someone you  put all  your trust  in. I  have German
    ancestry  in my  blood running  through my  veins, so  a Germanic
    title seemed appropriate.  It was not a hidden  or suggested nazi
    slogan.

[This was  a question intended to  spark off the topic;  a subsequent
 peek at  the lyrics revealed  the true nature  of the song...  and a
 highly interesting read. -- Alvin]

CoC: Fair enough,  but what do you think of  the bands mixing fascism
     with music? Take Graveland or Absurd, for example.

DD: As far  as my opinion  on mixing  racism/fascism with music  -- I
    think it is  great -- I think  that if that is truly  the way the
    artists feel, then I hail  them for expressing themselves without
    fear of  what others will  think. That is  to be commended.  Do I
    agree with  everything they say? No  -- however I will  not judge
    them because of their message... They  have a right to base their
    lyrics on  any subject under  the moon  and to be  as politically
    incorrect or as racist as they wish.

CoC: OK, another thing  I'm curious about is your  experiences in the
     male-dominated scene, being a woman. Were there any difficulties
     you ran into playing in the two female fronted bands [Mythic and
     DC]?

DD: Well,  I think  that  overall it  is accepted  to  have a  female
    frontwoman, if  she is worth  a shit. I  would say there  are two
    types of men: those that think it  is cool as hell and those that
    think women have  no place in metal, that it  is a man's realm...
    blah blah  blah. I have run  into a few of  these macho assholes,
    but have dealt  with a lot more men that  have been supportive as
    hell.

CoC: So you haven't had problems with the men in the scene?

DD: Most men treat me just as  they would their male friends and that
    is exactly the way I like it. I realize I am not like most women.
    I cannot  say exactly what  it is that  makes me different.  I am
    feminine, I mean I am a mother -- but I just relate to men better
    than women,  I always have. I  think that most women  do not have
    the drive and determination to stay  with music very long. I have
    been playing for fourteen years and  I just cannot see myself not
    writing songs -- it is in my soul, my very being.

CoC: Still,  it's pretty  safe to  say that  reactions will  never be
     neutral  when  audiences are  confronted  with  a woman  playing
     brutal music, right?

DD: Yes -- you hit  it right on the head! There  are not many neutral
    reactions and that is from men and women. Is it a problem for me?
    Hell no. I am confident in what  I do and if others don't like it
    I  honestly don't  give a  shit. I  think once  most see  Demonic
    Christ live they don't have any shit talking to do.

CoC: And  have your  family  and  friends  been  supportive  of  your
     "un-lady-like" activities?

DD: My  family has  been supportive  since day  one. I  dedicated the
    first  CD _Punishment  for  Ignorance_ to  my  parents for  their
    support  --  they have  come  out  to a  few  shows  and wear  my
    shirts...  Friends  --  if  they didn't  support  me,  then  they
    wouldn't be my friends.

CoC: Yet there  aren't many successful women  in the scene so  far, I
     mean  there are  bands like  Opera IX,  Astarte, Thorr's  Hammer
     etc., but the scene is rather one  sided. Why is this so, do you
     think? Does  the problem  lie with the  female musicians  or the
     scene?

DD: This is  always a hard  question to  answer, because like  I said
    earlier, I don't really know what  makes me different. I can tell
    you this:  from dealing with  other female musicians in  the past
    and from  talking to some,  I know  that the biggest  downfall is
    that women get  into the scene and decide to  play for attention.
    This does not  work! They don't get the reaction  they want right
    away so  they get frustrated and  bored and it's over.  The women
    that truly love what they do  and are doing it for themselves are
    the ones that make it.

CoC: So  could this male  dominance in the genre  be due to  the fact
     that women just don't go for such brutal stuff?

DD: Metal  is definitely  a  male dominated  genre --  why  I am  not
    sure...  perhaps it  is  that it  is so  aggressive  and full  of
    testosterone, maybe that  scares women off. Maybe  they feel they
    can't be  aggressive and feminine  at the  same time. When  I got
    into it  I was just  as surprised as I  am now that  there aren't
    more women playing -- it is so natural to me, so I just don't get
    it. Is there anything that can be  done about it? No -- it's just
    the way it is.

CoC: To wrap  things up a  little: how  have sales been  for _Demonic
     Battle Metal_?  Cryonics isn't a  label that's known  for strong
     marketing... what do you think of them thus far?

DD: It sold  out as  soon as  it was pressed,  but that  isn't saying
    much  since  this release  was  an  ultra  limited press  of  250
    hand-numbered copies.  It was  meant to  be part  of a  series of
    forgotten demo  tapes by black  metal bands that helped  mold the
    scene.  I of  course  was honored  that  they considered  Demonic
    Christ to  be one of  those bands, so I  figured why not?  To say
    something  in  Cryonics' defence  --  they  were great  for  this
    release. Quick  turn around,  great job on  the booklet  and they
    stayed in  good contact  with me.  I have  never heard  of anyone
    having problems with them. I was  glad to have released a CD with
    Cryonics, however there are no future releases planned with them.
    The label is very small and I  would like to get a larger release
    with worldwide distribution for the next CD.

CoC: So what  are your plans for  getting the show back  on the road?
     What have you got up your sleeves for us die-hard fans?

DD: Currently  I  have conjured  up  a  line-up  for the  first  live
    performance in five years. This show will be at the fourth Annual
    Sacrifice of the Nazarene Child  Black Metal Fest in San Antonio,
    TX on December  1st, 2001. These musicians will  most likely also
    be recording  the next CD  for Demonic  Christ as well...  Let me
    introduce them: Xaphan (Kult Ov  Azazel) on guitar, Lord Imperial
    (Krieg) on  bass and Chad Walls,  who has worked with  many bands
    throughout the scene, on drums. I of course play guitar/vocals.

CoC: And it will be released on...?

DD: I am still  searching for the perfect label for  the next release
    -- I have  had several offers, but nothing has  been decided yet.
    The first  Demonic Christ CD  _Punishment for Ignorance_  will be
    released on  pic LP from  Painkiller Records in Belgium  in early
    2002. They are the same label that pressed _Demonic Battle Metal_
    on pic LP,  which is also sold  out due to a  limited pressing of
    300  copies (licensed  from Cryonics).  So  if there  is a  label
    interested  in putting  out  Demonic Christ  material  -- get  in
    touch! There is much more to come from this US battle horde...

CoC: Right then... we'll just wrap up with some words you might wanna
     say.

DD: I would just like to invite  everyone to come look at the website
    at www.demonicbattlemetal.com  -- there  is merchandise  and news
    and MP3s  -- check it out!  You can also reach  me for interviews
    and  questions at  Dchrist666@aol.com.  Thank you  Alvin for  the
    great interview and your support! Keep the flames burning!

[Thanks in return, Dana! It was great hearing from a pioneering woman
 in the old death metal scene, and readers are encouraged to seek out
 any  remaining copies  of _Demonic  Battle  Metal_ as  it's truly  a
 killer album. -- Alvin]

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       T H E   ( H O R R O R )   S H O W   M U S T   G O   O N
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
             CoC chats with Matthew Barlow of Iced Earth
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     Any time someone decides to put on a show, whether it be a small
theatre  performance, an  acoustic performance,  hell, even  a puppet
show, it  takes a  lot of work  to make sure  it all  comes together.
Plans are drawn up, ideas are  discussed and changes are made at last
minute. Sometimes, once it is all over, there are a million things to
change and once again things are re-routed and altered.
     When the  idea for Iced  Earth's latest disc _Horror  Show_ came
into the  conversation a few  years back, singer Matthew  Barlow says
guitarist/songwriter Jon Schaffer  was just aiming to do  a small EP.
Well,  as mentioned  above,  plans  change, and  now  Iced Earth  has
unleashed to  their fans a monster  (get it?) release that  tells the
tales of  so many classic stories  with a solid metal  ambiance. Such
tales  tackled  include  Werewolf, Dracula,  Frankenstein,  Jack  the
Ripper, Jeckyl & Hyde and a whole lot more.
     About  the new  album and  the  work that  was involved,  Barlow
begins, "Every time  we finish up a  record it makes me  feel good to
know that  we have kind  of completed an  episode, I guess  you could
say, in  our quest to metaldom.  I really think that  this record, as
well as projects we have worked on in the past, is just one more step
up in the right  direction for the band. It is good  to feel that way
after  each  release. I  hope  we  never  feel  like we  have  fallen
backwards after we  finish recording an album -- that  would be a bad
thing."
     "_Burnt Offerings_  [1995] was a  record in our career  where we
didn't feel too good about ourselves and where we were going", admits
Barlow. "We  just needed to  get out of  that situation with  what we
were doing and just  take it higher. We need to  take this higher all
the  time, but  stay  true to  our  roots and  ourselves  and not  be
redundant. That is very hard to do, but some bands do get caught in a
rut,  and I  hope that  never happens  with Iced  Earth [the  band is
rounded  out by  guitarist  Larry Tarnowski,  drum superstar  Richard
Christy  (Control Denied  / Death)  and bass  legend Steve  DiGiorgio
(Sadus  / Death)  -- Adrian].  I don't  think we  will, because  as a
writer Jon  is very in  tune with  what he does  and how he  wants to
carry things out."
     When  asked  about the  early  ideas  behind _Horror  Show_,  he
comments, "A few  years ago it was  just an idea for an  EP. After we
did  _Something  Wicked This  Way  Comes_  [1998],  we wanted  to  do
something  on the  trilogy from  that album,  but we  knew it  wasn't
really the time for it. We wanted to make sure that when that concept
came out  it would get  proper treatment. Therefore, we  were kicking
around ideas  and Jon wanted  to do  singular songs with  purpose and
their own defining meanings. We then  started to talk about the whole
horror  and movie  monster EP  project and  making it  into a  bigger
thing."
     Did Barlow  have any  apprehensions about  doing this  album and
what their label (Century Media) might think?
     "Jon has had a relationship with the label for a very long time.
He has been  given full artistic control of things  and what he wants
the band to  do. That started around the time  with _Burnt Offerings_
when he wanted control over artwork, because he felt the label wasn't
doing things right  and how he had envisioned the  band. They kind of
came to  realize that  Jon knew  what he wanted  to do  musically and
artistically with  the band, and  so they have  left him alone  to do
this."
     He adds,  "Jon has  a lot of  weight on his  shoulder as  far as
making music and  handling the business. He is not  going to let just
anyone handle  that stuff. He allows  me to be  a part of that  and I
take on as much  as I can. I like to be involved  and knowing what is
going on."
     Over  the past  few months  there  has been  a lot  of talk  and
concern from fans about Iced Earth and certain musicians being in and
out of the band. How do those situations concern Barlow?
     "I think  that often people worry  about all of this  too much",
Barlow explains.  "If you listen  to all of  the records, there  is a
connection,  and that  is Jon's  writing  and the  music he  creates.
Everything would be fine if everybody  could just hone in on that and
appreciate the  music and not  worry about  that other stuff.  We are
people too. We  have to deal with people on  a professional level and
we can't just be,  "Hey buddy, want to play guitar  in our band?", or
"Hey man,  come be  in our  band!" We are  so beyond  that. We  are a
professional outfit and we can't be like that. Jon does a lot of hard
work with the music and loads  of other things related to Iced Earth.
I try my best  to work hard to bring my vocal talent  to the band. If
everyone else just did their job, there wouldn't be a problem."
     Going a  bit more  in detail  about _Horror  Show_, he  says: "I
think the original intent of this album and the songs was to make the
characters  really come  through the  music and  give them  their own
defining quality. I think Jon did a  nice job to find the right sound
and music. When you hear it, you know it is obviously Iced Earth, but
there are also subtleties thrown in where you know this song is about
this certain  character. It was  a hard thing  for Jon to  do", notes
Barlow, "but  I think  he did a  real good job  with the  album, even
though he  had all of  this weight thrown  upon himself to  make this
work."
     "This record does have a very  modern Iced Earth sound for sure,
but nothing that  can be associated with new metal  sounds and styles
going on. We  don't listen to any  of that new metal  music", he juts
in.  "We  knew there  was  a  potential  for  this record  to  become
something it isn't. The music could have been portrayed as cheesy and
corny had it not  been tackled the way Jon opted to  do it. Given the
subject matter  and how people might  perceive it, we took  the story
and put  an Iced  Earth spin on  it. With these  songs we  have taken
artistic license and done stuff with it, whether it be re-working the
story line  or just  using the  basic concept, and  just did  our own
thing with it."
     "We really  just wanted to  pay tribute to these  characters and
how these concepts have influenced us  as writers and intrigued us. A
lot of people out  there have given heavy metal music  a bad name for
this reason  or that reason.  Some people  say they don't  like heavy
metal music because it is Satanic. But do they give Stephen King shit
when he talks  about the devil in  his books? No, they  don't. We are
trying to be storytellers and that  is always what we have done. This
is just  another set of  tales we have  provided Iced Earth  fans and
metal fans to listen to."
     With each  release for a band,  a lot comes along  with it, most
notably press tours. How does Barlow react to press days?
     "This is real cool to be a part  of it all and do this stuff for
the press tour",  he says. "Of course  there is a bit  of monotony on
the press tour. You always answer  the same questions and you need to
spin things around  and try to answer the question  a bit differently
so that the answer is a new answer. This is part of the gig and it is
fun to talk  to a lot of  people about the new  record, especially if
they are legitimate Iced Earth fans  and know about our music and us.
When I do an interview with  someone who doesn't really care about us
or the  music we play, and  isn't into the interview,  my answers are
going to  feed off  that. It is  like playing live.  When you  have a
great crowd, it is going to show in how you perform. You just reflect
on what is being given back to you."
     "I really  enjoy what we  do", states  Barlow about why  he does
Iced Earth. "We try not to categorize ourselves other than say we are
a metal band. I think we get a lot of fans from many different crowds
that can relate to what we are doing."
     He  finishes off,  "We are  not a  political band  here to  tell
people to think a certain way. We are just here to entertain."

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

                      D A R K   I N S A N I T Y
                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
               CoC chats with Peter Wildoer of Darkane
                          by: Paul Schwarz


When I  conducted this interview  with Darkane, I was  really digging
their latest album _Insanity_. And  though I'm still presently of the
opinion  that it  is a  much more  complete and  out-and-out -better-
record than  their debut, _Rusted Angel_  [CoC #42], I'm not  so sure
it's the classic I initially took it for. Only time will tell whether
_Insanity_ fades into the past of  my enjoyment, but it was certainly
a joy to probe a few months ago when I talked to Peter Wildoer on the
phone. It was  one of the most pleasant interviews  I've conducted in
ages.

CoC: How do you feel about _Insanity_ being out on Nuclear Blast?

Peter Wildoer: The deal  with Nuclear Blast  is just great for  us, I
               think. I  think they're really helping  us out because
               when we were on WAR music it was kind of a small label
               and  they're very  good,  they have  very good  taste,
               and  I  like  the  bands  they  have.  But  there  are
               some  countries  they  cannot reach,  there  are  some
               promotional things they  do not have the  money to do.
               And, I just love the  work that Nuclear Blast has done
               so far.  They postponed  the release  of the  album --
               it  was meant  to  be released  in  February but  they
               postponed it  until 8th  of April.  We finished  it in
               July,  so  it  has  been  taking a  while  to  get  it
               released, because of the  license thing. Nuclear Blast
               had some major releases in  the beginning of the year:
               Amorphis, Dimmu Borgir, Children  of Bodom. I think it
               has just been  great with them. They're  a really good
               label, actually. I've heard so  much both good and bad
               stuff  about them,  but  they really  help  us out,  I
               think.

CoC: I think if you're in the right priority on them they are good.

PW: Yeah, they  actually wanted  to postpone _Insanity_  because they
    wanted to make  Darkane a high-priority release  in April. That's
    very good for us.

CoC: How  do   you  feel  about  the   possible  musical  progression
     from  _Rusted Angel_  as  well as  the  possible progression  in
     popularity? I'm trying to trace some of the strands of music.

PW: I think the  main thing is that _Insanity_ is  more of everything
    from _Rusted  Angel_. I  think some people  get the  feeling that
    _Insanity_ isn't as  intense and fast as _Rusted  Angel_, but I'd
    say  if you  count  the  beats per  minute  it's definitely  much
    faster, this album, and it's more  intense, and I think it's more
    of everything: there's even more  variety now in the vocals. Some
    people just  find the production a  bit too clean, but  I like it
    because on the previous album you actually couldn't hear what the
    guitars were doing. Now you can  hear what everybody is doing and
    I just think that's very cool.

CoC: I think it's a much broader, clearer sound.

PW: I like that. I think also this shows Daniel Bergstrand's ability,
    'cause the albums he produces  have such different sounds. If you
    compare Strapping  Young Lad to  Meshuggah and these  two Darkane
    albums,  they  sound  quite  different. So,  we  will  definitely
    continue to work with him; he's also a great guy.

CoC: Darkane and a  few other bands seem to have  a real injection of
     Slayer and Dark Angel...

PW: Definitely,  Dark Angel  are  my personal  favourite thrash  band
    ever,  actually. I  think it's  Darkane and  also The  Haunted, I
    think those are  the thrashiest bands coming out  of Sweden right
    now. I love other Swedish bands  like In Flames and Soilwork, but
    they're more melodic.  We wanted to progress  from _Rusted Angel_
    to _Insanity_ because  a lot of bands wimp out  on the second and
    third  album.  They  do  a  brutal  first  album  and  then  slow
    everything down  and do it more  melodic and stuff like  that. We
    just wanted to get it even more intense -- perhaps there are more
    melodic vocals -- but keep it  intense! And I think that's what's
    cool about it -- and keep it thrashy, definitely!

CoC: I think  it's good 'cause you  put more aggression into  it. The
     scene had started  to get a bit soft, people  widdling their way
     off into oblivion.

PW: Yes, I agree.

CoC: It's good to see bands seemingly rediscovering -thrash-.

PW: Definitely,  I  think  also  there's something  a  bit  different
    between Darkane  and all these  retro thrash bands,  because they
    wanna keep  it how it  was in the  late Eighties or  something. I
    think what we want  to do is progress, we want to  mix it up with
    stuff like Strapping  Young Lad. And do it more  modern, but keep
    the thrashiness  in the verse  and stuff, keep it  fast, intense,
    with good  riffing and stuff like  that. I just love  thrash. I'm
    glad you  mentioned Dark  Angel, 'cause  that's my  favourite. We
    actually did  a cover or medley  from Slayer when we  were in the
    studio. That was a mix of "Raining Blood" and "War Ensemble", but
    since  it was  a medley  we couldn't  release it  because of  the
    management of Slayer.  Right now we have some  persons working on
    that in  the US, 'cause  it's such a  cool medley. And  it sounds
    like one  song, but it's  riffs from  both songs. You'll  have to
    hear  it, 'cause  it's very  cool.  Hopefully we  can release  it
    sometime later this year on a  single or something. Or perhaps as
    an extra  track on  the next  CD. But  it's a  cool thing  to do,
    actually.

CoC: I really do feel Darkane  and other bands have managed to inject
     old sounds into things without sounding crap and retro.

PW: Yeah, exactly!

CoC: The thing about the retro scene is that it's not exciting.

PW: Yeah, I've heard all that stuff before. Most of the old bands did
    it much better because they kind of invented it. The reason why I
    think we also want to keep it very modern is that then we do what
    we're good at. And, Dark Angel did  what they were good at and we
    can't do it as good as they did so why should we do it. They were
    the guys  who invented the  whole scene together with  some other
    bands. I just want to keep it in our own way, definitely.

CoC: Would you  say any bands from Sweden in  particular inspired you
     to start playing metal?

PW: Actually, when it  came to death metal in the  very late Eighties
    or  the  beginning  of  the   Nineties,  I  was  definitely  more
    influenced by  the American bands,  from Florida. I am  very much
    into the  more progressive  stuff like  Atheist and  Cynic... and
    Death.  Of course,  Entombed  had a  big impact  for  all of  the
    Swedish  bands  when  they  broke out.  People  realised  it  was
    possible to play  extreme metal and get a reputation  and get out
    and play. I think that had a  big influence on the whole scene in
    Sweden: Entombed.

CoC: The  beginning of the Swedish  scene was Stockholm and  that all
     comes from American death metal and American grindcore.

PW: The old stuff.

CoC: When did Darkane begin?

PW: Darkane  started  playing together  in  very  late 1997.  Me  and
    Christopher,  the guitarist,  write most  of the  songs. Together
    with Jurgen  we played in  another band before  called Agretator.
    That was a very progressive band  in the vein of Cynic, Death and
    Watchtower, Meshuggah  mix. We played  together in that  band for
    seven years  and eventually  the spark  wasn't there  anymore. We
    split  the band  in  November and  started  Darkane in  December.
    Darkane  is  quite a  young  band,  but  we've all  been  playing
    together for a long time. It  feels like playing together with an
    old band, but it's new.

CoC: After  doing progressive  stuff were  you interested  in putting
     back harder, thrashier, Dark Angel sounds?

PW: Definitely. It  was conscious  because it took  almost a  year to
    construct  the  last Agretator  album  and  there were  too  many
    conflicting wills in the band. We  wanted to do more At the Gates
    type stuff.  But the guy who  sang on the first  album could sing
    normal vocals and thrashy vocals. So we went with a thrashy vibe,
    'cause there were so many bands  copying At the Gates. From there
    we worked in the studio. Daniel  [Bergstrand] had a big impact on
    the  vocal stuff  and how  _Rusted Angel_  turned out.  We didn't
    rehearse much at  all before recording _Rusted  Angel_. It sounds
    very spontaneous. I still like some of the songs very, very much,
    I think some of them are really, really good.

CoC: Interesting you say  -not- like At the Gates:  _Slaughter of the
     Soul_, coming out when  it did, was a bit of a  kick in the arse
     for a lot of Swedish metal. Dismember certainly said that.

PW: Definitely. That was one of the best produced albums ever made, I
    would say. I think they set a new standard with _Slaughter..._. I
    think the whole scene actually  changed a bit after that release.
    Adrian [Erlandson, ex-At the  Gates drummer presently with Cradle
    of Filth] and those guys said  it's nearly impossible to top that
    album, to  make it a  better album production-wise. They  kind of
    also lost the  spark with the band and decided  to quit when they
    were  at the  top, and  people will  definitely remember  them. I
    think that was a cool thing to do.

CoC: It's interesting that although Daniel  Bergstrand has done a lot
     of good  albums and is a  good producer, he's not  as well known
     Peter  Tagtgren and  Fredrik  Nordstrom, even  though  a lot  of
     people who do  know him would say he was  a better producer than
     either.

PW: Most musicians and  journalists know about Daniel  but fans don't
    know who he  is, but they know about Fredrik,  and Abyss studios.
    There are also  musicians who think he's  extremely expensive and
    he doesn't have his own studio, and  that they have to rent him a
    studio and  then rent  him to  come. But he's  got his  own small
    studio north of Stockholm and he  just tries to survive. Now it's
    starting to take  off a bit more  for him so I  think that's very
    good. Now  he's also producing  Dragonlord, the new band  of Eric
    Peterson from Testament [reviewed  in this issue]. Hopefully also
    Darkane  can  help. He's  got  more  variety  to his  sound  than
    Fredrik, I  think. Sometimes  he definitely  comes out  with good
    stuff but sometimes it can be a bit curtailed. I think it depends
    a lot  who works with him.  I've worked with him  two times, with
    Armageddon, and  _Stigmata_ that  I did with  Arch Enemy.  It was
    different vibes those  two times. Armageddon he  didn't feel much
    for because it  was a small band  and we were only  in the studio
    ten  days,  including mixing.  He  worked  more for  Arch  Enemy,
    because it was their second album he worked a lot harder. I think
    those bands go to Fredrik because they want the _Slaughter of the
    Soul_ sound and  because of that it sounds mostly  the same, most
    of the  productions. Different bands,  but it sounds in  the same
    vein in some  way, I think. I think if  perhaps Daniel Bergstrand
    would do  Dimmu Borgir,  I think  he could have  got a  whole new
    dimension to the  band. A lot of those bands  that I've talked to
    are not  willing to experiment  much. They  know when they  go to
    Fredman  that even  if they're  not having  their best  days, the
    production will turn out good at least. I just love the work that
    Daniel does and we're definitely gonna go with him on the next CD
    too because especially vocal wise he's very big.

CoC: I really enjoyed  some of your drumming on  _Insanity_. You done
     quite a  bit of  stuff with unusual  breaks and  slight off-beat
     rhythms.

PW: Actually, there's another band I'm in where I do a lot more weird
    stuff. It's got like cartoon music -- we call it cartoon music --
    Mickey  Mouse music,  like the  old  stuff from  the Sixties  but
    totally sped  up. It's  just shredding. It's  a very  fast album,
    it's  also  got cool  grooves  in  it:  everything from  jazz  to
    blastbeats. It's more avant-garde.  I play everything from fusion
    stuff through jazz and real hard metal stuff.

CoC: A bit of a Naked City vibe?

PW: Yeah, I like  them a lot. I  think Naked City they  kind of start
    out from jazz and go from there, we more start out from hard rock
    or heavy  metal or whatever.  It's a  bit different but  it's the
    same vibe  to it.  It has  lots and  lots of  humour in  it. It's
    called Electrocution 250.  It will be released at the  end of the
    year, probably by WAR music. It  will probably be licensed by WAR
    music to  someone else, 'cause  WAR music don't really  know that
    kind of music  that well. Drop by at the  website of Darkane near
    the end  of the  year and  there will  probably be  some postings
    about it.

Contact: http://www.darkane.com

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

             N E C R O - P E D O P H I L E S   'R'   U S
             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
         CoC talks to Joe Horvath of Circle of Dead Children
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     "I think  the new  record outshines any  of our  previous work",
singer/screamer  Joe   Horvath  starts  about  the   band's  grinding
deathcore debut _The  Genocide Machine_ [reviewed in  this issue] for
Deathvomit/Necropolis  when compared  to their  independent releases.
"This record  is just  so much  stronger than what  we have  done. It
turned out great. We're all excited."
     When  asked about  the mindset  and the  structuring of  the new
album, he comments, "We don't really have  a set plan when we go into
to record material. Our drummer  [Jonathan Miciolek] lives five hours
away and we  only practice every three or four  months until he comes
home in the summer when it  becomes straight ahead, non-stop work for
the band. We just bust our asses as a band to get material out. A lot
of the songs that we recorded  for this album were practiced probably
only once or twice. Whatever we are feeling at the time is what comes
out. I guess that is why all of our three recordings up to this point
all sound so different."
     "I think  we definitely hit  our goal  with this record.  We are
totally satisfied with what we were able to do musically on _TGM_."
     "We  don't  really improvise  a  lot  in the  studio",  explains
Horvath. "We kind  of set a date  when we want to go  into the studio
and whatever we  got around that time in regards  to music and ideas,
we take them  in and hammer them  out onto the record.  We have never
really thrown  out a song or  changed things around because  we don't
really have the  time to be like  that. We just know that  we have to
take the full advantage of the time we have together."
     And while  Horvath may  know (kind  of) what he  wants out  of a
recording, the  listener is sent into  the new disc trying  to defend
themselves  from  an abrasive  onslaught  of  noises, aggression  and
insanity coming from  all directions. I've likened the  sound of CoDC
to kind of like the calm before  the storm. You just have to be ready
to embrace the assault. Y'know? Batten down the hatch!
     "Yeah, there is a lot going on", chuckles Horvath. "When we [the
band is rounded by guitarists  Jason Andrews and Jonathan Kubacka and
bassist Alf Kooser] started the band a  few years ago, we made a pact
with one another to not recreate something that has already been done
before.  We wanted  to break  the  cookie-cutter mold  of this  music
scene. Everyone in the band had  such a diverse background with music
and we didn't want  to throw any of that out of  this band. We wanted
to use every idea and just go  full force with every song. If someone
writes  a part  that is  kind of  non-traditional to  this sound  and
style, what the hell, we'll use what we can get!"
     He notes, "The  whole idea of this band was  to write music that
wasn't boring. A  lot of bands just  focus on being so  brutal and it
just gets so  tiring and monotonous after a while  and we didn't want
to do  that. We  don't want  to bore  people with  our music.  I love
brutal music,  I am a  big fan, but  90% of the  stuff I listen  to I
can't finish the  record. There is just nothing to  hold to hold your
interest. It's like you can predict  what is going to happen next. We
just want to be unpredictable."
     About  their influences,  which  there are  many, Horvath  says,
"Even though we don't really sound a  lot like them, Assuck was a big
influence for us musically, I think. I don't think you can really say
this band influenced us or that band did. But if I had to pick a band
that means a lot to me and inspired me to do this, I'd say Assuck."
     While the band really grabs your attention with their blistering
array of violent grinding noise  concoctions, just make sure you take
a gander at the -heavy- lyrics  that accompany the music of CoDC. Are
the lyrics socially or politically  charged or are they just inspired
by  this world  we  live  in? Horvath,  the  band's main  songwriter,
answers the question.
     "There are  a lot of things  on my mind", Horvath  says. "I just
want people  to read my  lyrics. I want them  to read them  more than
once because  they aren't  really written  straightforward. Hopefully
people read  them and try to  understand what they mean  or even take
the time  to e-mail  me and  ask me  about them.  Be it  political or
social or whatever, I don't write  lyrics to create a certain song or
be a certain way.  I write lyrics like once every  three months and I
just write down what is going on in my brain at that time. I just let
the pen  go. I don't  set out to write  a political song,  a socially
conscious song  or a  negative or  positive song.  I just  write what
comes out and I  don't go back and change things. I  let them stay as
is. It is just a song."
     Does Horvath find certain fans look past the intelligence of the
lyrics for just the whole brutality of it all?
     "A lot of people into this type  of music don't really put a lot
of focus on the lyrics. They are  just there. I figure, why write the
same type of gore  or death lyrics over and over  again? It just gets
boring. If  you are  focusing on the  music not  being stereotypical,
then why  are the lyrics stereotypical?  The thing that we  have been
fortunate with our music is that it  has been able to cross over many
different genres, into the death and  grind as well as the crust punk
stuff and hardcore scene. I think  those scenes have picked up on the
lyrics,  while  the death  and  grind  scene  has  picked up  on  the
brutality of what we do. I think it all works out so well."
     He adds, "The  last song of the record,  "Ctrl-Alt-Delete", is a
spoken word song that  kind of wraps up the messages  of what we were
singing about on the album and  hopefully those people who don't read
the lyrics  will be like, "Damn,  that was deep. What  was he talking
about?",  and they  will  go back  and  read the  lyrics  and try  to
understand what we are singing about."
     "The feedback  about the  lyrics has been  non-stop. I  get kids
e-mailing me and telling me how deep  the lyrics are or how good they
are  and that  makes  me feel  good.  To be  honest,  I'd rather  get
complimented on the lyrics I write than the vocals. The lyrics mean a
lot to me."
     The topic  turns to  signing with  Necropolis Records,  on their
subsidiary label Deathvomit Records. How did that all come about?
     "Last August  we started  getting e-mails  from labels  who were
interested in what we were doing. It  was kind of blowing us away. We
were excited about  being on a label. Even if  that meant putting out
200 copies of  a 7" we'd be happy.  So we thought about it  for a few
months, as  we weren't really  ready to jump  to anybody yet,  and we
eventually went  with Necropolis 'cause  after some research  we felt
that this label was more in tune with what we wanted as a band. Right
now, Deathvomit is where we want to be."
     And while most newly signed  bands feel the jitters of recording
their debut album for a label,  possibly worried about how it will be
received, CoDC  skipped all  of those  first record  butterflies with
_TGM_.
     Reveals Horvath,  "Actually this CD  was recorded before  we got
signed and we were  ready to put it out on  a small independent label
with a press run  of 2000. We were in the  recording process when the
label approached us to sign, so yeah,  it was written and just had to
be recorded."
     So there  was no real  pressure? "None whatsoever, and  that was
what was so cool about it."
     I guess it'll be a different scenario next time out, eh?
     "Yeah, we know that all too  well", he ends. "The real test will
be how  things turn out for  our first recording while  on Deathvomit
Records. But  you know what?  I don't  think there will  be pressure.
We're a strong band. We're ready for it."

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

  E A R T H   T O   E A R T H ,   A S H E S   T O   A S H E S . . .
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 CoC interviews Adrian Butler and Darren Moore of Mourning Beloveth
                          by: Pedro Azevedo


Mourning  Beloveth  recently  travelled  to the  Academy  Studios  in
England.  There, where  Peaceville  doom history  was written,  these
Irish doomsters recorded an album that  is likely to make you feel as
though  you are  trying to  breathe through  dense, suffocating  dust
while  you  listen  to  it  --  such is  the  weight  of  this  debut
full-length.  Mourning  Beloveth  called  it  _Dust_  [CoC  #53]  and
subtitled it  "a true Irish  tragedy". Both tags speak  volumes about
the album's musical  content: doom metal played the way  few bands do
these  days,  sincerely emotional  and  devoid  of any  pandering  to
trends.  _Dust_ is  a  self-financed  record like  few  I have  heard
before,  and thoroughly  shows the  band's belief  in their  music. I
interviewed bassist Adrian Butler and vocalist Darren Moore by e-mail
to find out more about what the band has been through and their plans
for the future.

CoC: Yours  is one  of  those band  names that  does  not belie  your
     musical style. Would  you like to go into some  detail about the
     meaning of the name Mourning Beloveth and its origins?

Adrian Butler: The name  Mourning Beloveth  was invented by  a member
               who no  longer exists in  the band. Its  meaning comes
               from the style of music we play. The loss and mourning
               of  innocence...  Mourning  Beloveth  began  existence
               from the  embers of  a death metal  band, Traumatized,
               whom  had  earlier released  a  good  quality demo  of
               death  metal. Following  another line-up  change, only
               Tim  (drums) and  Keith (bass)  were left.  Frank then
               joined  on  guitar  and the  foundations  of  Mourning
               Beloveth began with the name  change in 1992. Late '92
               [vocalist]  Darren joined  and  MB  had already  three
               songs written with no real common link between them --
               one song  being a doom  song, one being a  black metal
               song and the  other a death metal song.  MB played one
               gig  at which  our bassist  met the  second guitarist,
               Keith. The bassist then disappeared and Brian switched
               to  bass. He  then disappeared  and it  was left  with
               myself on  vocals, Frank on  guitar and Tim  on drums,
               practicing in a shed during the winter months of 1993.
               Brian  then reappeared  to  play guitar  on our  first
               untitled demo, following which I joined on bass. Brian
               switched  to  guitar  and finally  our  musical  goals
               became  clearer, and  following  a lot  of torture  we
               recorded our second demo, which shows the MB horizon a
               lot clearer,  as our goals  on the debut  were muddied
               and confused to say the  least. Still unhappy with the
               sound on our  second demo, we decided  where better to
               record than  Academy with Mags,  and why not go  a bit
               further and record  a self financed album  -- and here
               we are.

CoC: _Dust_ is your first full-length  release, yet the band has been
     active  since 1992.  How useful  do  you feel  such an  extended
     period was for the band to mature?

AB: The band  has been together for  a while alright, but  I do think
    you are right in your comment about maturity. We have learned how
    to  write songs  properly  -- arrangements,  structures, etc.  Of
    course we would have liked to  have released an album sooner, but
    it hasn't  done us any  harm. I  think this time/age  thing would
    bother some people and they  might worry about stupid things like
    thinking they  only have a  few years to  make it and  after that
    they will  be too  old -- fuck  that. I hope  to be  making music
    until I die and if that is when  I am 60 so be it. I'm not saying
    Mourning Beloveth  have cracked  the doom  code or  anything; I'm
    sure we will continue to discover  new things within the band and
    the music -- that's where the fun is after all.

CoC: You were still  an independent band when you  recorded _Dust_ --
     even though the disc carries the  name of a label, Bron, which I
     am not familiar with. What is your current situation label-wise?

AB: Yes, we are still an  unsigned band. We are currently negotiating
    with two or three labels and  by the time you read this interview
    we should  be closer  to getting  something down  on paper  -- no
    names yet to avoid disappointment. Bron: we wanted to put a label
    name on the  CD. The reason for  this is we wanted the  CD to get
    reviewed in the  signed band sections in  mag/webzines instead of
    the demo one. Our drummer Timmy  came up with the name. Basically
    it is  Irish for "sorrow"  -- it is  suitable, I think.  Maybe we
    will start up our own label sometime.

CoC: Despite the  difficulties, you did record  this self-financed CD
     at the legendary Academy Studios with Mags. What can you tell us
     about that experience?

AB: Recording at  Academy was a  thrill for us, you  wouldn't believe
    it. And with Magz was an honour. I met Magz before in Dublin when
    he was over with Primordial doing their _Spirit the Earth Aflame_
    CD [CoC  #48] and we got  talking and organized the  whole thing.
    The studio is inside this house  which doesn't look like a studio
    from outside.  When you go in  the front door, the  bedroom is on
    your left and then it's up the narrow stairs (the walls are lined
    with vinyl).  Then there  is a  chill-out room  on the  left, the
    kitchen  on the  right --  through that  is the  mixing room  and
    underneath all that  is the live room. You can  smell the Doom in
    the air. In  the kitchen on the  wall is a red  vinyl of Paradise
    Lost's _Gothic_ and various other vinyl. We found an old log book
    with the  booked in times  for MDB's  _Turn Loose the  Swans_ and
    Paradise Lost's  stuff. On the  mixing room floor were  the eight
    reels MDB used for their last album! Downstairs in the dusty live
    room is great --  no divisions and just full of  bits of amps, an
    old  wind organ,  Magz's guitar  which  was used  on several  CDs
    recorded there... On the first day  he asked me what we wanted. I
    asked him for a big wide sound,  heavy like the doom sound of old
    but not  to plagiarize certain elements.  He said OK and  took it
    from there. Being confined for  seven days gets pretty intense at
    times. It  was the  longest time  the five of  us had  ever spent
    together. It was like "I'm going  insane -- fuck you and fuck you
    as well"...  But we are  in Academy, so  fuck it. I'm  not saying
    it's the best studio in the world or anything -- there are better
    ones, of  course. But this  was down to  money in the  end. After
    everything  was recorded  and we  began to  mix, everything  just
    gelled together  like we never  heard before -- Magz  pulling out
    ideas, improving  little things...  what do  you think  of this?,
    etc. Any ideas we  had we threw them at him too  and he was great
    at interpreting what we wanted. It  was a great experience and to
    get someone who  all these years ago helped discover  a new sound
    and redo it  almost ten years later was cool.  He said he enjoyed
    it. We were the last doom band to record there too, as Academy is
    now closed  up and  moved from its  original premises  to Keith's
    (owner's house). He built an extension and according to Magz it's
    very nice. We  look forward to going there in  April next year to
    record our next album.

CoC: Mourning Beloveth's lyrics are well suited to the music and show
     that plenty  of thought has been  put into them. Would  you like
     to  tell  us  more  about  sources  of  inspiration,  or  detail
     the  thoughts behind  tracks such  as  "Dust" and  "All Hope  Is
     Pleading"?

Darren Moore: Thanks  for the  compliment  on the  lyrics.  I do  not
              usually go into detail about  the lyrics but leave that
              up to  the reader for his/her  own interpretation. They
              usually  deal with  the negative  emotion every  person
              deals with sometime in their lives, such as loneliness,
              grief, love  and love  lost, world weariness  from this
              world of shit we live in  and the fact that we are born
              astride  a  grave.  The song  "Dust"  encapsulates  the
              thoughts I  had on life  at that  moment in my  life. I
              could  see no  joy in  the world  but only  in fleeting
              moments, and  I locked myself away  both physically and
              mentally from  the outside world for  some solace. Into
              this darkened world I came  to the conclusion that this
              world is not worth living  in, as we stride towards our
              graves and into the unending cycle of life and death --
              as  Tomas  Lindberg said,  "Like  a  flickering in  the
              perpetual chaos". "All Hope Is Pleading" is about being
              so overcome by a certain  emotion that you become blind
              to the outside  world and so your  world becomes silent
              as there is no one to share it with. I could go on, but
              I would probably  bore you. These are  just my meanings
              to the lyrics; what are yours?

CoC: There  is a symbol depicting  a cross within a  circle which you
     frequently use; what does it mean?

AB: We have had so many  different interpretations of that symbol, it
    is strange. It  really is a window taken from  the front cover of
    the CD. It looks  like a cross alright, but not  so. If you study
    the cover you  will see it is a guy  lying slumped over something
    in a room  and the rays of  light coming in the  window. the rays
    illuminate the dust --  hence the name if the CD  (there is a lot
    more to  this contained in  the lyrics).  It is vague  enough, as
    have been the  previous demo covers. I really  shouldn't tell you
    what  it  is,  because  it  is nice  to  get  different  people's
    interpretations of what the cover looks like. It's like the music
    on top  of it  -- you  take what you  want from  it and  see what
    windows it opens up for yourself.

CoC: The promotional  flyers for _Dust_  use the words "A  true Irish
     tragedy"  as a  subtitle, which  I found  quite interesting.  Is
     there a story behind that? Any special meaning for you?

AB: That line is taken from a  review Alan from Primordial did for us
    to use to send to labels, etc.  It was the best thing at the time
    we could  use to describe  the CD. It  speaks for itself  -- "oh,
    this must be miserable".

CoC: How bothered  are you by the likely comparison  to bands such as
     My Dying Bride and Evoken?

AB: We are  not really bothered  by it  anymore. In the  beginning it
    used to  piss us off,  but people seem  to forget that  there are
    death metal  bands, thrash metal  bands, black metal  bands still
    playing the kind  of style as was when those  genres started, and
    so what the fuck? Maybe it is because doom metal is a small scene
    and when  people think of  doom they  think of MDB,  Anathema and
    Paradise Lost. And  are any of those bands playing  that now? No.
    So when  anyone else  comes to the  fore like  Mourning Beloveth,
    people automatically tend to refer  to these bands and compare us
    to them. This style was forgotten about (except for the true doom
    fanatics) after those bands went  on to something else. Some call
    this true  doom, but then you  get fans of bands  like St. Vitus,
    Trouble, etc. saying  that is true doom,  and on and on.  It is a
    compliment to  be referred  to those  bands somewhat  -- it  is a
    small enough scene and important to stick together as any other.

CoC: How do you find the current state of the doom metal scene? Which
     of the attributes  Mourning Beloveth possesses do  you find most
     important to make the band relevant in the genre?

AB: In reference to the last answer, it  is a small scene but now you
    hear of bands like  Mournful Congregation from Australia, Worship
    in France, Solstice in the UK, Unsilence from UK, Officium Triste
    from Holland, Within  Tears from the USA... there are  a good few
    more. The current scene is quiet  and the quantity and quality is
    there. Doom  is something everybody  should listen to  because of
    what it possesses,  but it is no  good if you don't  hear what is
    coming out from  the music. You must pay attention  to the music,
    especially if the  quality is there and it takes  a listen or two
    to get it. I  got an interview from a guy in  Canada -- his first
    question started  with "The first time  I listened to it,  I fell
    asleep at  work. The  second time  I wanted  to kill  myself. The
    times after that,  things were a bit more moderate;  it just made
    me get  lost in my thoughts.  Alright... what the hell  is this?"
    This guy never listened to  doom metal before, but yet understood
    very quickly what was in the music. That's what Mourning Beloveth
    like  to see.  When  you get  a  comment like  that,  I think  it
    blatantly shows what attributes we have to offer and makes it all
    relevant.

CoC: The only other Irish  band I can think of is  Primordial, but on
     theother hand that is an excellent band. Are you in touch with m
     theat all? Are there any other Irish bands you would recommend?

AB: Yes, I  know Primordial very  well. I used  to live with  Alan at
    Heavy Metal HQ Dublin. He is still there with some more recruits.
    A lot  of people have passed  through that house and  have stayed
    there  for  a  length  of  time --  Magz  (Academy),  Simon  from
    Destroyer666 (Australia), Steve from  Slaughter Lord and Mourning
    Beloveth's Darren  and Brian  were the original  inhabitants with
    myself. Lots  of great memories.  Other bands I  would recommend:
    Kingdom (doom/black/death),  Mael Morda (Celtic  doom), Waylander
    (recording a new CD  for Blackened), Abaddon Incarnate (recording
    their  new CD  for  Sentinel  in Sweden  with  Miezko from  Nasum
    producing).

CoC: What  are your  plans  for the  future in  terms  of touring  or
     recording new material? Is the label situation critical for you,
     or are you willing to carry on without a label?

AB: As I have  mentioned, we are in talking stages  with some labels.
    If we  get the right distribution  and some more money,  we would
    seriously think of recording and releasing the next CD ourselves,
    but it would be nice to have the backing of a label.

CoC: Any final words for this interview?

AB: Thanks  for the  interview.  Can  I plug  my  label? It's  called
    Sentinel (www.sentinelireland.com)  and it  was set up  by myself
    and  Brian Taube  (ex-Misanthropy UK).  We are  releasing Abaddon
    Incarnate's second  CD (brutal gore/death, ex-Season  of Mist) in
    September. I just  spoke to them in Sweden today  and it seems to
    be really going well. Our first  release is _In Unison_, a double
    CD  with 19  Irish  bands (signed  and  unsigned) including  fine
    album tracks  by established acts like  Primordial, Waylander and
    Cruachan,  and unreleased  songs from  Abaddon Incarnate,  Arcane
    Sun, Geasa and Lunar Gate. It's an introduction to a wide variety
    of  styles from  Ireland's lesser  known acts;  demo tracks  from
    Moonfog, Inhumaine,  Desolate, Karnayna, as well  as tracks taken
    from  self released  CDs of  Kingdom, Hexxed,  Primal Dawn,  Mael
    Morda, Scald and Mourning Beloveth.

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

   A   G R E E K   T R A G E D Y   W R I T T E N   I N   M E T A L
   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
            CoC chats with David DeFeis of Virgin Steele
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     I guess you  could call Virgin Steele's David  DeFeis the Andrew
Lloyd  Webber of  metal  music these  days. Much  like  the epic  and
vibrant creative process  that I have only  seen/heard with Therion's
Christofer Johnsson (remember the  brilliant _Theli_?), DeFeis is the
master of initiative and control. He  never backs down from a project
and his  work seems  to flow  with complexity, but  at the  same time
shine with passion.
     I'll admit  that putting out a  double CD that centers  around a
Greek drama,  as the  band's latest  _The House of  Atreus -  Act II_
does, takes a  lot of balls. This  is a big concept for  those in the
metal community to take in. Will metal fans welcome it with open arms
as they did with the solid predecessor _The House of Atreus - Act I_,
or will  it fall  to the  wayside as something  "too hard  to grasp"?
DeFeis is banking that  fans will once again be in  awe with what has
been put in front of them.
     "I am extremely satisfied with this album and what I was able to
do with this record", starts DeFeis down the line. "Every album I do,
at the end of  working on it, I want to go back  and redo stuff. That
is just my  own insanity and the way  I am. You are at  the limits of
your own imagination, the studio and  the budget. I think I took this
record as  far as  I could  and I  couldn't be  happier with  the end
result.  I think  the fans  of the  first Act  will be  interested in
seeing where this record takes them."
     About  the work  going  into  _Act II_  and  following the  last
installment, DeFeis  reveals that both  Acts were written all  at the
same time.
     "I wrote all of this at the  same time", he points out. "It just
ended up  being released like this  in two parts. I  did basic tracks
for all of  the songs at once and  then I decided how I  was going to
split up the  Acts. It wasn't until the final  mixing that I realized
that _Act II_ was going to be two CDs. I didn't think it was going to
be this long."
     Why wasn't  all of this  put out in one  fell swoop? Why  in two
parts?
     "I  would have  liked to",  he admits,  "but the  record company
[Noise] wasn't really into it. I wasn't sure if they were going to be
into releasing _Act II_ as a double CD, but once they heard the final
version they were totally into it being marketed like this."
     Does  DeFeis  think metal  fans  will  be  able to  embrace  the
magnitude and the overall size of  material and ideas going on within
_Act II_? Could it be a bit too much for fans to take in?
     "I think  this is a great  deal for metal fans,  especially that
they are  only paying  the price of  a single CD  for a  double-CD. I
think it is a great value for fans to pick this up and experience the
music of  _Act II_. I think  this record has something  for everyone.
There are a lot of moods and shapes  to the music here. If you put on
an AC/DC  record, and nothing  against them, but  it is all  the same
groove throughout the record and that gets boring. You won't get that
here", he acknowledges.  "This is a real trip. This  is a journey for
metal fans to  go on. Every song  is built that way, so  fans can get
loads out of what we are doing here."
     On the topic  of where the inspiration for _Act  I_ and _Act II_
came from,  he states, "I was  approached by a theatre  in Germany to
help write a play for them and I told them I would as long as I could
use the material  for my next album.  I told them that  so I wouldn't
have to  start up another project  after the work I  would be putting
into the play."
     With the amount of work that went into _Act II_ and the previous
record, one has to assume that this  was a large ordeal for the power
metal trio to go through, right?
     Says  DeFeis, "It  wasn't at  all much  different as  it was  to
record any of our older records. Some songs are easier to get on tape
than others, but that  is the way things go when  you work on albums.
The more you work on records  and gain experience over the years, the
faster you  get at doing all  of this. It  is also easier for  you to
know how to achieve  the results you want. I have  been in the studio
for so many years that it all just flows for me."
     "I like to work  on songs and make them become  a part of Virgin
Steele. Very  rarely will a song  I am working on  be cut", continues
DeFeis about studio  work. "There is also a lot  of spontaneity and I
like that  too. I like  to know what  I am doing  with a song,  but I
welcome spontaneity. I'm not afraid to change things at the drop of a
hat if I know it will benefit the music."
     Is it  important for DeFeis  as a musician to  constantly evolve
the sound of Virgin Steele?
     "Absolutely", he comments. "I always  liked that aspect of bands
I grew  up on.  Every Led  Zeppelin or  Queen record  sounded totally
different and I want  that as well for my band. I  always try to make
each record just flow with numerous  mood swings and colours. I don't
like to stay in the same place  with my music and my moods. The music
of  Virgin  Steele reflects  my  mood  swings in  life.  If  I was  a
one-dimensional character, you'd get one-dimensional music. Thank God
I am  not like  that <laughs>  or I'd even  be bored  with what  I am
doing."
     "I think the reason why Virgin  Steele has been successful and I
am  still making  music  is because  I still  enjoy  it", the  singer
continues. "We [the  trio is rounded out  by guitarist/bassist Edward
Pursino and  drummer Frank Gilchriest]  have never changed  our sound
and followed trends  because we like what we like  and I don't really
try to stray from  that. I guess you can say  we are stubborn people.
Sure I let things from pop culture creep into what we do, but I don't
think you'd really experience it with what we are doing."
     He ends, "We have never been into this for the money. We want to
create music  we like  and live  in a musical  landscape that  we are
comfortable with. If  people like it then that is  great, and if they
don't, so be it. Go buy a Limp Bizkit record then. <laughs>"

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

               S T A R   S H O O T E R   S U P R E M E
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
              CoC talks to Johan Reinholdz of Andromeda
                         by: Adrian Bromley


     The song  titled "Star Shooter Supreme",  taken from Andromeda's
debut album  _Extension of the  Wish_ on WAR Music  (licensed through
Century Media  in North  America), is such  a perfect  description of
guitar player  Johan Reinholdz.  His undying love  for his  music and
this band has sent  him on a journey to reach  for the stars, pushing
aside any setbacks to reach stardom. Indeed he lives and breathes his
music.
     "By looking at the album cover  I guess some people might assume
that this record is a concept record. But it really isn't", clarifies
Reinholdz about  the themes  of the  new disc. "The  idea of  the guy
extending his arm  played off the album title and  the galaxy picture
goes along with our  name, but other than that it  is just the cover.
This album is made up of  seven very different song ideas. No concept
theme runs throughout."
     He adds, "People need to actually play the record to see what we
are all about. The cover imagery  is one thing, the music is another.
People who listen to our music will experience what I mean."
     Listening to  the music of  Andromeda -- rounded out  by session
vocalist  Lawrence Mackrory  (ex-Darkane), keyboardist  Martin Hedin,
drummer Thomas Lejon  and bassist Gert Dunn -- it  isn't that hard to
hear  the  multiple influences  that  make  up this  band.  Reinholdz
reveals some of them.
     "I listen to all types of music, all genres. Some of those bands
you will never  hear in our music,  but they still inspire  what I do
with Andromeda. I  think if I had  to pinpoint music that  has been a
big inspiration,  I'd have to  say bands like Metallica,  Iron Maiden
and Megadeth.  Plus numerous  progressive metal  bands from  the '70s
like Yes, Rush and Genesis. As  well as modern progressive bands from
the past few years like Atheist, Cynic and Dream Theater."
     "Listening to as  much music as I possibly can  is a great thing
for me", he explains. "It opens me up to all of these styles and lets
me see what great music came before me, as well as keep me up to date
with all of today's contemporary music."
     On the  topic of  studio work  for _Extension  of the  Wish_, he
says, "I found  the studio experience a great thing  for me. I really
enjoyed it. But  I have to admit, while  I did get a lot  done in the
studio, there was a lot more  experimenting that I would have like to
get done, but I wasn't able to  do. It was very stressful at times to
get this  all done. I did  all of the  guitar work in four  days. Two
days for clean and rhythm guitars and two days for guitar solos. Some
days I played 16 hours in a row just to make sure the guitar was done
properly. Had I not  had to do so much in a few  days, I would surely
have  been able  to try  out new  things and  experiment more  in the
studio.  But you  know how  it is,  though. When  this is  your first
record, you  really don't get a  big budget or  a lot of time  to get
things done. Maybe next time or the third album we will be given more
time and money to try things with Andromeda's production."
     I think the record turned out great.
     "Yeah, it  is okay", states  Reinholdz. "You can never  make the
perfect record."
     Andromeda is  fresh blood  for sure  in this  ever-growing music
industry.  When Reinholdz  is asked  why we  should care  about their
music, he  answers: "I know this  sounds a bit cocky  <laughs>, but I
don't  listen to  a  whole lot  of new  progressive  music out  there
because I don't think there are that  many bands that are good. A lot
of bands that  play this kind of  music are very hard to  get into. I
mean, we play some very technical  stuff and like to get flashy every
once in a while,  but still the sounds are memorable and  it is a lot
heavier than what is out there. I think those two characteristics are
going to help get our name out to the music scene."
     There seems to be a real space rock kind of feel to the music on
the debut album. Does Reinholdz agree?
     "When I first  started to write this record, I  wrote all of the
music, there  really wasn't  as much synthesizer  on the  record. The
music I  wrote long before  we got together as  a band. When  we came
together the keyboardist  brought in his own ideas  and attached them
to mine.  It is kind  of neat how we  have guitar solos  and keyboard
solos."
     Do you like the amount of synthesizer work on the disc, though?
     "Yes,  it is  very cool  for sure.  I like  how the  guitars and
keyboards complement  each other." He  continues, "Even though  I may
have  written  all of  the  music  by  myself  before the  band  came
together, I am pleased that,  for example, the singer and keyboardist
will come in  and add their own things. They'll  write the lyrics and
song melodies  and help shape  the song  around my original  ideas. I
like that. I like  that this has become more of a  band that just one
person doing  everything. It makes it  a lot easier for  Andromeda to
continue like this."
     Some credit for the cool sound  must be given to producer Daniel
Bergstrand (Meshuggah. Strapping Young Lad)  and how he helped sculpt
the band's plan of attack. How was working with Bergstrand?
     "It was  great, but as I  mentioned before, the studio  work was
hell. It  was very  difficult at  times. And not  only were  we being
rushed through  the studio,  but he  [Bergstrand] had  overbooked the
studio and  had three  studio albums  going on at  once. He  was very
divided at times, I think. It was  very weird at times because I know
he is not a real big fan of this music style and guitar solos, but he
made an effort to get the best out of the band."
     So will you work with him again?
     "Probably not", responds  the guitar player. "I  think next time
around we  will try to work  with someone who like  progressive music
and can be more in tune with what  we want. It was great to work with
Daniel because he helped give us a rougher and heavier sound."
     He finishes, "Next time I hope that we can get some solid studio
work  that will  not only  keep things  heavy, but  help enforce  our
progressive metal sound. I am sure  things will work out for us. They
always seem to do."

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


3D House of Beef - _Low Cycle_  (Lunasound, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo   (7.5 out of 10)

Sludgy, massively  downtuned guitars  and bass coupled  with snarled,
half-screamed vocals  and heavy percussion  try to grab you  and drag
you  down into  the mire  right from  the start  of _Low  Cycle_. The
interesting mid-paced  drum work  drags the rumblingly  groovy guitar
riffs along, creating  what is at times a  nearly suffocating shroud.
3D House  of Beef's  reliance on heavy  grooves and  pounding rhythms
does  pay off,  as the  band seems  to find  an interesting  point of
equilibrium  in their  style.  However, the  main  problem with  this
record lies  in a  certain lack  of variety, and  towards the  end it
tends to  become somewhat  tiresome -- not  long after  the brilliant
combination of the  speech samples on "Proof of Concept"  and what is
perhaps the highlight of the album,  "Crawl". Still, _Low Cycle_ is a
record of monstrous  weight and considerable musical  content that is
very likely to be worth your time.


Abominant - _Ungodly_  (Deathgasm Records, October 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (6.5 out of 10)

Maybe my  American geography is  a bit lacking, but  Abominant almost
make me  wonder if there might  be a town of  Gothenburg, Kentucky --
despite the  fact that  Abominant -claim- to  be from  Bardstown, KY.
Never mind, I  guess there could probably be  towns called Gothenburg
in  quite a  few European  countries  besides Sweden  by now  anyway,
considering the amount of  metal bands currently harvesting influence
from the style that was born there. Abominant mix some American death
metal  elements  with  their  Swedish  influences,  but  all  in  all
_Ungodly_ could  easily be  mistaken for the  output of  some Swedish
melodic black/death  metallers. However derivative and  unoriginal as
_Ungodly_  may be,  Abominant do  show  a very  reasonable knack  for
memorable Gothenburg riffing, agile tempo changes and fitting vocals.
The production on  _Ungodly_ is competent but  rather unpolished, and
there is  a certain simplicity and  a slight looseness in  the band's
instrumental delivery that is nevertheless well balanced out by their
conviction. I  therefore expected  this band to  be quite  young, and
_Ungodly_ perhaps their debut album.  However, much to my surprise, I
found out through their website that  the band has existed since 1993
and that  this is their  -fourth- full-length record. This  fact does
not  bode well  for  Abominant;  even though  _Ungodly_  is quite  an
enjoyable record  in its relative  simplicity, I would  have expected
something far  more impressive and  distinctive from a  band's fourth
full-length album. Ultimately this causes my rating to drop slightly,
since Abominant  are hardly the  promising youngsters I  thought they
might be.  Things are quite  good throughout the first  three tracks,
for  instance, but  the  unremarkable standard  American death  metal
sections  help keep  the rating  below 7.  _Ungodly_ does  provide an
unpretentiously enjoyable listen, though, so  you might still want to
get your hands on this one if Gothenburg-influenced albums are a very
high priority for you.

Contact: http://come.to/deathgasm/


Aborted - _Engineering the Dead_  (Listenable, July 2001)
Mortician - _Domain of Death_  (Relapse, June 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (7 and 2 out of 10)

     This  is a  face-off  between  two gore-drenched,  sample-ridden
death metal  albums, one  from probably New  York's oldest  and worst
gore-obsessed death metal band, Mortician, the other from comparative
newcomers, Aborted -- who hail from Belgium, formed in 1995, and have
one previous full-length  release behind them. You'd  think with over
ten  years of  experience and  time to  learn behind  them, Mortician
would  by now  be able  to  come up  with something  better than  the
utter  shit that  is basically  every one  of their  albums, but  no:
Mortician  are mercilessly  consistent  in the  ultra-low quality  of
their releases. This latest platter of dog turds gains one point over
its predecessor  for being slightly  less awful (partially  by virtue
of  featuring  Pungent  Stench  and  Disastrous  Murmur  covers;  the
less  Mortician "originals"  the better,  I  say) and  one point  for
being 13  minutes shorter  than 1999's _Chainsaw  Dismemberment_ [CoC
#42].  All the  same,  Mortician  fill 37  minutes  with crap  riffs,
crappier (and even weaker) computer programmed 4/4 drumming (with yet
weaker tin-can-rattling... I mean blastbeats), lengthy (and generally
uninteresting)  samples, and  incomprehensible vocals  singing lyrics
which  --  far  from  being  disturbing or  dark  --  read  like  the
scrawlings you might  find on the back of an  exercise book or school
diary  of  any  random,  sexually  frustrated,  horror  film-obsessed
teenager in just  about any highschool in  the US or the  rest of the
world -- there's  always one... When you then look  at the picture of
Will Rahmer  in _DoD_'s  CD booklet  -- where he  is stripped  to the
waist,  wearing sunglasses,  wielding an  axe, and  even seems  to be
conveniently buffed for the occasion -- you are left in no doubt that
only  his brilliant  mind could  have come  up with  works of  poetic
genius  like "Maimed  and  Mutilated" ("knife  cuts through  internal
organs /  axe embedded  in your  sternum /  ice pick  puncturing your
eyeballs / hammer cracking open your skull"), "Extinction of Mankind"
("blood raining from  the skies / storms raging in  the night / death
foretold billions die  / fires burning roasting flesh  / rats feeding
on the dead / world dying it's  the end") or "Mutilation of the Human
Race" ("mass destruction / dead and dying / painful screaming / blood
is flowing").
     What   I   find   ironic  about   Relapse/Mortician's   constant
affirmation that Mortician are the  planet's most brutal band is that
I  wouldn't say  they're even  in the  "most brutal"  50% of  all the
Relapse  releases I've  listened  to  -- and,  as  you probably  have
already gathered, that's quite a few  -- and I'd imagine would not be
considered  in  the "most  brutal"  50%  of all  the  Relapse/Release
releases  in existence,  in my  esteem. In  fact, "50%"  is a  -safe-
estimate; I wouldn't  be in the least surprised  if Mortician weren't
in my "most brutal"  75% of the Relapse stuff I've  listened to. I am
here interpreting "most brutal" as meaning the albums whose brutality
has had "most impact" on me -- initially, and, on repeated listens. I
would also  like to point  out that I  don't actually think  that the
claim that  a band is the  "most brutal" can be  established with any
true  objective  meaning  attached  to  it. All  I  am  saying  about
Mortician is that in my opinion, if  there is a "most brutal" band, I
don't think it can be them; I don't have a replacement band on whom I
-wish- to  bestow the  accolade in Mortician's  stead. However,  I do
have speculative choices  for "most brutal" band or album  in mind --
as a reviewer and a music listener respectively.
     Mortician have always  been all talk and no  follow through. One
note of Suffocation would utterly  crush the so-called "heaviest band
ever to stalk the metal underground" -- and so would Aborted's second
album. Well, maybe  _Engineering the Dead_ could only  manage to give
_DoD_ a sound thrashing, but that  doesn't detract from the fact that
it surpasses  Mortician's latest on  a multitude of  levels. Firstly,
_EtD_  has a  heavier  sound. Secondly,  _EtD_'s  (real) drums  sound
harder and I'm  sure some of their blastbeats are  faster too. Third,
it  is quite  simply  better  written: better  riffs  and  more of  a
variation of  riff types  are far better  structured into  songs than
Mortician have ever managed. And fourth, and most satisfyingly, _EtD_
has a  better array of  horror movie  samples, and uses  them better.
_EtD_  is a  better than  average  slice of  wholly unoriginal  death
metal peppered  with samples.  _DoD_ is a  spectacularly uninventive,
weak-sounding slice  of wholly  unoriginal death metal  peppered with
samples and crap, computed generated  blasts. I wouldn't say you need
to buy either of these records, but if you gotta buy one, Aborted are
by  far the  better and  more worthy  band to  contribute your  money
to.  Additionally,  if you'd  like  to  check  out something  with  a
similar blastbeat-crazy  focus as  much of  Mortician's work,  yet is
infinitely better, I recommend  Obscene Productions' Cripple Bastards
compilation, _Almost Human_ [see review this issue].


Absu - _Tara_  (Osmose, June 2001)
by: Gino Filicetti  (9.5 out of 10)

     Blown away,  enthralled, enraptured, entranced, enamored  -- how
many more useless adjectives need I spew forth to express my thoughts
of  this  album?  Admittedly,  upon  first listen  I  had  my  doubts
regarding Absu's  latest foray  into aural  annihilation, but  I must
admit, a  thorough regimen  of repeated  listens has  thoroughly cast
away any and all doubt.
     The album  opens with  the title  track "Tara",  a name  used in
homage to  the ancient Irish capital  of the Celtic High  Kings. This
track consists of  a bagpipe solo by Sir Don  Shannon that begins our
journey into the most complex and  daring album ever unleashed by the
Cythraul Klan known  as Absu. The bagpipes give way  to the explosive
thrash frenzy that  we have come to know -defines-  Absu. "Pillars of
Mercy", while very Slayer-like in  its execution, is distinctly Absu.
This tale  of war and  valor quickly gives way  to "A Shield  With an
Iron Face",  which continues  the tale of  bloodlust and  honour. The
phenomenal  drum work  of  Sir Proscriptor  Magickus McGovern  really
begins to stand out on this track as the incessant double bass can be
felt deep within the chest.
     The  fourth track  on  Tara, "Manannan",  begins  very slow  and
brooding. Again, Slayer's "Raining Blood"  comes to mind here. As the
brooding  grows, a  climax is  imminent which  bursts forth  fast and
furious and begins the tale of this mythological "shape-changing" god
of sea  and air. The  careful observer will remember  that "Manannan"
first appeared on Absu's last album,  _In the Eyes of Ioldanach_ [CoC
#35]. This  version is far  superior to  the last, after  having gone
through a more rigorous production and better overall execution.
     Next comes  "The Cognate House  of Courtly Witches Lies  West of
County Meath". Quite  a mouthful for a song title,  but actually 100%
factual -- as attested to by two -very- reliable sources who recently
made a pilgrimage to the fabled  land of Tara and visited the Cognate
House. Musically, this track is an unrelenting sonic attack, but like
all of the tracks on this  album, the quality of the musicianship and
the anti-monotony of the songwriting make  it as amazing to behold as
the  next and  the next  and  the next.  "She Cries  the Quiet  Lake"
quickly arrives and includes some vocal help from a mysterious figure
named Masthema  Mazzaqim. This fable  is inspired by a  ninth century
Irish poem of an awe-inspiring female presence secretly beheld by the
side of a lake.
     Bringing  an   end  to  Phase   One  of  this   album  (entitled
"Ioldanach's Pedagogy"),  we have  "Yrp Lluyddawc",  a very  dark and
ominous  piece composed  and played  by  Proscriptor alone  on a  VC3
Analog Synthesizer.  This atmospheric piece  does its job  by sending
chills down the  spine with the fierce alien sounds  that lay trapped
in the mind of a genius madman, until now...
     Phase  Two, "The  Cythraul Klan's  Scrutiny", begins  with "From
Ancient Times  (Starless Skies  Burn to Ash)".  The beginning  of the
song brings  to mind a  lot of Absu's early  work with its  facade of
poor  production, but  quickly  gives  way to  the  clean yet  fierce
production employed  on the  rest of this  disc. The  drumming begins
at  a  breakneck  pace  which  doesn't let  up  one  iota  throughout
the  duration of  this track.  Quickly transitioning  into the  ninth
track, "Four  Crossed Wands", we  have upon  us a track  dealing with
Crowley-esque Magick and  the Court of Wands of Tarot  fame. Next up,
"Vorago"  -- Latin  for  chasm or  abyss --  showcases  not only  the
supreme skin beating prowess of Lord McGovern, but the oft-overlooked
guitar  genius  duo that  is  Shaftiel  and  Equitant. With  an  ever
changing tempo and catchy riff after  catchy riff, the guitar work on
this track  and this  entire album  has no equal  in Absu's  ten year
past.
     "Bron  (of  the Waves)"  is  a  much  needed reprise  after  the
preceding aural assault.  Against a backdrop of  ocean waves crashing
into the rocky coast of Ireland, we're presented with an instrumental
tune  of the  most  exquisite acoustic  guitar.  Very reminiscent  of
Proscriptor's work  on  _The  Venus Bellona_,  this  track  is  truly
haunting.
     Like  the bipolar  nature of  any two  opposites, the  preceding
track  immediately  gives  way  to  "Stone  of  Destiny",  easily  my
favourite track  on this disc,  and the  final stunning climax  of an
intense journey. With  vocal help from Sir  Ronnie Trent, Proscriptor
and Co. proceed to tear through  what is easily the catchiest song of
all.  Never the  same  in  any two  parts,  yet  undeniably the  most
memorable  track on  the  album,  the pace  here  swings between  the
breakneck speed of a machine gun to the groovy click of a riff you'll
never forget. Regarding the narrated vocal  pieces in this song, if I
didn't  know any  better I  could've  sworn that  was King  Diamond's
voice... but alas, you can't have your cake and eat it too.
     The final track, "Tara (Recapitulation)", brings this album full
circle as Sir Don Shannon once more  graces us with the sounds of the
immortal  bagpipes.  Having  come  full  circle,  _Tara_  leaves  the
listener with a  sense of fleetingness and awe. It  really seems like
only minutes ago the  aural assault began and now it  is over all too
quickly.
     Although my score is only a 9.5,  my gut feeling is to give this
album a  10 out of 10.  However, since this  is my first review  in a
LONG  time, I'm  not  going to  be that  rash.  Absu have  definitely
re-affirmed my  long held notion  that they are  absolutely unrivaled
and unparalleled  in the  entire universe of  death, black  or thrash
metal, and  _Tara_ has only  served to increase my  already limitless
worship of the Cythraul Klan.

[Paul Schwarz: "_Tara_  needs time more than most  records these days
 do. And even if  you give it a dozen spins, you  won't even begin to
 understand it  -- on both a  musical and literal level  -- until you
 start  reading  the lyrics.  By  the  time  you begin  reading  them
 while  you  listen to  the  album  --  and  every time  it  finishes
 wanting  to begin  it all  over  again --  you'll be  hooked on  the
 extreme,  immersing experience  listening to  _Tara_ can,  seemingly
 inexhaustibly, be."]

[Alvin  Wee:  "Not  quite  a  simple  continuation  of  the  previous
 full-length, _Tara_  brings things back towards  blazing black metal
 with Absu's  trademark occult touch.  A near-classic in  every sense
 just as _The Third Storm  of Cythraul_ was, deftly blending medieval
 themes of  swashbuckling and  sorcery with caustic  old-school black
 metal that just about blows all the newer "retro" bands away. The LP
 comes in an incredible gatefold  with artwork that just slays... all
 the more reason to get the good ol' vinyl!"]


Aeon - _Dark Order_  (Necropolis, June 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (6.5 out of 10)

If "clean"  is a word  you could  possible get anywhere  -near- Aeon,
I'd  contend their  brutal  "un-Swedish" sound  from, guess  where...
Sweden is a "cleaned-up"  modification on Houwitser's dementia. Think
Coercion _Forever Dead_ with more of an truculently acidic kick. Aeon
can indisputably  stir things up  in a heavily rhythmic  fashion. For
example, track three, "With Blood" (2:14 - 2:40), and my favorite cut
from  this originally  2000  demo, "The  Awakening".  I mention  "The
Awakening"  for  its  overbearingly  backbreaking  style  of  boorish
groove;  certainly  the  best  track  on  the  release.  "Bloodlust",
"Eternal  Hate" and  "Hell  Unleashed" should  (corpse)  paint you  a
pretty good idea  of what is in  store for you on  _Dark Order_. Same
ol' "devil  this and Satan that"  evident here, but with  more of the
grounded heavy  riffing Aeon is  wonderfully skilled at, it  stands a
very wonderful chance of making  the next non-demo material that much
more bearable.  You're almost there,  guys. I'll be  watching closely
for _Dark Order_'s follow-up.


Agalloch - _Of Stone, Wind, and Pillor_  (The End, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (7 out of 10)

While Agalloch fans wait patiently for the band to put out a new full
length  album (they're  scheduled to  start recording  in September),
this  release is  meant to  appease them.  It contains  an unreleased
three-song EP  from 1998  and two  new songs. The  first song  is the
title track,  which is the heaviest  song of the bunch,  and the most
like  their debut  album, _Pale  Folklore_ [CoC  #41]. Unfortunately,
while it uses the  same kind of dark metallic /  gothic vibe as their
debut,  it isn't  as confident  or  developed. Next  up is  "Folorium
Viridium",  which  is  a  short  instrumental  piece  reminiscent  of
Mortiis' more  complex work. The last  of the old songs  is "Haunting
Birds", which  sounds like  something from Ulver's  _Kveldssanger_. A
cover of Sol Invictus'  "Kneel to the Cross" is the  first of the new
songs. Although it is easy to tell from the structure of the song and
the emphasis on the vocals that it's not an Agalloch song, it doesn't
sound particularly out  of place either. The MCD closes  with "A Poem
By Yeats", which is  a classically-influenced piece featuring various
keyboards with alternating spoken and  sung lyrics. The material here
is decent-to-good, but there's very little for strict metal fans, and
it's not  really essential  for any but  the die-hard  Agalloch fans.
Those new  to the  band should certainly  search out  their excellent
debut album.


Akercocke - _The Goat of Mendes_  (Peaceville, May 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (8.5 out of 10)

With their pattern of using naked  women and Satanic imagery to adorn
their black  and white album covers,  occasional sounds approximating
the moaning  and groaning of a  woman in the throes  of ecstasy, song
titles such as "Of Menstrual Blood  and Semen" and plenty of blasting
passages with screeching  vocals, Akercocke are bound  to be compared
to early Cradle of Filth. There is, however, much more to Akercocke's
second full-length  _The Goat of  Mendes_ than what may  initially be
apparent. Akercocke's Satan-worshipping black/death metal is combined
with surprising elements -- such as clean vocal passages and frequent
atmosphere-building  instrumentation  and  effects --  to  produce  a
record which is often musically more adventurous and complex than one
might initially think. A very significant  part of the record is made
of  blastbeats and  screams or  crunchy death  riffs and  grunts, but
Akercocke  always seem  willing to  induce a  certain awkwardness  in
the  listener  through unexpected  twists  and  odd sounds  in  their
music. Considerably  more involved  and accomplished than  the band's
intriguing debut _Rape of the Bastard Nazerene_ (sic) [CoC #42], _The
Goat of  Mendes_ also boasts  superior, less cavernous  sound quality
compared to its predecessor, as well  as more blastbeats and far more
CoF-like  screaming. At  its  best, _TGoM_  succeeds  in keeping  the
listener  simultaneously  interested  and  feeling  somewhat  uneasy.
However, the  middle part of  the album seems somewhat  less inspired
than the first couple of tracks, fourth track "Horns of Baphomet" and
album closer  "Ceremony of Nine  Angels" (which are also  the album's
four longest tracks). _The Goat of Mendes_  is a record that a lot of
people  will not  take  seriously  and may  overlook  because of  its
over-the-top  Satanic black  mass  imagery  -- but  well-constructed,
varied and  powerful tracks  such as  "A Skin  For Dancing  In" prove
that  Akercocke are  well  above  the majority  of  the often  rather
stereotypical black/death that gets released these days.

[Paul Schwarz:  "Seen as  a "death metal"  band, Akercocke  have Nile
 looking over their shoulders and  Cryptopsy scrambling to regain and
 improve  on the  darkened  atmosphere  of _None  So  Vile_; seen  as
 a  "black  metal" band,  Akercocke  make  Mayhem, Emperor  and  even
 Satyricon turn  a contrasted grey; but  Akercocke's essential beauty
 and  brilliance  is that  they  need  ally themselves  with  neither
 label. _The  Goat of Mendes_  is extreme  metal, and at  its finest:
 simultaneously surging forward into the style's future, and reliving
 its glorious past."]


Alas - _Absolute Purity_  (Hammerheart, July 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)

This promised  to be  quite a  difficult yet  potentially interesting
marriage  of musical  styles: Erik  Rutan (of  Morbid Angel  and Hate
Eternal fame) invited Martina Hornbacher  Astner (Therion) to add her
operatic vocal talents  to his own guitar and keyboard  work, as well
as the complex rhythmic structures  built by drummer Howard Davis and
bassist  Scott  Hornick.  The  result is  a  hybrid  of  guitar-based
technical  metal and  operatic  vocal melodies  with slight  keyboard
overtones --  quite unlike  anything Therion have  ever done,  by the
way. I would not call _Absolute Purity_ a doom metal album at all, in
case the thought  crosses your mind; it isn't  happy-sounding, but it
conveys  very little  emotion,  sounding quite  sterile  in terms  of
feeling and  instead concentrating on  the technical side  of things.
Drummer and  bassist do a  very good  job indeed, whilst  Rutan shows
that his talents, although multi-faceted,  seem better applied on his
death metal  projects. Despite some  exceptions (such as  the opening
track), the technicality  and lack of melody in his  guitar riffs and
solos does not create  much of a spark or feeling.  The music is very
dependent on said guitar work,  and often Martina's excellent soprano
vocals seem to  struggle to find their place in  the compositions due
to the awkwardness of many of  the riffs, causing several passages to
sound somewhat  disjointed. The first  few tracks mostly  sound quite
interesting and the elements seem to  work well together, but most of
the album tends  to lose itself in uninteresting  technical riffs and
struggles to retain my attention. "Tragedies" and "Quest of Serenity"
turn  out to  be quite  enjoyable  as well  -- mainly  thanks to  the
drumming -- but  the whole album seems  to live in the  shadow of its
superior  opening  title  track.  This  is  an  album  of  undeniable
technical merits, but in which  several of the songs themselves don't
necessarily work particularly  well. _Absolute Purity_ seems  to me a
record that  musicians are  very likely  to enjoy  a lot  better than
anyone else.

[Paul   Schwarz:  "Though   written,   produced,  and   substantially
 performed, by Eric  Rutan, _AP_ is not is an  attempt by an American
 death metaller to replicate  commercial Euro-goth/doom. Alas include
 a  great  degree of  variation  to  good  effect, though  _AP_  does
 occasionally  drag. Numerous  well-crafted 'Domination'-esque  leads
 here for  the traditional Rutan-o-philes to  savour: embedded within
 one of the most coherent and convincing clean, female-vocalled metal
 albums I've ever heard."]


Amon Amarth - _The Crusher_  (Metal Blade, March 2001)
by: David Rocher  (8 out of 10)

Sweden's  death  metal  Vikings  are back  with  another  sacrificial
offering in  blood of  melodic, epic death  metal. Throughout  the 50
minutes of this pagan powerhouse of  an album, Amon Amarth once again
prove that they are undeniable  past masters at writing a compelling,
angry and warlike anthem that will  linger in your mind forever. With
their hampering  line-up issues  hopefully solved  once and  for all,
Amon  Amarth are  able  to work  as a  powerful,  channeled force  to
conjure some fine death metal hymns. And believe me, the strength and
determination of their line-up is easily heard, with each musician in
the band adding a personal, noticeable touch to the music. This is in
particular true when compared with  _The Avenger_ [CoC #xx], for ex-A
Canorous Quintet  skinsman, Fredrik Andersson, whose  drumwork is far
more intricate and enticing than before. Successfully combining power
and melody, intensity and atmosphere,  and graced with a cool, albeit
rather squeaky-clean production, _The  Crusher_ is the logical sequel
to _Once Sent From the Golden Hall_ [CoC #xx], more than it is to the
somewhat  different elements  that  _The Avenger_  embodies in  these
rather prolific Vikings' discography. I would only begrudge that this
release's sound  is just a  little too conventional  (Abyss trademark
production) and  clean for its  own good  -- maybe more  bands should
consider turning  to Andy  Sneap or Danne  Bergstrand for  a fitting,
chunkier, roaring  production. Nonetheless, _The Crusher_  is a fine,
recommendable  standing stone  of heavy,  raging death  metal indeed,
guaranteed to  have you air-guitaring  and -drumming away  before you
even know it!

[Pedro Azevedo: "_The Crusher_ contains  all the elements and quality
 you would expect from Amon Amarth, while hardly adding anything new.
 The main difference I can hear is that the pace tends to slow down a
 bit  more often  than  before, giving  the music  more  of a  morose
 quality at times.  Predictable as it may be,  however, _The Crusher_
 is another very  enjoyable and memorable album from  these Swedes --
 but they  will need to  be careful in  order to ensure  their future
 albums will still be relevant in spite of their predecessors."]


Amorphis - _Am Universum_  (Relapse / Nuclear Blast, March 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)
 
I won't  go as far as  saying that Amorphis have  completely lost the
plot, but  I did find the  extent to which _Am  Universum_ could have
been much  better as a  four-song MCD than it  is as an  album rather
remarkable. The first four tracks are  all quite good, very much what
might be expected  of the band after _Tuonela_ [CoC  #39], and things
seem to  be headed for a  very reasonable follow-up record.  Then the
rather  dismal "Crimson  Wave" makes  its appearance  and the  record
never again seems to recover. I feel the band has been going downhill
since their  finest hour, _Elegy_ [CoC  #10] -- not a  steep descent,
but it has  been quite noticeable for me. Their  style hasn't changed
much this  time: still melodic,  psychedelic... metal? I'm  not sure;
probably not, but who cares as long as Amorphis would be as downright
brilliant as they have been in  the past? Indeed, Amorphis have never
been the most predictable of bands, and neither _Elegy_ nor _Tuonela_
enjoyed immediate success in my CD  player -- _Elegy_ then became one
of my  favourite records  of all  time and _Tuonela_  I found  a very
respectable  record  in its  own  right.  It  seems  to me  that  _Am
Universum_ is actually  in some ways the least  different record from
its  predecessor  that  Amorphis  have  ever  released.  So  why  the
disappointment? Well,  after the  four song  MCD-that-never-was which
opens the album is over, most of the material just falls short of the
standards set by past Amorphis work  in terms of its enjoyability and
effect on the  listener. In my opinion, _Am Universum_  is a somewhat
tame, lightweight and not very inspired record by Amorphis standards,
lacking  some  of the  emotional  and  atmospheric qualities  of  its
predecessors. A very  decent record, by all means,  but overall quite
far from the quality I expected from Amorphis.


Anata - _Dreams of Death and Dismay_  (Relapse, June 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (8.5 out of 10)

There  is  something wildly  distinguishing  about  this Swedish  act
formed in  1993, but it  isn't maturity; as  a matter of  fact, maybe
quite the opposite.  While precocious in their approach,  Anata has a
Nox Intempesta feel [CoC #34],  only more geniusly juvenile. They are
advertised as a  self-described Morbid Angel meets At  the Gates band
--  I disagree  on both  counts. I  -do- hear  the similarities,  but
the  comparison is  crude,  at best.  Anata is  enigmatic  in and  of
themselves. A  cultivation exists as this  band works you over  a ten
track CD  with a strict  emphasis on harsh, but  decipherable playing
ability. The melodic and changing  intensity Anata possesses works to
their benefit  in a way uneclipsed  by a genre so  crowded by sub-par
acts.  "Can't Kill  What's Already  Dead" and  "The Enigma  of Number
Three" are just a  choice couple of cuts off of  _Dreams of Death and
Dismay_ that'll dismantle your concept of normalcy and leave you in a
state  of  divine befuddlement.  Nothing  about  Anata is  torpid  or
sluggish;  instead, this  experiment in  intricacy is  one that  will
challenge you and every concept you hold sacred.

Contact: http://www.varberg.se/~drake/


Anathema - _Resonance_  (Peaceville, October 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (9 out of 10)

When I  received my  advance promo copy  of _Resonance_  (which isn't
coming out  until October) in June,  I wasn't aware of  the fact that
there would also be a part two  of this compilation -- all it says on
the promo  is "Resonance".  Therefore, all the  more surprised  was I
upon inspecting the track list:  the compilation opens with "Scars of
the  Old Stream",  followed  by Anathema's  three  Ruth songs  (which
feature only  her vocals accompanied  by acoustic guitar).  This sets
the tone  for the rest of  the disc, which  turns out to be  the more
tranquil half  of what  I was later  to find out  will be  a two-part
compilation. The potential  for a brilliant part two  is massive, but
the  disc at  hand is  itself a  great concept.  Those familiar  with
Anathema will  know what I  mean, as  the other tracks  featured here
include the acoustic versions from  _Eternity_ and the _Peaceville X_
covers, as  well as  several instrumental  tracks and  the orchestral
version of "The Silent Enigma". Towards  the end, a live rendition of
"Angelica" again  shows how much  character this compilation  has: it
would have  been easy for Peaceville  to find a nicely  recorded live
version of this brilliant track, but instead the one they did use has
terrible sound  quality. Why? Because the  idea is that you  hear the
Japanese audience going absolutely -crazy- throughout. Definitely not
a track I'll  listen to very often,  but even if you go  for the stop
button  before this  live track  you'll still  get a  fair amount  of
music. More importantly, this is special. Anathema have always been a
very special  band in many  ways, able  to touch that  emotional spot
like perhaps no other, and this  is a special compilation that goes a
long way towards capturing that.


Ancient Rites - _Dim Carcosa_  (Hammerheart, June 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan  (6 out of 10)

A pretentious  opening leads only  to a shallow sound  throughout the
rest of the release. However technically proficient Ancient Rites are
(and they  are, with  precise drumming  and impressive  guitar work),
nothing can be done to  escape the lyrics. Uninspired, hollow, unfelt
and  inevitably  annoying.  However, Ancient  Rites'  musical  talent
outweighs their  lyrical ineptitude as  towards the end of  the album
even some  depth of sound is  achieved. No longer sounding  so tinny,
Ancient Rites are more  appealing and their expressive transgressions
can be ignored if not forgiven. "Remembrance" is a beautiful touching
little  two minute  piano work;  never before  have I  heard such  an
accomplished break  in an album,  it's like a commercial  break where
the adverts are better than the programme you were watching. But once
you  return  to the  programme  (album)  as  a  whole, it  makes  you
appreciate it all  the more. The guitar work becomes  frantic and the
release is better for it. During the lengthy "Lindisfarne (Anno 793)"
it verges  on excessive  speed, which  opens a  door to  abilities of
their musicians previously unseen and unknown from this outing. All I
need to do now is to  attempt to ignore the exaggerated pomposity and
unnecessary posturing in the promotional material.


Annihilatus - _Annihilation_ 10"  (Northern Heritage, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (6.5 out of 10)

More  dirty  black  metal  from  the  Finnish  wastelands  on  parole
here,  and typical  of the  Northern  Heritage catalog  I might  add.
War/genocide-themed stuff the way many younger bands seem to be going
these  days, and  unfortunately for  this trio,  _Annihilation_ isn't
quite memorable enough to make an impact. There's a limit to how much
Darkthrone  worship even  a die-hard  fan  can rave  about, and  when
material this pedestrian is placed side by side with more experienced
acts  like  Clandestine  Blaze,  it  all falls  to  pieces.  All  too
hurriedly produced and  amateurishly written in the  first place, the
EP  smacks  of  undeveloped  potential;  and  while  musicianship  is
competent enough, the  simplistic repetition of the  music can hardly
be  disguised  as minimalism.  In  all  fairness,  this isn't  a  bad
release, with some pretty  head-lifting moments courtesy of mid-paced
cuts like  the "Kill the  Priest", and the over-the-top  lyrics about
killing popes and bombing the Vatican provide for amusing reading. In
short, fans of old-school black  metal and die-hard supporters of the
underground will want  this; other less motivated  listeners would be
better off grabbing the latest Mutiilation.

Contact: Northern Heritage, P.O. Box 21, 15141 Lahti, Finland


Ark - _Burn the Sun_  (FaceFront, April 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (9 out of 10)

Less than  two years after their  amazing debut, Ark are  back with a
new album and  a larger line-up. Starting as a  side project for Tore
Ostby and  John Macaluso, they decided  to "go for it"  and recruited
the vocal talents of Jorn Lande and released their self-titled debut.
Among others,  Yngvie Malmsteen was  greatly impressed by  this album
and actually  borrowed the entire  group (and a  riff or two)  on his
previous album.  This time around  they created  the songs more  as a
band, and  wrote them  while actually having  a vocalist  around. The
result is  a more "complete" album  with more flow in  the songs, but
perhaps  with  less progressive  and  technical  elements than  their
debut. Still, the album is challenging in most senses of the word and
about  as  varied as  a  rock/progressive/metal  album can  get.  Ark
manages  to  create accessible  music  that's  truly interesting  and
original at the  same time. If you can  appreciate more prog-oriented
music, this album is about as good as it gets.


Association Area - _Loathsome Deco_  (Lunasound, May 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (9 out of 10)

One  of noisecore's  most subtle  works, _Loathsome  Deco_ sounds  so
relaxed and  comfortable with itself that  you feel it could  just be
one big  long jam session. The  truth is quite the  contrary; _LD_ is
among the most meticulously constructed of albums. Organic and earthy
in sound, _LD_  nonetheless packs a fair bite and  benefits much from
retaining a wholly insane feel from its start to its finish. When you
hear the quote just before "One of Six Uncles" properly kicks in, you
might be  in agreement with its  words -- "...it still  hasn't gotten
weird enough for me." -- but by  the time all of _LD_'s 35 minutes 24
seconds has been absorbed by your  cranium, I doubt your lust for the
weird will  have failed to  be satisfied. However, if  _LD_ intrigues
you as  it did  me, then I  expect you'll soon  be hungry  again, and
be  ready  for  another  spin.  The  most  concertedly  developmental
"noisecore" release of the year so far  and one of the few records of
recent time  that not only  sounds different, but different  from the
different.


Autopsy - _Ridden With Disease_  (Necroharmonic, May 2001)
Autopsy - _Torn From the Grave_  (Peaceville, June 2001)
Murder Squad - _Unsane, Insane & Mentally Deranged_
  (Pavement, May 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (9, 8 and 8.5 out of 10)

     It's strangely  fitting that two compilations  which acknowledge
the  brilliance of  Autopsy should  have  been released  at the  same
time as  Murder Squad's  debut album.  Murder Squad  features members
of  Dismember  and Entombed,  and  essentially  pays tribute  to  the
glory of  the US' necro-tastic  masters of gore-drenched  death metal
by  unashamedly  ripping them  off,  as  well  as ripping  off  their
own  bands'  older  material,  which itself  was  much-influenced  by
Autopsy.  Confused? I  would be  if  I wasn't  explaining it  myself.
There's a multiplicity  of tail-eating going on  within Murder Squad,
but  essentially,  and  musically,  what ties  these  three  releases
together  is  very  simple:  they  were  all  made  possible  by  the
influential,  original  sounds  recorded  by  drummer/vocalist  Chris
Reifert,  guitarists  Danny Corales  and  Eric  Cutler, and  a  range
of  bassists --  including Sadus/Death  bass-guru Steve  Dio-Giorgio.
Reviewing the three  releases together seemed like  the natural thing
to do.
     The  Swedes in  particular, and  Scandinavians in  general, have
been crucial in  keeping the Autopsy legend alive in  the years since
the band's demise in 1994 --  by comparison, the North American scene
seemed to take little pride  in Autopsy until the "necro-sound" began
becoming  re-accepted  (fashionable?)  following the  reawakening  of
Necrophagia with Phil Anselmo's  involvement, and related events. The
two  compilations presented  here  are of  very different  character,
purpose and  appeal. Peaceville have essentially  released _Torn From
the Grave_ as a retrospective. Crammed to the brim with material from
all Autopsy's  albums and  complemented by five  non-album offerings,
its 27 tracks clock a total  of 70:54 minutes. _Ridden with Disease_,
on  the other  hand,  collects  Autopsy's two  demos  _'87 demo_  and
_Critical Madness_  (from 1988) and  adds two raw, rough  and ripping
live tracks  recorded in Bramberg  to reach  a total running  time of
33:07. _TFtG_'s selections from Autopsy's four albums and two EPs are
acceptable; though my personal choices  would have been different and
I'm suspicious of  how carefully the track choices were  made, the 22
tracks  do reasonably  well at  representing six  years of  Autopsy's
music-making. It will  serve as a reasonable  introduction to Autopsy
for someone who  has never heard the band, though  I'd personally say
that their 1991 classic _Mental Funeral_ is the best place for anyone
to start.  As with many death  metal bands, a compilation  is not the
best  way to  introduce Autopsy  -- and  though Chris  Reifert's writ
gives _TFtG_'s material a  context, _TFtG_ ultimately doesn't provide
sufficient written material about Autopsy to sway it's status as "not
the place to start". For  those already familiar with Autopsy, _TFtG_
may be worth buying for a number of reasons. Firstly, if you only own
_Mental Funeral_, this  may be an economic way to  sample their other
releases; though it doesn't produce  all the releases' best material,
it gives you an idea of what to expect from them. However, if you own
everything  official  by Autopsy,  _TFtG_  is  unlikely to  be  worth
shelling-out  for. Two  of the  non-album offerings  are included  on
_Ridden With  Disease_ -- which any  fan who doesn't happen  to be so
long-standing or devoted that they  already own the Autopsy demos and
the Bramberg  live tape should buy  first -- and the  other three are
not essential: live versions of  "Robbing the Grave" and "Shiteater",
and a  slightly different  version of  "Funereality", taken  from the
_Peaceville -  Vol.4_ compilation album.  _Ridden With Disease_  is a
must-buy  for any  Autopsy fan  -- even  if you've  only got  _Mental
Funeral_. The  demos are raw as  hell yet not unclear.  Quite simply,
they kick  ass! And  even if  you -have- got  all of  Autopsy's other
stuff and are  a little wary of shelling out  for a release featuring
only  different versions,  you'll still  want _Ridden  With Disease_,
because  "Human Genocide"  and "Mauled  to Death"  (from _'87  Demo_)
never made it onto any of Autopsy's official recordings. The Bramberg
live recordings also absolutely kill.
     Murder Squad, despite the colossal debt it self-confessedly owes
to  Autopsy, is  definitely a  somewhat different  kettle of  fish to
Autopsy  themselves.  Yes, it  certainly  is  riff and  feel  driven,
beer-swilling and headbanging death metal with no excuses made and no
trimmings to  be seen, but it  doesn't sound as much  like Autopsy as
you'd expect,  considering the  fact that  according to  its members,
most of it is essentially supposed to [see Dismember story in CoC #48
for Matti  Karki's comments about Murder  Squad]. If you do  a little
bit  of musical  trainspotting,  you'll be  able  to spot  Dismember,
Entombed and  Autopsy riffs on _U,I&MD_.  If you get even  more nerdy
with this practice,  you'll start noting which are  from which period
of each  band, and which (of  the Entombed and Dismember  riffs) were
essentially Autopsy-derived themselves. The  same goes for the solos.
However,  this is  not  the way  to enjoy  _U,I&MD_,  and its  fluid,
coherent feel (as  an album) certainly doesn't prompt  you to partake
in such sad antics. The  one-day, one-take production and spontaneous
feel makes Murder Squad one of the coolest, most originally Stockholm
sounding albums to be recorded in years, and the fact that it reminds
in so many places  of Autopsy is part and parcel  of this -- Autopsy,
Repulsion  and other  late-Eighties  US demo  bands  were crucial  in
shaping the Swedish death metal sound  that was born in the Stockholm
scene. Lurking  amongst all  the old, repeated  musical sounds,  is a
hint of  a style  of Murder  Squad's own --  evidenced mostly  on the
title track  -- but essentially  _U,I&MD_ is best-suited to  those of
you  who want  to hear  four  Swedes relive  the "good  old days"  on
record, in fine, loose, drunk, stoned and head-lolling form -- and if
you're a fan of Autopsy, that'll help too!

Contact: Necroharmonic, PO Box 1271, Kearny, NJ 07032, USA
         http://www.necroharmonic.com


Avantasia - _The Metal Opera_  (AFM, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (8 out of 10)

Power  metal's  self-proclaimed   poster-boy  Tobias  Sammet  finally
unveils his  highly anticipated magnum opus:  a clear-voiced response
to David DeFeis' Stateside operatics. Despite the massive expectation
surrounding the project, _The Metal  Opera_ strikes one as being just
another  Teutonic  power  metal  excursion,  albeit  an  impressively
crafted one. Musicianship is faultless, with the breathtaking line-up
comprising  names like  Henjo  Richter and  Markus Grosskopf.  Talent
enough to back up the star-studded vocal cast boasting the throats of
Kai Hansen, Rob Rock, Andre Matos and none other than DeFeis himself,
among others.  Material is almost standard  Edguy-chorusy stuff, with
the infrequent  nod at the  disc's operatic theme.  "Farewell" stands
out as  one of the  most memorable  ditties in recent  times, opening
with a breathtaking Oriental flute  refrain, and though more Broadway
musical  than  classically  operatic,  the  unforgettable  chorus  is
perhaps the most  evocative passage on the entire  album. That aside,
this  is  still  one  solid  album of  German  power  metal,  nothing
groundbreaking  aside from  the  extended booklet,  but otherwise  an
important part of every fan's collection.


Bal-Sagoth - _Atlantis Ascendant_  (Nuclear Blast, 2001)
by: Matthias Noll  (3 out of 10)

This band tries -so- hard to be epic and bombastic. What comes out of
it somehow reminds me of  Monty Python's lumberjack song. John Cleese
and Co.'s lumberjack tune starts  off with describing the manliest of
men, but  in the  end it  turns out  he's wearing  women's underwear.
Strangely coincidental, the results of Bal-Sagoth's attempts to sound
epic, glorious  and heroic  are so  over the top  that the  result is
quite the  contrary. If  the constant use  of cheap  sounding, guitar
power cannibalising  keyboards would guarantee  majestic soundscapes,
the spoken  "The Warrior's  Prayer" ("Grandfather,  please tell  us a
story...") be my  favourite Manowar track, Spinal Tap  a band without
any sense of  humour, Children of Bodom too old-school  and necro for
my likings, and the  Earth shaped like a disk, then  this could be my
favourite album of all time. You should buy this record if you search
for the missing link between the  cheesiest bits and pieces of Cradle
of Filth and power metal, served  with many breaks and keys, keys and
more keys, reciting worn out  "classical" melodies. If you enjoy this
conglomerate  served on  top of  a rhythmic  backbone and  flow which
reminds me  of the recently  reformed Sabbat  (UK), then this  is the
perfect album for you. And,  before someone asks, fortunately I'm not
familiar  with any  previous Bal-Sagoth  records and  therefore can't
comment on  any differences  or progression. In  case this  -is- "War
Metal" as  Nuclear Blast claim,  then it  must relate to  the "Phoney
War" after  Germany invaded  Poland and  was at  war with  France and
England but no one fired a shot for a couple of months.


Belfegor - _The Kingdom of Glacial Palaces_  (7 out of 10)
Fog - _Through the Eyes of Night..._  (8 out of 10)
Hate - _Holy Dead Trinity_  (7 out of 10)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (WWIII, April 2001)

     I have strong  doubts that man will require any  help from Satan
to eventually start a third World War one of these days. However, the
people behind this American label seem to think differently, as WWIII
have  chosen three  very Satanic-themed  records for  this attack  of
theirs. WWIII, a label thus far unbeknownst to me, decided to release
all three of these records simultaneously  on April 10th, in order to
try to make an  impression on the metal market. Let's  have a look at
some quick  facts about the bands,  then. Belfegor and Fog  both play
black metal. Hate  and Belfegor are both Polish. Fog  and Hate do not
share  any remarkable  similarities that  I am  aware of  which might
distinguish them from  Belfegor, but it would have been  nice for the
structure of this review if they did.
     The  involuntary mental  association between  the words  "Polish
death metal band" and "Vader clone" is not dispelled by the first few
moments of Hate's _Holy Dead Trinity_.  In fact, it never is entirely
dispelled during the  album; the lingering thought  of Vader prevails
despite the fact that Hate do  not generally sound too close to them.
The similarities  are there, though, mixed  with some straightforward
American influences  and the occasional Swedish  buzzsaw guitar sound
(like in the  fine opening title track).  However, Satan's possession
of their souls  doesn't seem to have lasted long  enough for the band
to record the  whole album in one go,  so they had to wait  for a new
demonic possession before they could go  into the studio at least one
more time to finish the album. This resulted in _HDT_ sounding like a
well-produced  five-song EP  followed by  a somewhat  weaker sounding
collection of songs  (39 minutes in total). The quality  of the songs
themselves is not very consistent  after the opening sequence either,
which in addition to the noticeably different sound gives the album a
somewhat disjointed feel.  (I am certain that not  even Satan himself
would  have minded  if they  cut down  a bit  on those  mediocre song
intros during the second half of _HDT_, by the way.) The band is very
competent and _HDT_  is still generally enjoyable,  if rather generic
and irregular. The disguised five-song  EP that opens the album might
have been worth an 8 out of  10 on its own, but the less entertaining
second half  of the record drags  the rating down one  mark. Overall,
_HDT_  pales in  comparison to  Lost Soul's  _Scream of  the Mourning
Star_ [also  reviewed in  this issue],  but I  will be  interested in
hearing a more consistent follow-up record from this band.
     Hate's  countrymates Belfegor,  on the  other hand,  have chosen
Immortal as  a template  for their black  metal attack.  Although not
gifted with quite  the same knack for cliche black  metal song titles
as Immortal,  Belfegor certainly  still make an  effort in  their own
way: there's  the title  track, "The Night  of the  Tormentor", "I'll
Come From Four Sides of the World" and "Diabolical (Demonic Desire)",
which are the  first four song titles,  with "Satanighthrone" towards
the  end. _The  Kingdom of  Glacial Palaces_  does bear  considerable
resemblance to Immortal's _Battles in  the North_, as Belfegor try to
conjure a Satanic icy storm  of comparable proportions. Fast drumming
teams up with guitars that sometimes  try to generate a little melody
whilst sounding  quite dirty  and strong for  a black  metal release,
producing a very reasonably dynamic and aggressive instrumental base.
Unfortunately,  however,  Belfegor's vocalist  proves  to  be one  of
Satan's least  gifted minions as  he unsuccessfully tries  to emulate
Immortal's Abbath. Many riffs in this album sound very much alike and
the rhythmic section  is mostly uniform, as Belfegor  tend to immerse
themselves in their own aural  storm too much. Memorable passages are
therefore not very abundant, which is  a bit of a shame, because they
do  achieve some  good moments  during the  album. These  are usually
scattered around, probably as reminders  of how good this album could
really have been -- one of the few tracks that actually stands out in
its entirety  is "Eternity of Gloom".  Hadn't it been for  their lack
of  originality  and  the  aforementioned  problems,  Belfegor  would
have  been worth  recommending  more  enthusiastically, because  _The
Kingdom  of Glacial  Palaces_ is  actually a  reasonably good  album.
Overall, however,  _Battles in the  North_ is  still the best  of the
two  records,  despite  the  noteworthy  passages  that  Belfegor  do
occasionally achieve.
     As for  Fog, these  Americans at  least do  come across  as more
individual  than either  of  their Polish  labelmates. The  elemental
storm that  Satan summoned  so that Fog  could enter  "In Magnificent
Glory" was somewhat too strong for  Fog's own good, however, as their
instrumental  attack sounds  quite  weak immediately  after the  loud
thunderous  sounds of  the intro.  Nevertheless, the  production does
have its charms, as it highlights the interesting cymbal work and the
bass lines  (Ulver, anyone?). On  the other  hand, the fact  that the
instruments sound  quite separated  from each  other causes  a slight
overload of  the left channels  in your  stereo -- noticeable  if you
are  using  headphones. Still,  Fog's  mixture  of Norwegian  rawness
and  grim, icy  melodies is  very effective  and musically  involved,
producing a very  satisfactory result. Their black  metal is entirely
guitar-driven,  backed by  swift  percussion  and the  aforementioned
prominent cymbal work, and with some passable black rasps on top. Fog
achieve  quite consistent  atmosphere  and a  pleasant moroseness  in
their  music whilst  still keeping  it mostly  fast, and  they do  so
especially well during the eight and  a half minute long title track.
The rest of the album fully justifies its 8 out of 10 rating, but the
title track does  suggest it could have been even  higher. The poorly
balanced stereo may get  on your nerves a bit if  you insist on using
headphones, but that should not deter you from seeking this record --
even in spite of the further annoyance of the penultimate track being
recorded  at a  lower  volume than  the rest.  (Maybe  they also  had
problems with the duration of Satan's possession of their souls, like
Hate seem to have had. I  wonder what was Belfegor's dark secret that
allowed them to avoid such problems.) Why Fog have decided to present
us with  over nine minutes of  elemental stormy sounds at  the end of
this hour long record, however, is something I don't think even Satan
himself fully comprehends  -- it tends to get really  old really fast
after a minute or two, in my opinion.
     Altogether, WWIII present  us with a triumvirate  of very decent
releases that seems  unlikely to be remarkable enough to  put them on
the map as one of the  premier extreme metal labels, but should still
make  people  become aware  of  them.  Hate  and Belfegor  are  quite
competent but  rather generic, while  Fog is the most  interesting of
the three bands. Satan could have  been more generous in terms of the
inspiration he provided these servants of his with for coming up with
band names, though.

Contact: http://www.ww3music.com


Black Label Society - _Alcohol Fueled Brewtality: Live +5_
by: Aaron McKay  (8 out of 10)  (Spitfire, 2001)

Never having been -too- big of a  fan of live releases, I was wary of
this one. I  must say, Zakk and  the boys have shined a  new light on
this way of thinking. I think it is a strong mixture of the fact that
I sincerely  appreciate BLS as  a band in  its totality and  that the
band only seems to show  yet another entertainingly effective face on
stage when compared  to the recorded material, losing  nothing in the
exchange. Some of my favorites are  here, namely "13 Years of Grief",
"Stronger  Than Death",  "All for  You" and  "Phoney Smiles  and Fake
Hellos"  served in  fine  boozed-up, alcohol-induced  shape. It  sure
liquors you up  fast, not even waiting until the  second track before
you  are  combatively  swaggering  for the  fridge,  all  elbows  and
knuckles, to swig down a hit of cold gin. The second to last cut from
_Alcohol Fueled Brewtality_ is a  nice performance of "No More Tears"
from Mr.  Wylde's time  with Ozzy.  The second  disc is  comprised of
subdued and  low-keyed material like  a Neil Young remake,  "Heart of
Gold",  and a  piano  infused version  of  "Snowblind". The  sobering
acoustic  flank of  BLS's mighty  besotted  warship is  not quite  as
appealing to me as the other falling down tanked metal side that disc
one  blurs into  vision. By  the way,  for more  on my  thoughts with
regards to BLS, see CoC #48. I have to run after a beverage now, most
likely containing  alcohol. Writing this  review has left  me parched
and it's Saturday night!


Various - _Black Metal Blitzkrieg_  (End All Life, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (9 out of 10)

Needless to say, this one will  go down as yet another legendary item
from End All  Life. A virtual encyclopedia of  the European neo-black
metal underground, _BMB_  showcases the best and not  quite the worst
in the "true"  scene today, with exclusive tracks from  the most cult
bands in the scene today. Altar  of Perversion kick things off with a
typically raw  attack, black and  brutal, though  a tad messy  in old
Absu tradition.  Sounds like  a speedier, less  developed Clandestine
Blaze, who make  a timely entrance on track two,  showing us how much
more effective the real thing can  be. Even more mature than on their
recent works past, the band's  more structured approach combined with
a  new-found  tightness  makes  for compelling  listening.  Which  is
in  distinct contrast  to Deathspell  Omega's surprisingly  primitive
delivery this time  round, opting for a thin,  almost demo-like sound
reminiscent of  the early '90s.  Chilling enough in a  Judas Iscariot
way, but different enough to surprise fans of their split LP. Germans
Katharsis  round off  side A  with  a maelstrom  of Teutonic  mayhem,
again  different  from  the  structured  evil  of  their  full-length
and  more  evocative  of  their  American  counterparts  like  Krieg.
Moonblood  continue the  German  assault with  more primitivism,  and
while retaining their trademark  epic, sweeping melodies, keep things
under-produced enough not to stick sorely out of place. Finnish Musta
Surma  slow  the  pace  down  a  tad,  opting  for  more  minimalist,
Burzum-esque setting. A  nice change after all  the preceding mayhem,
politely ushering  in the legendary  Mutiilation, who opt for  one of
the darkest, most torturous tracks  in their history. Slow, agonizing
and infinitely eerie,  "Under the Full Moon" brings  to mind Abruptum
and -old- Thorns, making it one of the most outstanding tracks on the
disc. Svest are determined to yank  things back to full speed as they
blaze ahead  with pure hate and  aggression on "Evil War".  A rousing
end  to a  satisfying  slab  of true  underground  spirit  -- and  an
inspiring call to arms  against the increasingly Dimmu-fied industry.
With a line-up of  bands like this, it's no wonder  the disc sold out
almost immediately. As  usual, EAL has limited this to  300 copies on
vinyl only, ensuring that only maniacs dedicated (or rich) enough get
their paws  on this great collection.  Probably sold out by  now from
the label, but keep your eyes open...


Bloodthorn - _Under the Reign of Terror_  (Red Stream, May 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (8 out of 10)

Coming off  the French label  Season of Mist,  which gave us  _In the
Shadow  of Your  Black Wings_  [CoC #26],  _Onwards Into  Battle_ and
their split with ...And Oceans _War Vol. I_, Bloodthorn seems to have
put out an extremely strong effort on Red Stream. _Under the Reign of
Terror_, much  like 1997's _In  the Shadow  of Your Black  Wings_, is
easily  absorbed due  to convincing  riffing and  captivatingly harsh
vocals.  The  pace all  throughout  _UtRoT_  is sporadic  and  indeed
interesting.  These Norwegians  have  crafted a  charred metal  sound
presented  with  doomy  beats  and  crushing  lethality  all  at  the
appropriate  times for  maximum benefit.  "Fields of  Blood" exhibits
this in  the finest way, I  believe, showcased anywhere on  the disc.
While "Fields of Blood" is certainly very well-crafted, the drive and
authority of "The Return of Wrath", track two, has to be my favorite.
A  couple of  final  points  worth mentioning  are  the sixteen  page
booklet Red Stream is putting out with this release and the inclusion
of Necrobutcher from  Mayham covering "Deathcrush" as  the last track
on  _Under  the Reign  of  Terror_.  Kick it  up  a  notch with  this
impressive offering; it is well worth your time.


Various - _Brazilian Assault_  (Relapse Records, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay  (2 out of 10)

This  rather  old  release  made  its way  to  my  mailbox  recently.
Comprised  of four  bands with  nearly unreadable  monikers, this  CD
comes out as a part of Relapse's Global underground. Most tracks were
derived  from the  1999 demos  of  three of  the groups:  Ophiolatry,
Abhorrence and Nephasth. Mental Horror, the fourth band on this comp,
took their seven tracks from a  1998 demo. All this explains why this
CD came out in 2000, but it doesn't  tell me for sure why I got it in
2001. Timing is everything, I suppose,  and there may be more at play
getting this  disc out than  what I am aware  of, too. Anyway,  I was
mostly unimpressed  with the  material found on  _Brazilian Assault_.
Possibly a poor choice of cuts  from otherwise effectual demos, but I
doubt  that  is  the  case. The  insurmountable  fact  remains,  this
compilation,  Brazilian  or not,  is  positively  forgettable. I  can
appreciate  the timing,  change-ups and  beat of  most of  the bands;
however, there is little here I would purposefully seek out. Nephasth
offer  the most  hope shining  particularly brilliant  on track  ten,
"Inquiring Fear".  Outside of that cut,  I would admit, with  so many
musically deeper  efforts out there  on the  scene right now  (with a
portion of  that solid material  falling on the Relapse  label), this
release seems obtuse. If you  need to broaden yourself with Brazilian
death metal  -- cool, but don't  be looking for a  Sepultura or Angra
here; you won't find it.


Cadaver Inc. - _Discipline_  (Earache, May 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (9 out of 10)

"Fast, affordable  crime scene clean-up  and corpse removal"  are the
services offered at www.CadaverInc.com, the band's website. Virtually
nothing on this professionally designed website betrays the fact that
Cadaver Inc. are actually a metal band, and some people have actually
(quite amazingly) believed  the whole thing was true.  This is easily
the most remarkable  and darkly humorous (not  to mention brilliantly
implemented) joke  of its  kind I've  ever seen, and  a visit  to the
website is  mandatory if you  are to  fully appreciate the  spirit of
_Discipline_. The  entire album is visually,  lyrically and sonically
drenched in urban decay and human desensitization, and the website is
a  highly  inspired  realization  of  this  concept.  Throughout  the
record's  40  odd  minutes,  Cadaver  Inc.  relentlessly  punish  the
listener  with  mostly  blindingly  fast,  furiously  harsh  and  yet
strangely  catchy  black  metal.  Ugly yet  appealing,  the  kind  of
aggression  bursting out  of _Discipline_  is somewhat  akin to  that
portrayed in  December Wolves'  greatly underrated  album _Completely
Dehumanized_ in its delivery and thematic context. But while December
Wolves' effort  was impressive and enjoyable,  Cadaver Inc.'s searing
output often seems  to be just about  as good as this  style can get.
The band masters the mixing  of occasional slower parts with frenzied
blastbeats, the vocals  always in sync with  the varying requirements
of the  music, and  delivers their  attack with  a brutal,  dirty yet
powerful sound. _Discipline_ is a highly energetic album: the riffing
is memorable,  powerful and  razor-sharp, whilst the  drumming drives
its  point home  through variety  and technicality  as well  as sheer
speed. With members  past and/or present of bands such  as Aura Noir,
Dodheimsgard and the old Cadaver in its ranks, Cadaver Inc. have been
able to create one of those records  that stands out not only for its
outstanding  ferocity  and  brilliant  delivery,  but  also  for  its
character and musical relevance. Definitely one of the most important
albums of 2001.

[Paul  Schwarz: "First,  _Discipline_ will  hook you  with its  sleek
 reprocessing of  Voivod, Slayer, Terrorizer and  Repulsion sounds --
 repackaged  in  a  cold,  modern  breathable-plastic  bodybag  of  a
 production. But  it's after  repeated and concentrated  listens that
 the purely instrumental side of Cadaver  Inc. will click, and a new,
 more  vibrant and  unique level  of  this stunning  release will  be
 unlocked.  A grower,  and  all in  all,  a shockingly  multi-faceted
 album."]


Catholicon - _Lost Chronicles of the War in Heaven_
by: Kirsty Buchanan  (3 out of 10)  (Rage of Achilles, May 2001)

Fantastically blasphemous.  If a little  obsessed with the  coming of
the  millennium.  Not  for  nothing is  the  backing  vocalist  named
Blasphyre. However attractive  the unholy approach is,  the band lose
out to poor  production and unfortunate lack of  musical ability. The
vocal style is intense and imposing,  but the music takes a back seat
and falls  somewhat by the wayside  -- which strikes me  as a hideous
waste of talent, as both the vocals and the synth work is some of the
strongest I've heard. It is purely  regrettable that that is where it
ends for  Catholicon; they could  do much  more were they  to develop
further beyond the excited use of synthesisers.


cEvin Key - _The Ghost of Each Room_  (Metropolis, August 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (6.5 out of 10)

This is some of  the more divergent material I have  heard on a label
especially  known  for their  broad  spectrum  of bands  with  unique
sounds. The former  drummer, cEvin Key, is widely  celebrated for his
participation early  on for  the influential  pioneering act  know as
Skinny Puppy. _The Ghost of Each Room_ is the second solo effort from
Key, even as Ogre (a.k.a. Kevin  Ogilvie of Skinny Puppy) is featured
on track six, "Frozen Sky". It seems hard to separate those two. Just
over fifty-one minutes  of fairly well nondescript  and looped uneven
cuts,  sounding at  times like  an apparatus  from a  distorted Willy
Wonka's chocolate  factory. The  entire album is  a spree  through an
eclectic  combination  of  unusual  sounds,  instruments  and  clunky
rhythms. Bake a Pigface and KMFDM, mostly devoid of any vocals, in an
industrial furnace and you have a vague idea of what you might expect
on _The  Ghost of Each Room_.  Metropolis has done a  fabulous job of
packaging Key's newest work in a  fine digipak; very appealing, as is
my favorite  cut from the  disc, track seven,  "Aphasia". Undeniably,
there  is a  time and  frame  of mind  for listening  to this  album,
preferably  when  the particular  ghost  in  your room  is  otherwise
occupied.


Chamber - _You and What Army_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (2 out of 10)

Coming across  like Stuck  Mojo meets  Biohazard meets  Machine Head,
Philadelphia  act Chamber  are just  churning out  cliche sounds  and
uninspired metal  numbers. These  guys seem to  be pretty  dated with
their music as  well. I mean, this is the  kind of metal-groove music
that  Machine Head  was pushing  a few  years back.  Metal music  has
changed considerably  since then and many  bands -- well, not  all of
them -- have moved  on and tried to find new ideas  and roads to take
their metal music down.  The power of Chamber is there  and so is the
attitude (i.e. songs  such as "Dropping Like Flies", "I  Man God" and
"Strong Like Us"), but  the music has all been done  before. If I was
Chamber, I'd  make sure my  music had  some potential before  I would
call my  album _You and What  Army_. These guys are  tough, but their
music is extremely weak.

Contact: 7 Fulkerson St. Apt. 3, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA
         mailto:chamberarmy@hotmail.com
         http://www.chamberarmy.com


Christ Aborted in Nativity - _If You Set Yourself on Fire?_
by: Adrian Bromley  (5 out of 10)  (<Independent>, 2001)

This rather young band calling themselves Christ Aborted in Nativity,
or CAiN as they refer to themselves  (get it?), seem to have a lot of
potential from the  get go. An interesting  opener ("Luna's Requiem")
starts things  off quite passively  before the band steps  right into
the vicious  death/black metal  attack of  "Imprisoned in  Flesh" and
onto the  rather cool sounding  stride of instrumental  number "...Of
Razor-Blades and Membranes". And while some may see this variety as a
good  sign for  a young  band  to engage  in, it  actually makes  the
release sound  a bit disjointed. Granted,  there are a lot  of strong
ideas  here on  _If  You  Set Yourself  on  Fire?_,  but overall  the
listener is  lost amongst where  the band  is taking their  music and
what they really want  the end result to be. Just  listen as the band
goes from the  instrumental into "Terminat Hora Diem".  What is going
on here?  It sounds like a  whole new recording and/or  band. Maybe I
need more than  this five-song offering to post my  final judgment on
this band,  but as  it stands right  now, they seem  to have  all the
right ideas;  they just need a  target to strive for  now. CAiN shall
return, I am sure of it.

Contact: 824 Thomas Rd, Lafayette Hills, PA 19444, USA
         http://www.pcmsnet.org/cain/


Circle of Dead Children - _The Genocide Machine_
by: Aaron McKay  (9 out of 10)  (Necropolis/Deathvomit, April 2001)

You've  got to  be kidding  me with  this! There  is an  entire field
packed  -full- of  brash sonic  blast intensity  a la  Pig Destroyer,
Discordance Axis, and  Burnt by the Sun, but Circle  of Dead Children
rise like  cream to the  top. Showering their blast-beat  effect with
sounds  suggestive  of  a  Burial  (_Enlightened  With  Pain_),  this
band  can only  be  driven  by depraved  aggression  to energize  the
listener  in  a way  that  only  _The  Genocide Machine_  can.  Don't
misunderstand  me, CoDC  crown songs  with vastly  heavy rhythms  and
violent powerful chops on occasion, but the majority of the remaining
time is  spent musically  forging everything  from chaos  and nothing
synchronously. For an  example of that feat, I draw  you attention to
the longest track  on _The Genocide Machine_,  track eleven, entitled
"Digestive  Ceremony".  This whole  effort  should  be treated  as  a
thesis, that  is digested as  a whole,  entirely, for the  kernels of
unabridged forcefulness will do more for your energy level than a the
thousand  power  bars! Worked  within  _The  Genocide Machine_  is  a
thematic message of being apart of something destructively larger and
ultimately committing  to Earth's eventual supremacy.  All that said,
Circle of Dead  Children is a phenomenal group.  I strongly encourage
you to discover them for yourselves.


Cirith Gorgor - _Unveiling the Essence_  (Osmose, April 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan  (3 out of 10)

Now you too  can be the proud  owner of a limited  edition album; one
which surpasses all others -- at  last what we've all been crying out
for: an album recorded in a biscuit tin! A poor attempt at production
leaves the band with the narrowest  window of aural level in which to
frolic. A simple equation reveals  that Dutch musical ineptitude plus
having read "Lord of the Rings"  recently does not a good album make.
There is no  excuse for the release of such  unadulterated rubbish as
this. I can find no redeeming factor warranting any word of praise. I
make here  a few personal appeals:  to the vocalist, buy  some throat
medicine as  you are grating  your vocal cords unnecessarily.  To the
lead guitarist, I feel you may be  in the wrong band as your style is
not  in keeping  with  the  others. To  the  drummer  and the  rhythm
guitarist, can you tap your head and rub your belly at the same time?
I thought not.  The final track, "Visions of a  Distant Past", sounds
like the  theme for Seventies  children's TV programme  "Trumpton" or
"Camberwick Green". Cirith  Gorgor; look out folks,  here comes Windy
Miller.


Clandestine Blaze / Deathspell Omega - _Split LP_
by: Alvin Wee  (8 out of 10)  (Northern Heritage, 2001)

According to the band, last  issue's interview with Clandestine Blaze
drew more than a few looks of interest in their direction. If the aim
of this new wave is to create controversy, they're doing a great job:
the cover  alone is one  of the most  distasteful I've seen,  being a
collage  of (presumably  WWII-era)  photos of  dead  bodies lying  in
decay. Shocking  it may  be, but  pictures like  that of  a bulldozer
being  used to  shift a  mountain  of bodies  provides an  apt --  if
macabre  -- backdrop  to both  bands' malicious  tunes. A-side  Finns
deliver four  more of their Darkthrone-worshipping  dirges, retaining
the oppressive monotony and depression  of their still-warm _Night of
the Unholy  Flames_ [CoC  #50]. Like  on the  old Unpure  albums, the
sheer despondency besetting the  music is bleakly infectious, leaving
the  listener  in choking  clouds  of  torpor  and gloom,  unable  to
do  aught  but be  overwhelmed  by  misery. Highly  affective  stuff,
and  a  guaranteed depressant  for  the  chronically optimistic.  The
French  horde on  the  flip  side show  as  much  knack for  sweeping
atmosphere as  CB does for  futility, milking similar  sources (read:
Darkthrone,  Burzum)  for  more  melodic,  expansive  ambience  a  la
_Transylvanian Hunger_.  A welcome break from  the utter wretchedness
of  side  A,  providing  a  perfect  counterpoint  with  the  guitars
bleeding  out  sweeping melodies  and  an  atmosphere reminiscent  of
old Emperor/Enslaved  (though the  comparison seems  rather stretched
considering the difference in styles).  Lyrically, the band don't lie
too  far  from  the  controversial extremisms  of  platter-mates  CB,
dwelling  on  decidedly  uplifting  topics  like  rape,  suicide  and
perversion. This is a band destined for greatness in the underground,
as the three tracks so convincingly  prove, and we can only wait with
bated  breath  for  any  hint of  an  upcoming  full-length.  Another
highly recommended vinyl-only masterpiece  from the Northern Heritage
stables, all the  more elusive and appealing for  its strictly non-CD
format,  a  welcome  trend  increasingly  popular  among  underground
labels.  Limited  to 300  again,  but  some  copies should  still  be
floating around. Worth every penny of the potentially high price.

Contact: mailto:clandestineblaze@hotmail.com
Contact: Northern Heritage, P.O. Box 21, 15141 Lahti, Finland


Cradle of Filth - _Bitter Suites to Succubi_ (AbraCadaver, July 2001)
by: Matthias Noll  (7.5 out of 10)

Have you too  experienced this painful point in time  when a band you
love suddenly starts to lose the genius, the spark, the power to send
shivers down  your spine  and/or simply crush  you with  their music?
Even  though I'm  aware  that  CoF lost  many  of  our readers  after
_Vempire_  or even  as early  as after  _The Principle  of Evil  Made
Flesh_, in my case  it was _Midian_ when things started  to get a bit
stale --  and once exciting  music suddenly became  predictable, with
far too many  foreseeable patterns and structures. What  on _Dusk and
Her Embrace_ and  _Cruelty and the Beast_ appeared to  be a labyrinth
in which  you could easily get  lost has developed into  a roundabout
with four accurately signposted exits.  Even if I would rate _Midian_
8 out of 10,  in CoF's case that's close to  disappointing for me. As
you can see from my rating, _Bitter Suites to Succubi_ has not really
managed to summon the magic from the past again. Initially only meant
to  be  an  EP  and  the  band's  first  album  on  their  own  label
AbraCadaver,  _BStS_ will  probably be  their farewell  to the  upper
regions of the  underground in which they still reside  -- as you may
have  already heard,  they  just  got signed  by  Sony Music.  _BStS_
features 50 something minutes of music.  Four new songs, a Sisters of
Mercy cover, three  reworked tracks from _The Principle  of Evil Made
Flesh_  and two  more-pointless-than-ever intro/outro  instrumentals.
This mixture makes it impossible to  see _BStS_ as a unit rather than
a bunch of tracks thrown together. It's got album length, album price
but has no album flow. Soundwise things are good: aggressive guitars,
natural but a bit hollow-sounding drums, and in general _BStS_ leaves
a  rawer and  less slick  impression than  _Midian_. It  appears that
especially  Dani's vocals  have  not received  much overdubbing.  His
voice sounds refreshingly  live and the vocal parts  are not perfect,
especially when  his voice breaks  during the impossibly  high notes,
adding  a very  genuine touch  to  the performance.  Some other  band
members'  efforts are  a  bit  less impressive  this  time around  --
especially  ex-My  Dying Bride  keyboardist  /  violin player  Martin
Powell, who is  a bit on the  average side of things here.  A band of
CoF's  calibre  could surely  benefit  from  someone who  contributes
something out of the ordinary. What I hear on _BStS_ isn't any better
than what most of the competition,  down to some second tier outfits,
is able to come up with. What's  also a bit surprising is that Adrian
Erlandson's drumming -- which is of course well performed -- is a bit
unspectacular,  lacking signature  and not  really on  par with  Nick
Barker's performances  with CoF  and especially  on the  latest Dimmu
Borgir record. All three re-recorded  songs from _TPoEMF_ sound good,
are  played  faster  and  unsurprisingly  much  tighter.  Decide  for
yourself whether  you prefer the  unpolished tracks from the  past or
manage to enjoy  these well performed versions.  While "The Principle
of Evil  Made Flesh" and  "Summer Dying Fast"  are very close  to the
original  versions, "The  Black Goddess  Rises II"  has been  changed
somewhat  in comparison  to the  version on  the debut,  with a  very
thrashy section  getting included.  The four new  tracks are  good to
very good,  but standard CoF fare;  and while I spotted  some unusual
riffs  and  ideas on  _Midian_  (maybe  Paul Allender's  influence?),
there's nothing  really surprising to  be found in the  new material.
The Sisters  of Mercy cover "No  Time to Cry" is  okay-ish, but among
the  weaker cover  versions  CoF have  done so  far.  Even though  it
underlines the  influence goth  bands like Sisters  of Mercy  had and
have on some of the UK  death/doom/black metal bands, it's nothing to
write home about. To sum it up,  despite my gripes, this is a decent,
still far from commercial-sounding record,  and a worthy purchase for
fans. I for one am a bit worried, because I get the impression that a
"CoF songwriting  machine" is more  and more replacing new  ideas and
originality with  output based on  formulas, and the fact  that Robin
Eaglestone has now left the band  shows that the line-up is still far
from stable.

[Quentin Kalis:  "_BStS_  is  probably  CoF's  most accessible  album
 to  date, with  the  gothic  elements more  prominent  here than  in
 possibly any previous CoF release.  The guitars have a heavier, more
 commercial sound, the drumming is  proficient though not quite up to
 the  standard set  by Nick  Barker, and  while Dani's  charateristic
 high-pitched banshee shrieks are absent on this release, his singing
 still  alternates  between  ear-piercing  screams  and  low  growls.
 Despite a ghastly cover of "No Time to Cry" -- originally by Sisters
 of Mercy -- this album represents their best work since _Cruelty and
 the Beast_."]


Cripple Bastards - _Almost Human_  (Obscene, June 2001)
Cripple Bastards - _Misantropo a Senso Unico_  (Deaf American, 00/01)
by: Paul Schwarz  (8.5 and 9 out of 10)

     I can't  decide which of  these two  releases to recommend  to a
first-time  Cripple Bastards  listener. _Misantropo  a Senso  Unico_,
their latest  album -- and surely  their finest -- is  a face-ripping
slice  of  grind/hardcore  fury.  Graced  with a  raw  but  not  poor
production,  it has  just the  right  amount of  variation and  tempo
shifting  to  not  descend  into  monotony, yet  has  the  speed  and
intensity  to  please  even  the  most  devoted  grind  heads.  Vocal
harshness and  blast-beating tendencies are what  characterise _MaSU_
as a  grind album --  and one  of the first  order for lovers  of the
likes of late-Eighties  Napalm Death or Repulsion -- but  a huge part
of the album is very hardcore, and hardcore-allergic metallers (fools
that you are!) may find _MaSU_  doesn't suit their tastes. Ravenous /
SOD /  Brutal Truth (RIP)  / Hemlock  / ex-Anthrax /  Nuclear Assault
(RIP)  bassist Dan  Lilker says  that _MaSU_  is "exquisitely  insane
hardcore grind that reminds  me of why I got into  all this shit back
in the  late Eighties", and if  that doesn't peak your  interest, and
the fact  that _MaSU_ is  on Rich  Hoak's Deaf American  label didn't
either, you might want to do some background listening before you try
out _MaSU_.
     _MaSU_ is  a single  recording, with a  single sound  and style.
These reasons  are one factor of  why _Almost Human_ may  better suit
you if you're  a first-time CB listener. For one,  it is nearly twice
as  long, clocking  in  at  nearly an  hour.  _MaSU_  only totals  33
minutes, which includes a re-recording of  CB's 1993, 94 song demo --
each song consisting of one lyrical line, almost invariably backed by
a  blastbeat.  Without  the  demo re-recording,  _MaSU_  is  only  26
minutes.  _AH_  is  Obscene  Production's compiling  of  all  Cripple
Bastards' studio  works from 1997-1999 (excluding  _MaSU_ of course_)
with 19 live tracks recorded  in Utrecht/Holland at the "A.C.U." Club
in 2000 added to bring the track  total to 50. The 31 non-live tracks
are taken from seven different  sessions, and four different line-ups
of the band  over a period of a few  years. Correspondingly, there is
quite some variation in sound and even style on offer. In the context
of extreme music as a whole of course, _AH_ isn't very varied, but in
its own context  (of a single grind/death/hardcore band)  it covers a
range  of  styles and  moulds.  It  all  sounds  like one  band,  but
_AH_ sees  CB expressing  themselves through  a variety  of different
productions  and  in a  variety  of  styles.  _AH_'s appeal  is  thus
broader, in the  sense that some part  of it will be  enjoyed by more
grind/death listeners than  will enjoy _MaSU_. However,  on the other
hand the more set-in-one-style among you extreme music listeners will
probably not like  all _AH_'s different expressions  of violent rage.
For fans -- either long-standing or those converted by _MaSU_ -- _AH_
is a perfect  complement to CB's latest album. It  collects many cool
7"s, two  interesting Husker Du  covers, and offers some  damn decent
live tracks into the bargain.
     _MaSU_  is sung  entirely  in Italian,  but includes  translated
lyrics to every  song except the one-line evacuations of  the 94 song
demo re-recording. Some of _AH_'s  tracks, mostly the later ones, are
in Italian. These are all included  and translated in the booklet and
lyrics to almost all the other  songs (excluding the live tracks) are
also included  -- CB promise in  the booklet that the  missing lyrics
will soon be posted on their website.
     Also in  _AH_'s booklet are  pictures of  the covers to  all the
relevant 7"s, a variety of  reproduced posters and fliers, a one-page
reproduction of the advertisement for the Holland show from which the
live tracks are taken, info  about the band's various line-up changes
-- Guilo the  Bastard is the only truly permanent  member -- and even
commentaries to a few of the songs.
     There  is more  to  Cripple Bastards  than  simply an  excellent
grind/hardcore  band. CB  obviously think  a lot  (or at  least Guilo
does),  and  some  of  their lyrics  make  for  interesting  reading,
while  the  commentaries  in   _AH_  are  particularly  venomous  and
thought-provoking when talking about such  things as the PC attitudes
of  some current  hardcore scenes  in contrast  to how  punk/hardcore
expressed itself in other eras.  Quite simply, there's more to either
of these releases than just music  -- especially _AH_ -- and they are
both all the better and all the more recommended for it.
     I'd  recommend  picking up  both  these  releases and  immersing
yourself in Cripple Bastards today.

Contact: http://www.cripplebastards.com
Contact: http://www.obscene.cz


Crowbar - _Sludge: History of Crowbar_  (Spitfire, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (8.5 out of 10)

What can you  say about Crowbar that hasn't been  articulated in some
form or fashion in recent past? They  are the epitome of, as the name
of this  release clearly  states, -sludge-. Heavy  as a  shot-put for
Goliath  and murky  as  the  river Styx,  Crowbar  enforce a  musical
disposition of perfect and substantial viscous drudgery. Rarely has a
band  been able  to accomplish  what New  Orleans's native  sons have
effectively done  over the course  of seven albums. Most  CoC readers
will have these  tracks on other releases except for  the live stuff,
like  "Fixation"  and the  marvelous  "I  Have Failed".  In  concert,
Crowbar is  truly laden with  exhilaration. If you want  heavier than
this  "best  of" compilation  from  the  ruling class  of  down-tuned
nobility,  try pumping  a  blob  of atomic  weight  207 through  your
stereo. By the way, good luck with that -- Crowbar uses that as their
litmus test in practice sessions.


Darkane - _Insanity_  (Nuclear Blast, May 2001)
by: David Rocher  (8 out of 10)

Discovering  and reviewing  the long-awaited  follow-up to  a revered
masterpiece such as Darkane's 1999 _Rusted Angel_ [CoC #42] is a dire
prospect  indeed.  In  essence,  the problem  here  is  that  _Rusted
Angel_  had  enthralled  me  so  much  at  the  time  that  I  failed
to  see how  Darkane  could  ever strike  harder,  faster, and  quite
simply  better than  they  first  had. And  upon  first listening  to
_Insanity_,  my fears  indeed  seemed  to be  justified.  As soon  as
the  post-intro  opener  "Third"  kicked  in,  it  seemed  undeniable
to  me that  the  general  sound of  _Insanity_  failed  to meet  the
power and  intensity of  that of _Rusted  Angel_; worse,  the opening
riff  to  the  album  just  sounded (and  still  sounds,  as  far  as
I  can  tell) like  a  rather  lame, massively  over-the-top  attempt
at  rendering  At  the  Gates  style  death  metal  --  decent,  I'll
agree, but  nonetheless below  the amazing  standards set  by Darkane
two  years  ago.  As  the  twelve tracks  of  _Insanity_  flowed  by,
however, things did  brighten up: Darkane's style  is still instantly
recognisable, massive  thrashing death metal showcasing  rabid vocals
and  a murderous  dual-axe onslaught,  brilliantly nailed  into place
by  Darkane's obviously  eight-armed skinsman  Peter Wildoer.  Former
vocalist Lawrence  Mackrory's replacement  Andreas Sydow does  a good
job on the whole, delivering varied, aggressive and clean vocals, but
nonetheless falling  into some  pitfalls as the  album unfurls  -- in
particular on  the track  "The Perverted  Beast", where  his strained
chants are  just bluntly annoying, and  too high in the  mix, to make
matters worse. Musically,  _Insanity_ does disclose a  fair number of
evolutions in Darkane's style. I hear  more than slight hints at Fear
Factory's _Demanufacture_, and more precisely even at Strapping Young
Lad's  _City_  or  Meshuggah's  _Destroy  Erase  Improve_  (if  proof
was  needed, Fredrik  Thordendal graces  _Insanity_ with  one of  his
trademark dissonant  and instantly  recognisable guitar leads  on the
track  "Psychic  Pain") on  many  a  track,  as Darkane  blast,  tear
and  romp their  way through  the  twelve tracks  of this  definitely
un-pretty,  sweaty  brute.  The  thrashing Swedes  once  again  prove
that  their technical  competence is  amazing, to  say the  least, as
_Insanity_ teems  with complex,  violent riffs, wicked  guitar leads,
and  lest we  forget (which  is unlikely),  a crushing,  almighty and
awe-inspiring  rhythmic  section.  So,  fans  of  _Rusted  Angel_  be
reassured, even  if _Insanity_ does, after  a many a listen,  fail to
kick my  head in  the way  _Rusted Angel_ did,  Darkane are  well and
truly back,  and in good  shape too. My  main grudge remains  that if
Danne Bergstrand  of the famed  Dug Out  studios had worked  the same
sonic wonders  on this release as  he did on _Rusted  Angel_, we'd be
beholding  a totally  referential, crushing  release indeed  -- which
sadly, on the whole, _Insanity_ can't actually claim to embody.

[Paul  Schwarz:  "I  still   can't  quite  decide  about  _Insanity_.
 Originally,  I  was  positive  it was  better  than  _Rusted  Angel_
 -and-  a minor  metal classic.  It has  remained a  -firm- favourite
 above  _Rusted Angel_,  but  I  am not  still  as  convinced of  the
 record's ultimate brilliance and  longevity. However, though whether
 _Insanity_ deserves -grand-  accolades may be in doubt,  there is no
 doubt that it  is a cracking metal album, which  -- even though this
 year is looking to  be a very good one -- has a  chance of making my
 year's top twenty."]


Darwin's Waiting Room - _Orphan_  (MCA Records, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (2 out of 10)

This  band's bio  sheet reads  like a  politician's press  release --
putting forth a  lot of overly ambiguous language  poked through with
holes of misrepresentation. Given  some experience in reading current
event editorials and political statements,  I can clearly see all the
nebulous  terminology  surrounding  Darwin's  Waiting  Room.  Without
systematically  pointing out  the shortcomings  associated with  this
band, I'll just  cover the highlights 'cause this review  needs to be
more about  the music than anything  else. I am told  that MTV called
this  band  "rock's secret  gem".  With  the  exception of  what  MTV
did  raise the  level  of awareness  for  Chuck Schuldiner's  medical
condition, I can't remember when I gave a flying fuck what Kurt Loder
or any of those thick, beatle-headed  cretins had to say about music.
I am reminded here of seeing Nevermore's front man, Warrel Dane, live
in concert legitimately touting the conviction that "MTV SUCKS!". The
bio promotes Darwin's  Waiting Room as "unclassifiable",  but goes on
to call  them a "pulsing  fusion of hip-hop rhymes,  monster grooves,
crunching  riffs and  moments of  stark melody".  That sounds  like a
pretty fair portraiture to me for an "unclassifiable" outfit. Just to
stroke ruffled feathers out  there, that pervious commentary directly
relates to Darwin's Waiting Room's sound,  too, in case some among us
think I am  not devoting the necessary time to  critiquing the music.
Furthermore,  -musically-, I  hear arresting  similarities to  a band
demo I  reviewed a -long-  time ago  called Tendonitis [CoC  #33]. Of
course Tendonitis incorporates no lyrics, but the groove, texture and
sound are so  arguably uniform to what I hear  on _Orphan_. While the
lyrical message  takes great  strides to give  off the  impression of
progressivism,  in  all actuality,  they  amount  to double  rapping,
hyped-up radio  fustian blatherskite.  "Live for the  Moment", simply
for  one quick  example, feeds  the  listener an  incredible line  of
bullshit saying  that you  can't change  who you  are and  you should
never reflect on your past. In addition to a whole host of historians
and an innumerable  plethora of civic leaders -- not  to mention most
people's  parents  --,  this  message is  not  only  inaccurate,  but
grievous and sorry. The rationalization taken by the group in the bio
regarding this track  is infinitely more intelligible, but  how it is
communicated to  the listener in the  song itself is -so-  dense that
light  bends around  it. The  two points  I gave  _Orphan_ come  from
tracks one  and three, "Feel  So Stupid (Table-9)" and  "Sometimes it
Happens Like  This", respectively.  Again, with  my exception  to the
lyrics and hip-hop vocal drivel,  the Burton C. Bell singing approach
is impressive  on "Feel So  Stupid" and the  beats on both  songs are
notably infectious. In  my opinion, DWR needs to  target their energy
into the bullseye exposed by these  two choice cuts. This band claims
to be ever-changing; I'll wait for the next cycle in their evolution.


Das Ich - _Re_Laborat_  (Metropolis, May 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (7 out of 10)

I  imagine being  pulled through  an  automobile assembly  line by  a
claw-like thing from "Mad Max's  Beyond the Thunderdome" would feel a
lot like this effort sounds.  Comparisons to Rammstein will be nearly
unescapable, but very real differences to exist. The obviously German
similarities are present, but Das  Ich integrates a whole lotta gaunt
and secularly shinny re-mixes from  the likes of VnV Nation, Wampscut
(yea!) and  Funker Vogt.  S. Ackermann  and B.  Kramm clutch  Das Ich
together at its  foundation, increasing to a  four-piece for purposes
to  touring. This  fifteen  track  odyssey through  unconventionality
strikes odd chords  in the psyche of the  follower. Some more-or-less
spoken  parts  tied together  with  the  dissonance of  the  spirited
smacking drop-beats  make _Re_Laborat_ a interesting  purchase. Track
eleven,  dubbed "Schwanenschrei",  is a  choice cut,  as is  the more
guitar  oriented  "Die Proheten"  --  both  enjoying Das  Ich's  full
delivery capability. Sometimes an  overbearing emphasis on the vocals
and sometimes the  techno drive of the band  becomes repetitious, but
all in  all a very solid  effort. I propose finding  out for yourself
what Das Ich has waiting for you.


Dawndeath Incinerator - _Tomb of Corporeal Butchery_
by: Adrian Bromley  (7 out of 10)  (<Independent>, 2001)

Bounded in a massive onslaught of pounding drum blasts, deep guttural
growls and grinding death metal riffs  (with a hint of thrash metal),
Dawndeath Incinerator gets the ball rolling right from the start with
the intense  "Thieves". The death metal  tinged grind of the  band is
aided  by ample  amounts of  distortion and  samples, but  soon those
elements fall to  the wayside as Dawndeath  Incinerator slams through
this release like there is no  tomorrow. Fans of classic metal heroes
like  Kreator, Napalm  Death  and  Celtic Frost  will  no doubt  find
comfort in the  death metal machine, as will fans  of Nile and Morbid
Angel who like to hear a bit  more of a creative side to death metal.
Production is somewhat  mediocre and downplayed here,  but that might
have been what the band wanted, as a real slick production would have
been devastating  to the vicious blows  ready to be cast  our way. In
all, Dawndeath  Incinerator have  managed to assemble  an interesting
grinding death  metal album (be  sure to check  out the remix  of the
title track) that requires multiple listens to take it all in.

Contact: 334 East 1500 North, Pleasant Grove, VT 84062, USA
         mailto:rich@rfountain.com
         http://www.thoughtbludgeon.com/di/


Death & Taxe$ - _theenigmathatisman_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (7 out of 10)

Death & Taxe$ hail  from Los Angeles, CA, and play  a unique brand of
jazz, thrash and  melodic hard rock. The only comparable  band that I
can think of is  Damn the Machine, who they sound  like once or twice
during the 70  minutes of this CD.  But for the most part,  they do a
good  job of  finding a  diverse  set of  unique sounds  to fill  the
CD.  The guitar  ranges  from  heavy crunch  to  light  'n' jangy  to
mellow acoustic  and back again.  The tempos range from  fast (thrash
speed)  to slow  (ambient  speed),  with just  about  every tempo  in
between. Although some of their  experiments are less than successful
("Bottomless Hippopotamus"), there's enough good music to make this a
worthwhile offering. Unfortunately, there  aren't any really standout
tracks, as there  were on their debut, _Paradigms for  a New Quarter_
(1996). There  are also  fewer straight-ahead  thrash tracks  on this
album, and  more of a  lighter/mellower sound overall.  I'd recommend
this  for those  into rock/jazz  fusion, and  those who  like a  wide
variety of musical  styles. Most of the songs are  available at their
MP3.com site, so  if they sound like something you  might like, check
that out. I'd  suggest "Diet of Worms" and  "Instrumental With Words"
as good choices to get acquainted with their style.

Contact: http://home.earthlink.net/~dntman/
         http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/57/death__taxe.html


DeathFrost - _Cynoptik of DeathFrost / Death to All_
by: Adrian Bromley  (6 out of 10)  (<Independent>, 2001)

While there are a lot of bands out there willing to explore, grow and
alter their direction  as their musical careers go along,  I think it
is safe to say that Cynoptik  of the one-man band DeathFrost will not
have any  of those issues  to worry  about. You see,  should Cynoptik
make it to,  say, ten years in this business,  his vast and versatile
sound will no doubt grow in leaps and bounds and embracing new styles
and sounds will  be second nature to him. The  music -- an assortment
of techno  beats, black metal guitar  riffs and odd sound  effects --
really does  sound cool (especially  opener "Father Devil"),  but two
discs  of over  the top  material  like this  takes its  toll, as  it
swooshes  in and  out of  styles, slowly  creeping along  to sinister
beats and distorted screams. I'm not sure if die-hard metal fans will
want to give this band a chance,  but for those of you who like early
Burzum or the totally underrated  Ultraviolence, then this might peak
your interest. "Might" is the key word here.

Contact: mailto:deathfrost@c4.org
         http://nav.to/deathfrost/


Deepred - _Prophetic Luster_  (Blunt Force, January 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (8 out of 10)

Deepred is a Finnish death metal band with an American sound, totally
unlike  what you  expect  from  the melodic  haven  that is  Finland.
Deepred is  brutal and  technical, quite  like Suffocation.  The band
impresses  greatly as  musicians, playing  tight, precise  and -very-
fast death  metal. The vocals  lack some  juice, but that's  for some
reason common with  death metal at this level of  brutality. I really
like  the production,  as  it  gives room  for  every instrument  and
supports the technicality of the  music well. The album presents some
utterly crushing music, like the virtuoso moments 1:12 into "Multiple
Errors", when  one can  just sit  in front  of the  speakers gasping.
There are several such moments, but for a reviewer usually bored with
mood- and emotionless  death metal, these moments  are still slightly
far between. That's  just my taste -- this is  top notch brutal death
metal, and for fans  of the genre I can't find any  reason not to buy
immediately.


Demimonde - _Mutant Star_  (Epidemie Records, November 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (6 out of 10)

When  the promotional  material states  that the  band plays  "kozmik
postmodern art metal", you know you  are probably in for a challenge.
Demimonde currently consists of  nine(!) elements, including a number
of programmers. And yes, Demimonde do try to cram as much as possible
into their suitcase and don't seem to mind having to collectively sit
on top of it to be able to close it afterwards. Whether the locks are
going to stay in place or whether the contents of their suitcase will
get catapulted all over the place therefore becomes the all-important
question. As far as  I'm concerned, most of the time  it all seems to
be on the verge of snapping,  but overall _Mutant Star_ does turn out
to be a  reasonably interesting and challenging listen.  I can hardly
believe this  is the same band  whose demo tape I  reviewed years ago
[CoC  #32],  as they  now  mix  blackened metal  with  Moonspell-type
singing,  female  vocals,  jazzy elements,  electronic  and  oriental
influences, and more. It really is hard to describe all that is to be
found inside  _Mutant Star_. Almost inevitably,  several passages are
less than fluid and some of  the elements work less than ideally with
the rest  ("Absolute Word" being the  prime example of that).  If you
think Solefald  are boringly conventional,  then this should  be just
great  for you.  Otherwise, you  may still  find this  an interesting
album, but the results the band achieves throughout _Mutant Star_ are
rather irregular. Personally, the record  fails to captivate me much;
I find it challenging, and for  a limited amount of time interesting,
but generally not very enjoyable or entertaining.

Contact: http://www.webpark.cz/epidemie/


Deranged - _Deranged_  (Listenable, 2001)
by: Matthias Noll  (7.5 out of 10)

To  my ears,  Suffocation, Carcass  and Morbid  Angel are  definitely
among the ones who set the standards for most of today's brutal death
metal bands. Unfortunately, I'm under the impression that rather than
providing encouragement,  spiritual guidance  and a  solid foundation
from  where  to explore  unchartered  territory,  the legacy  of  the
threesome seems  to strangle  the creativity of  many of  the current
bands. I find this to be especially valid for many of the acts coming
from the US these days, and although _Deranged_ has its flaws, I felt
relieved to hear something without  notable influences from the above
named bands. Of  course one could name Cannibal Corpse  as a (if only
slightly audible) point  of reference, but even though  that does not
make them  any better, at  least that's something  slightly different
from the current trend. Whether this is proof of the sad state of the
majority of  death metal releases or  exactly what the fans  want and
finally get doesn't really matter now;  in the case of this review it
probably manifests itself through a  very slight bonus in the rating.
Production-wise,  the  record does  not  leave  much to  be  desired.
_Deranged_ is notably  crisp and clear without  sacrificing any power
and suiting the guitar driven  approach perfectly. This is definitely
the best work I've heard from Berno Paulsson so far. While definitely
death metal, this  record has strong ties to '80s  thrash metal -- be
it  the relentless,  clearly  defined staccato  of Deranged's  guitar
work, or  their Slayer-esque stop/start dynamics.  Although I already
mentioned that  I hear a  little Cannibal Corpse in  Deranged's music
now  and  then,  I  mean  moments  rather  than  whole  songs.  Their
songwriting  is not  really  comparable to  CC's  and the  variations
of  the  main riffs  create  a  far more  free-flowing,  over-the-top
atmosphere,  probably  rooted  in  the  single-guitarist  songwriting
process.  Quite surprising  for me  was the  complete absence  of any
elements  that  define the  "Swedish  sound"  on _Deranged_.  They're
probably the least Swedish-sounding band from Sweden I've ever heard.
Unfortunately, they fail  to offer anything new  and really different
from the  thousands of other death  metal bands on this  planet, even
though this record  does not fall into the category  of total boredom
and has  some -- as  our rating system  nicely puts it  -- "redeeming
qualities". If Deranged had a distinguishable vocalist and got rid of
the endless  repetition of the  same, simplistic snare drum  break, I
would have given  them an 8. This is an  enjoyable, powerful and well
executed record, but only recommended  for the death metal enthusiast
with either a well filled wallet or  the desire to own a lot of stuff
from the second tier of the genre.


Diabolical Masquerade - _Death's Design_  (Avantgarde, April 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (9 out of 10)

Whether  or  not  this  is   -really-  an  "original  motion  picture
soundtrack" like  the front cover boasts  I won't be the  one to tell
you. What  I -can-  tell you  is that _Death's  Design_ is  more than
likely  to be  worth  your time,  regardless. Blakkheim  (Katatonia),
aided by Dan Swano (ex-Edge of Sanity), allegedly created this as the
soundtrack to  a movie that  ended up  never being made,  for various
reasons. Therefore, _Death's Design_ is divided into 20 movements and
a total of  61 mostly contiguous tracks, designed to  move along with
the flow of  a movie. So is  it useless as a  stand-alone record? No,
not  at  all,  unless  you can't  handle  anything  but  verse/chorus
repetition. You won't exactly find  choruses here, but there's enough
structure  to the  movements to  avoid losing  the listener.  Equally
important, the  album as a whole  somehow makes sense and  provides a
very rewarding listen despite the  sometimes breakneck speed at which
it  all changes.  The movements  are  quite a  rollercoaster ride  of
styles and  ambiance -- when you  listen to _Death's Design_  for the
first time, you literally cannot guess what's lurking behind the next
corner, and this thing is packed full of corners. This can be a great
recipe for disaster,  of course, but Blakkheim and  Swano are amongst
the finest musicians in extreme  metal and have succeeded in creating
an  outstanding album.  The influences  and styles  used on  _Death's
Design_ defy description:  think some Devil Doll  (minus the peculiar
vocals)  mixed  with  Edge  of Sanity's  _Crimson_  and  the  quality
blackened metal Diabolical Masquerade is  known for... and that's far
from covering all of it.  Jazzy bits and other miscellaneous oddities
are sure  to keep you  guessing throughout the album.  Featuring Sean
Bates on  drums and  Ingmar Dohn  on bass  guitar and  string quartet
direction  (yes,  they have  also  used  a string  quartet),  artwork
direction by Travis Smith and, of course, Swano's production talents,
_Death's Design_  is an  unusually complex,  atmospheric, adventurous
extreme metal record that demands close attention.

[Chris Flaaten: "This album blew me away! I would never have imagined
 such a level  of variation, original arrangements  and sheer quality
 coming from what really is a side project of a Katatonia member! The
 fifth movement  is pure genius,  as is  the ninth, even  though some
 melodies are stolen  from the Conan soundtrack. The  first tracks of
 the  tenth  movement have  the  most  amazing black  vocals  ever...
 There's nothing this album doesn't have. Just buy it, dangit!"]


Disbelief - _Worst Enemy_  (Massacre, 2001)
by: Matthias Noll  (9.5 out of 10)

Let  me tell  you, as  good  as this  is, it's  fucking difficult  to
review, because  this is unlike any  other record I have.  It must be
years since the last  time I was able to say that.  There are no real
comparisons to  other bands which, in  unison, can be applied  in the
categories music and  atmosphere. Let me try,  nevertheless: take the
driving, almost mechanical approach of Bolt Thrower, Katatonia's most
depressing atmospheric  bits, a  dose of Voivod  harmonies, a  bit of
Neurosis, and  a singer who sounds  like an insane mix  of Martin van
Drunen and John  Tardy without losing his own  identity. Produce this
in a way  that if the overused metaphor "wall  of sound" didn't exist
it would  have to get  invented to  properly describe Andy  and Georg
Classen's work  on _Worst Enemy_.  Sounds interesting? I  really hope
so!  In  terms  of  sales  figures,  Disbelief's  mid-tempo  to  slow
approach, with the grinding, deeply unhappy guitar work, the constant
drum barrage and the inhuman vocals  -- which create another layer of
agony on top  of the instrumental apocalypse -- might  be a handicap,
because  it  makes  them  so  hard to  categorize.  Putting  them  in
the  death  metal folder,  a  style  which most  of  the  time is  so
painfully limited, wouldn't do them justice. But from the feeling and
atmosphere brought  across, this is  Death Metal, written  in capital
letters and much  closer to the topic than the  overdone blood, guts,
gore and serial killers bullshit. This is extreme music, transporting
extreme feelings in an almost  innovative way, and highly recommended
to open-minded  fans of extreme  metal, somewhere in  between heavier
Voivod, traditional death metal and the noisier side of things.

[Paul  Schwarz:  "'Atmosphere'  is  a  key  word  in  explaining  the
 unusual  appeal of  Disbelief.  Obviously  influenced by  industrial
 masters Godflesh, Disbelief create it through the droning repetition
 of  distinctly discordant  death  metal derived  riffs supported  by
 chunky  percussion  work  and  complemented by  a  blistering  vocal
 tirade. _WE_'s despairing soundscapes bring to mind the 'apocalyptic
 visions' of Neurosis and Today Is the Day."]


Disgorge - _Forensick_  (Necropolis/Deathvomit, April 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (3 out of 10)

Where is  this band going musically?  Other than the vocals,  which I
like a great deal -- gutturally lower than Mike Perun from Cianide, I
honestly think I  hear more rhythm from my neighbor's  three year old
kids playing cards  in the spokes of his tires.  Breaking things up a
bit and adding some well-supported  guitar parts about the two minute
forty-five second mark, track three, "Scid", as well as the very next
one, "Urethrive Decortico-Xanthomatose Muco Gestated Scaffolds" (3:37
- 4:23), make the songs that  much more interesting and engaging. The
effect  on Antimo's  voice  on parts  of  "Jaundice Hookworm"  rocket
the  track  to one  of  the  most  captivating on  _Forensick_.  Some
live  versions  and bonus  tracks  accompany  _Forensick_, but  other
than "Urethrive Decortico-Xanthomatose  Muco Gestated Scaffolds", yet
again, this time  taken from Disgorge's split with  Squash Bowels, it
all  amounts  to more  of  the  same.  The glorified  horrific  cover
prohibited everywhere but for Abaddon  does less than nothing for me.
It kinda reminds  me of "let's play  gross out", where you  hock up a
glob of  mucous on  the table and  I pull out  a straw;  immature and
infantile. I  know bands from Mexico  are capable of more  than this;
Brujeria, anyone?


Divine Decay - _Songs of the Damned_  (Osmose, July 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (6 out of 10)

Please, please Osmose, stop being  such idiots! _Songs of the Damned_
would only  be called  "the Metallica  _Kill 'em  All_ and  _Ride the
Lightening_ of  the new century"  by a  complete fool; I  don't think
anyone could  make such a  statement and  not doubt the  words before
they  even  left their  mouth.  Chronic  hyperbole aside,  _SotD_  is
actually a reasonably good record which  should find quite a few fans
between the retro-thrash and power metal fraternities of today. Solid
riffing  and  catchy refrains  make  for  a  worthwhile trip  down  a
reasonably  modernised  memory  lane,  though  _SotD_  is  marred  by
somewhat stale  arrangements, and overly  predictable, stiff-sounding
performances and  a similarly  flawed yet still  powerful production.
There's definitely  a lot of  Metallica lurking  on here in  terms of
influence and sound, but Divine Decay don't compare in terms of their
relevance to their time, and  they certainly have neither Metallica's
enigmatic virtue of  being songwriters of the highest  order, nor the
ability the  Bay Area quartet had  -- in their Eighties  heyday -- to
churn out such crushing-yet-hugely-digestible heavy sounds.

[Kirsty Buchanan:  "This is  an unspeakably  bland album.  I listened
 through for something  outstanding, whether of merit  or demerit: no
 joy. I could  not find a single  point in the entire  album which is
 worthy of extended mention. Don't get  me wrong, I don't dislike the
 album, it's just  that I don't like  it either. I merely  find it as
 bland as dry brown toast. Pleasant enough, but not remarkable."]


Dragonlord - _Rapture_  (Spitfire Records, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (9.5 out of 10)

I can't help but think of  the TSR fantasy series written by Margaret
Weis and  Tracy Hickman entitled  "Dragonlance" when I think  of Eric
Peterson's new undertaking.  Yup, you read that  right, Eric Peterson
of Testament. What's more is Dragonlord is an atmospheric black metal
project -and-  Peterson carries  the vocal duties,  too. Interesting,
huh? I  sure was impressed.  Much like  the M. Night  Shyamalan movie
with Bruce Willis, "The Sixth  Sense", I thoroughly enjoy being taken
by  surprise  and  Dragonlord  did  exactly  that!  As  I  look  into
the  makeup of  the  band, I  begin to  question  my astonishment  as
the  musicians assembled  here are  nothing short  of phenomenal.  Of
course,  Mr.  Peterson  plays  guitar  as  well  as  brandishing  the
blackened death  metal vocals. The much  accomplished Steve DiGiorgio
(Death/Testament), the touring guitarist  for Testament, Steve Smyth,
on  drums,  Jon Allen  (Sadus),  and  wonderfully elaborate  keyboard
workings from Lyle Livingston (Psypheria)  complete the line-up. As a
side note, if  you have the chance, I'd recommend  taking a listen to
_Plague's End_ by  Psypheria. While I do  not own it, the  one time I
was  fortunate  enough  to  hear it,  I  was  justifiably  impressed.
I  now  pacify myself  by  wondering  by  the  website and  taking  a
listen  to  the  band's  posted  clips  there  every  now  and  again
(www.psypheria.com).  Anyway,  I  understand  Psypheria  will  be  in
Milwaukee, so I  hope to catch 'em live at  the MetalFest. -Now- back
to  Dragonlord's captivating  debut. In  addition to  highly superior
packaging, _Rapture_'s  track six,  "Wolfhunt", pushes the  limits to
sounding  like something  off of  Gorgoroth's _Destroyer_  [CoC #33].
"Tradition and Fire"  exudes a pure blend of black  -and- death metal
as all the  pieces come together like a 3D  puzzle of Merlin's castle
from Arthurian  legend. "Born  of Darkness" and  the title  track are
classic expositions on all the underlying talent of these veterans of
music,  but  newcomers  to  the genre.  Everything  works  here;  the
forcefulness of the material, the comprehensible, but raucous vocals,
and the aptitude of the musicians. The world Weis and Hickman created
with the  "Dragonlance" series is  abundant and on-going. I  can only
hope  we can  expect  a  similar showing  from  Dragonlord. The  pool
of  inspiration  this  group  could draw  from  seems  limitless  and
I  anxiously  await the  next  chapter  in  the Dragonlan...  er,  ah
-Dragonlord- saga. Careful not to disturb the dragon's slumber.


Edera - _Edera_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

Within the  liner notes,  this Italian sextet  asks a  question about
their sound: "Is  Edera a prog band?" After numerous  listens of this
passionate, yet short 23-minute offering,  my answer would have to be
yes. But while  the band does have some prog-like  styles (similar to
bands  like Dream  Theater or  Jacobs Dream),  there is  a shroud  of
darkness  that seems  to  smother  their music.  Shades  of My  Dying
Bride  and Anathema  come  to  mind as  the  band  serenades us  with
darkened-flavoured numbers like "Left in  the Power of the Storm" and
"Debris...". Also worthy  of note is the strong use  of keyboard work
--  not too  over  the top,  though,  as some  bands  fall victim  to
excessive keyboard work, but thankfully Edera does not. It is nice to
hear a band from this part of the world that doesn't take upon itself
to be  as flashy  as Rhapsody,  rather focus  on making  good quality
music that wallows in sorrow,  emotional highs and lows and memorable
passages. I  look forward  to more music  from this  talented Italian
band.

Contact: Valero Valentini, Via Pinamonte Da Vimercate 11,
         Milan, Italy
         mailto:matteoedera@tiscalinet.it


Em Sinfonia - _Intimate Portrait_  (Martyr Music, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (8.5 out of 10)

Usually it is  safe to assume there is something  profound about most
bands that  take time to issue  forth an effort. Em  Sinfonia seem to
have  captured  more than  their  fair  share without  sacrificing  a
single thing  when putting  _Intimate Portrait_  on the  market. With
equal  parts blood,  sweat,  tears and  commitment,  this release  is
light-years  beyond most  CDs out  currently. Vocally,  ES strikes  a
nearly unprecedented balanced between growling (Brian Griffin), rich,
spritely  female singing  (Bunny)  and lightly  sampled material.  If
Griffin  wasn't  as  an  accomplished  a  guitarist  (producer,  bass
player),  I'd  say he  missed  his  calling as  beguiling  front-man.
Recorded at  Quali-Tone Studios,  ES touts  a clear  and unencumbered
sound as to awaking Anubis from  a joyless slumber. What's more, this
disc exploits the most awe-inspiring  guitar I have heard worked into
a release in a  very long time. Not limited solely  to the six string
instrument, but instead  encompassing the bass, the  guitars sound as
if Em  Sinfonia dragged them  through freshly poured  concrete before
belting out the heavier portions of this spectral album. Never having
heard any other offerings from this band, _Intimate Portrait_ is more
than a  fine jumping off  point. "Counting Shadows"  and "Insatiable"
represents  my comments  about Em  Sinfonia  as well  as anything  on
_Intimate Portrait_. As  a conspicuous bonus, ES saw  their way clear
to add  a stupendous cover  of "Revelations" for  all of us  out here
that  enjoy  different takes  on  celebrated  material from  esteemed
bands. A very nice touch to an already strong undertaking.


Enter My Silence - _Remotecontrolled Scythe_  (Mighty Music, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)

A new In Flames  record, so soon? But wait, Enter  My Silence are not
even Swedish;  they are  from Finland. Some  passages in  this record
could have  probably fooled me,  though. Enter My Silence  base their
music  on  the kind  of  sound  In  Flames  developed in  their  fine
_Clayman_ [CoC  #48] and try to  build some variety from  there. They
succeed to a reasonable extent and have definitely made a record that
is very competent and quite  entertaining, but they struggle to shake
off the  In Flames  similarities. Running at  just under  35 minutes,
_Remotecontrolled  Scythe_ packs  plenty of  guitar leads  and hooks,
smart  melodies and  riffs,  competent rhythmic  structures and  good
Gothenburg-like  vocals.  The  first  track absolutely  reeks  of  In
Flames,  and even  though  Enter My  Silence  try to  be  a bit  more
inventive from that point onwards, the Swedes' influence can be heard
throughout most of  the album. Of course if you  like In Flames, then
_Remotecontrolled Scythe_ is likely to be worth investigating. For me
it proved  to be enjoyable in  purely musical terms, but  when set in
the context of what  has already been done in the  genre, this is not
good enough to become an  especially relevant record. Still, the band
seems to have vast potential; maybe  they will be able to evolve into
something more unique in the future.

[Paul Schwarz:  "_RS_ could be a  missing In Flames album  with a few
 programmed touches  added in for  variation -- that's how  "early In
 Flames" Enter  My Silence  sound to  me. I could  cite half  a dozen
 other influential (and not)  Gothenburg bands in trainspotting Enter
 My Silence's influences,  but it would be pretty  pointless. This is
 neither exciting  nor fresh-sounding,  and I'd recommend  Darkane or
 God Forbid's latest albums if you want to hear something interesting
 done within this aggressive/melodic mould."]


Event Down - _Sift_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (3 out of 10)

While I  have always been  an Alice in Chains  fan (I still  am, even
though it has been  years since a new recording), I  find it a little
disturbing that so  many bands out there are still  trying to capture
the same dark,  broody sound that AiC made so  popular. Event Down is
one of  those bands  that has worked  hard to get  where they  are by
playing dark, heavy  alternative rock, but still have a  hard time of
shedding their  influences. This three-song recording  doesn't really
stir  any kind  of response  from me  other than  coming off  as very
bland. The music  comes off sounding very mediocre with  a singer who
tries too hard to make his  voice sound creepy and intense. More work
is indeed needed before Event Down  can really start to attract label
attention.

Contact: Event Down, 205 B S. 20th Ave., Bozeman, MT 59718, USA
         mailto:contact@eventdown.com
         http://www.eventdown.com


Exhumed - _Slaughtercult_ (saw-blade reissue)  (Relapse, July 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (music: 7 out of 10; saw-blade: 9 out of 10)

About a  year and a  half ago  I talked to  Tom G. Warrior  about the
Celtic Frost reissues. In discussing the influence 'Frost have had on
black metal, I related to Tom  what Fenriz from Darkthrone once said:
"Darkthrone is just pure Celtic  Frost". Tom objected. He pointed out
that  Darkthrone  are not  like  Celtic  Frost  in a  very  important
respect: Celtic Frost was always  about evolution and progression. In
a similar way  is the comparison between Exhumed  and Carcass rightly
understood  --  although Exhumed  are  not  producing something  that
sounds as fresh when compared to Carcass as Darkthrone generally does
when compared  to Celtic Frost.  Exhumed don't sound like  Carcass as
much  as  they sound  like  a  Carcass rip-off  band  --  there is  a
grand  difference between  the  two. Exhumed  can construct  blasting
grind/death songs  of moderate  quality. They put  these on  an album
with a safe  and limited but nonetheless  enhancing production. Where
they can  they lean  towards mimicking  the sound,  style --  or both
combined -- Carcass  or other creative bands who did  the same things
better,  thus  are  a moderately  enjoyable  listen.  _Slaughtercult_
leaves a terrible aftertaste, yet it is quite tolerable to listen to.
This  saw-blade-shaped-CD reissue  has  a  crap-sounding bonus  track
which is  of no consequence,  but its actual presentation  is killer!
The saw-blade CD has sharp teeth, and looks particularly cool because
its surface brilliantly pastiches the  look of an actual circular saw
blade.


Exordium - _Exordium_ 10"  (Northern Heritage, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (8 out of 10)

More obscurity and aggression from  the stables of Northern Heritage.
This  time  round it's  another  bunch  of their  Finnish  countrymen
thrashing up a fierce holocaust,  paying not-too-subtle homage to old
Immortal and more recent Marduk. The  four tracks on offer here brand
this  Finnish  trio as  another  addition  to  the growing  horde  of
neo-holocaust black  metallers emerging from the  underground. Tight,
caustic and ferociously convincing,  these Northmen hurl blizzards of
frost forth, with Kemppainen's vitriolic shrieks cutting imperatively
through the whirlwind  of razor-sharp guitars. The  band's ability to
retain control  while blazing  ahead at  full speed  deserves special
mention: never  once do they lose  their grip on the  proceedings the
way  many play-as-fast-as-we-can  neophytes do.  Packaging is  of the
usual Northern Heritage  standard (bearing in mind  it's a vinyl-only
label) and the beautiful, textured  sleeve is all the more impressive
coming from a small label like this. Killer stuff here, and certainly
an act to keep their peers (read: Watain) on their toes.

Contact: Northern Heritage, P.O. Box 21, 15141 Lahti, Finland


Failed Humanity - _The Sound of Razors Through Flesh_
by: Paul Schwarz  (7 out of 10)  (Candlelight, May 2001)

Seven  years after  forming, Failed  Humanity  now feel  they have  a
totally  stable line-up,  and have  got their  debut album  out. It's
pleasant  to find  that  the  time has  not  been  spent entirely  in
vain; _TSoRTF_  is both  chaotic and  brutal, and  is even  backed by
a  production  which  balances pulsating  percussion-work  and  ugly,
chugging  guitars.  With  the  popularity  of  grinding  death  metal
currently blossoming  in continental Europe  -- and looking  to reach
the kind  of level it  has enjoyed  in the US  for many years  now --
Failed Humanity  may find  some fans in  today's extreme  music scene
despite the fact that they fail to significantly define themselves as
apart from "the pack" on any  creative plane. Unless you're very much
uninitiated to "grinding  death metal" as a  musical "style", nothing
here will  be likely  to grab  your attention;  _The Sound  of Razors
Through  Flesh_  will likely  simply  pass  you by.  Failed  Humanity
are  marginally  more  proficient  with their  instruments  than  the
death/grind average these days -- and  though this may give them some
edge in the future, they cannot  yet even hope to challenge the likes
of  Nasum, Cephallic  Carnage or  Assuck;  I wouldn't  bet on  Failed
Humanity ever making  an album that will define  them individually on
the death/grind map.


Faith and the Muse - _Evidence of Haven_  (5 out of 10)
Faith and the Muse - _Elyria_  (4.5 out of 10)
by: Aaron McKay  (Metropolis, 2001)

Musically opaque in  tone, Faith and the Muse hovers  a nearly spoken
female voice delicately  over a bleached sound of  hollow guitars and
slight background electronics. William  Faith and Monica Richards are
the  pair  responsible  for  all  music and  vocals  in  this  group.
Furthermore,  the  vastly  interesting  layout and  artwork  on  this
group's covers  falls squarely as  duties belonging to  Ms. Richards.
The material on both discs would remind  the listener of a score to a
enigmatic movie on the Arts  and Entertainment channel about three o'
clock  in  the  morning.  Having  moments  akin  to  initial  Mortiis
offering, William and  Monica can no doubt manufacture  a mood within
their songs. Where this couple of discs falls short, in my opinion is
variance;  I struggle  to absorb  Faith and  the Muse  until I  force
myself to do so, but this is contingent only upon my desire to do so.
In other words,  nothing grabs the listener here unless  he or she is
sitting in  a Victorian high-back  chair in a cavernous  room adorned
with purple drapes.  Maybe that is exaggerating things  a touch much,
but the  core idea  is the same.  _Evidence of Haven_  is more  to my
taste in  this kind  of genre, with  semi-alluring tracks  like "Dead
Leaf Echo" and  the upbeat "Plague Dance" flooding me  with a Fear of
God feel. _Elyria_ has a slower,  nearly stagnant ebb and flow to it;
overly  tame and  pretty  docile  with less  texture  than _EoH_  and
especially Faith  and the Muse's  follow up effort,  _Annwyn, Beneath
the Waves_,  my preferred release  from the  duo. Faith and  the Muse
state  in  their  _Evidence  of Heaven_  release  "(T)hose  who  have
abandoned  their dreams...  will discourage  yours." At  the risk  of
dashing  anyone's fantasies,  I'd look  elsewhere for  a salubriously
haunting goth experience.


Fear Factory - _Digimortal_  (Roadrunner Records, April 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis  (6 out of 10)

I was  hoping that on this  album Fear Factory would  abandon some of
the annoying  "nu-metal" stylings  that plagued their  previous album
_Obsolete_ [CoC  #32]. I was  hoping for something as  innovative and
original as _Demanufacture_ or _Remanufacture_ [CoC #20]. Instead, we
are  presented with  little more  then a  rehash of  _Obsolete_. Some
minor changes  here and  there, but apart  from atrocious  rapping on
"Back the Fuck Up", no surprises.  In retrospect, the rap seems to be
inevitable  given  the band's  tendencies  on  "Edgecrusher" off  the
previous album. For those unfamiliar  with Fear Factory, what we have
here are is  industrial-tinged nu-metal. Fear Factory  appear to have
found their  comfort zone  and are reluctant  to venture  outside its
borders. This time  around they sound even more like  Korn and others
of  their ilk.  Again Fear  Factory expand  on the  concept of  their
previous albums, that  of the conflict between man  and machine. This
trademark, like  many others, is  growing increasingly stale  -- like
the  by-now obligatory  inclusion of  two slower,  less heavy  songs.
Admittedly,  "Invisible Wounds  (Dark Bodies)"  is probably  the best
song on the album. On a positive note, the musicianship is above par.
Dino  will  never be  known  as  a  virtuoso  guitarist, but  he  has
undoubtedly created  his own incontrovertible style.  More's the pity
that he sounds  so much like Korn, utilising the  same rolling guitar
sound. Bell prefers  to shout rather then growl,  though his ethereal
clean singing is  vastly under utilised. Herrera shows  us once again
why he is regarded as one of the metal drummers. This is not really a
bad album; the musicianship can't  be faulted, the songwriting is not
too bad... it's just too predictable,  and we have grown to expect so
much more from this band.


Finntroll - _Jaktens Tid_  (Spikefarm Records, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (7 out of 10)

Finntroll's  second release  shows them  refining and  expanding upon
the  unique elements  of their  debut  [CoC #45],  namely the  mixing
of  melodic blackish  metal  with polka  (yes, including  accordion).
Still,  these  elements  are  downplayed,  as  most  of  their  music
is  comparable  to  Bal-Sagoth,  utilizing the  same  kind  of  tight
integration of  keyboards into melodic black/Viking  metal. Finntroll
also  incorporate some  more traditional-sounding  folky melodies  in
places. The production is top-notch and  the playing is solid but not
overly technical.  Overall, this is  a competent release,  and should
appeal to  fans of Bal-Sagoth,  Covenant and the other  bands playing
similar music.  My favorite  song would be  the up-tempo  "Slaget vid
Blodsalv", as it  is the best example of their  version of metallized
polka.


God Dethroned - _Ravenous_  (Metal Blade, April 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (8.5 out of 10)

Once again, God Dethroned succeed where so many fail; once again, God
Dethroned have managed to meld aggressive, raging death metal with an
uncommon sensitivity and  sense of how to use  melody and (primitive)
atmospherics.  The dynamics  of this,  their fourth,  full-length are
the  finest  and  sharpest  the  band have  yet  managed  to  create;
that's progress  for you. The  addition (for this recording  only) of
Nile/ex-Angelcorpse powerhouse percussion pounder Tony Laureano gives
_Ravenous_ an  extra edge  over _Bloody Blasphemy_  [CoC #41]  -- and
though fans may  well argue over which ultimately has  a better batch
of songs,  I'll wager _Ravenous_ will  not be voted by  even the most
backward-looking aficionado  as the lesser for  the performances laid
down  or the  powerful  sound  achieved. God  Dethroned  may be  very
partial to death-thrashing  their way merrily along at  quite a pace,
but  their aforementioned  taste for  dynamics effectively  breaks up
their brutal onslaught;  tempo shifts are frequent  enough to prevent
descent into monotony at any point  on the album. God Dethroned don't
need  speed to  excel either  -- powerful  mid-pacer "The  Iconoclast
Deathride" proves  that fact  more than  amply. Admittedly,  there is
nothing truly cutting edge on offer,  but yet _Ravenous_ is worthy of
attention  if you're  in  need  of a  fresh-sounding  -- rather  than
original or innovative -- death/thrash album.


Grog - _Odes to the Carnivorous_  (Shock Wave Records, March 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)

Combining darkly humorous gore with death/grind, Grog are clearly one
of the main exponents of the  Portuguese brutal death scene. _Odes to
the  Carnivorous_ is  their first  record for  the French  Shock Wave
Records and  the follow-up to  their 1997 effort  _Macabre Requiems_.
Having to replace their drummer during the album's recording sessions
mustn't have helped, but the new  skinsman does quite well in keeping
the rhythmic section competent as the band crushes and grunts through
just over  half an hour of  enjoyable death/grind. Grog may  not be a
very technical band, but think not of mindless grindcore blasting. On
this new  effort, moreso  than before,  Grog harvest  influences from
bands such  as Cannibal  Corpse, Carcass and  Suffocation. Frequently
varying rhythms  and occasional  guitar flourishes  are added  to the
crunchy guitar riffs and deep grunts  that populate most of the album
and the delivery is very competent. Some spoken intros are also used,
and  they all  seem  redundant,  contrarily to  what  Carcass did  on
_Necroticism_. Grog  do have  the tendency to  bring to  mind several
other bands,  but they  generally succeed in  convincingly delivering
some  very acceptable  and varied  death/grind. Quite  enjoyable, but
certainly not fundamental.


Haat - _Factum Luctisonus_  (Paniac, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (8 out of 10)

Belgian label  Paniac is steadily  establishing itself as  a reliable
purveyor  of truly  underground  black metal,  proudly joining  other
vinyl-only  institutions  like  End  All Life,  Sombre  and  Northern
Heritage. This  vinyl slab is  no different, being  a career-spanning
document of Holland's elusive one-man Haat. Comprised almost entirely
of demo material,  _Factum Luctisonus_ makes no  pretensions at being
any  well-produced piece  of  commercial stardom.  Rather, the  liner
notes take pains to emphasize  the "coarse and primitive" black metal
cuisine served  up by this  lone butcher.  Little remains to  be said
about the music -- raw, primal vociferations spewed over a torrent of
barbed-wire  chainsaws  --  except  for the  fact  that  despite  its
incredible simplicity  and non-musicality,  the hate invoked  on this
record is  almost palpable.  Vitriolic and  barbaric to  the extreme,
this  is some  of the  most nascently  negative music  I've heard  in
a  while.  Though  a  tad  under-developed for  the  most  part,  the
effectiveness of this  stuff is alarming given the  right setting and
frame of  mind. Still, it's  not a  release for everybody,  and seems
calculated to appeal only to a core of dedicated underground maniacs.
Well presented  in a hand-numbered  sleeve (250 copies,  vinyl only),
and boasts an  insert that's both informative and  nicely produced. A
satisfying one  that grows  on you, and  I'm proud to  have it  in my
collection.

Contact: mailto:paniac@wol.be


Honor / Graveland - _Raiders of Revenge_  (Resistance Records, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (9 out of 10)

While this has  been out for some time, tracking  down copies of this
has  been  somewhat  troublesome  for  those not  in  tune  with  the
steadily-growing NSBM scene. Indeed, this slab has seen more than its
share  of  praise since  its  release  months  ago, and  rightly  so.
Old-timers  Graveland back  up a  relatively new  name in  the Polish
underground to produce  a highly accomplished tribute  to pagan pride
and war. Don't let the bands' infamous white-power background put you
off;  the  focus  of  this  album seems  more  centered  on  fighting
Christianity than being  overtly NS. Honor are  somewhat reluctant to
leave their  NS-rock influences behind  them even on  this presumably
black metal  CD, but the  four epic  hymns they churn  out ultimately
have more  Graveland than Absurd  in them. Which apparently  works in
their favor:  "Antichrist's Hammer" opens  up the disc with  a highly
infectious  chorus, displaying  Honor's knack  for martial  tunes and
rhythms.  Subsequent tracks  don't  disappoint,  with memorably  epic
riffs often driving  the anthems along at an inspiring  pace, and the
galloping "Invaders" remains one of the most exhilarating tracks I've
come across in  the genre. The band's decision to  sing in Polish and
provide  English  translations  pays  off  well,  with  the  guttural
language sounding  significantly more brutal and  driven than English
would have. Graveland's  contributions are far less  exciting for the
simple fact that the three tracks  merely reprise the band's past two
works. Sprawling, monumental soundscapes  are what Graveland excel at
creating and  the material  here bodes well  for the  band's upcoming
album.  Haunting atmospheres,  uplifting chorals  and sinister  rasps
combine to  create a moving work  that brands Graveland as  a premier
formation in the  scene. All in all, an essential  release for anyone
remotely interested in  the Polish pagan underground, and  one of the
most important releases of the genre.

Contact: http://www.resistance.com


Imperial Sodomy - _Tormenting the Pacifist_  (Criminal, June 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan  (6 out of 10)

My ears, my beautiful youthful ears!  Do not torment me any longer! I
cried and  then I listened  to this again,  and again and  again. Not
normally a big fan of this style of hard hitting metal, I was dubious
at first and  then suddenly an epiphany. I have  only heard one thing
this year  that rivals this  release for  strength of sound  and pure
metal energy. This  is clearly evident in  "Violence", which although
not up on a  par with the likes of Immolation, it  is quite clearly a
demonstration of  the life  in the band.  The drumming  throughout is
impressive,  but  is  absolutely  outstanding on  "Dead  Wishes"  and
"Lobotomised". Ceaseless, intense and powerful. They impress greatly,
this release grew  on me like mould on cheese:  first on the surface,
then deeper to the very veins. I  am astounded that this is the first
I have heard of Imperial Sodomy and wish for them to go on to greater
things.  They  are  clearly  a  band  that  deserve  some  commercial
recognition for output such as this.


Incriminated - _Illusion of Love_ 7"  (Northern Heritage, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (6.5 out of 10)

One wonders if Northern Heritage  specifically seeks out Hellhammer /
Celtic Frost clones.  Yet another slab of Frost/HH  worship [see Pest
review  in this  issue], this  time  served up  lo-fi Finnish  style.
Incriminated bludgeon  listeners bloody  with twisted  riffs straight
out of Hellhammer territory, but  fail to impress as promising starts
give way  to sloppy  arrangements and a  general looseness  about the
band. Depressing  riffs such as  these require  a flair to  carry off
convincingly,  and these  newcomers fall  a few  inches short  of the
mark,  ending up  morosely rehearsal-like  instead. All  three tracks
blur into a  mess of downtuned riffery and  dissonant leads, creating
a  charmingly obscure  underground  atmosphere  reminiscent of  Grand
Belials Key.  To be fair, the  overall mood on the  album is suitably
raw and honestly  passionate... a little experience  and effort could
well ignite the few sparks on this EP. For now, Warhammer still rules
the Hellhammer roost.

Contact: Northern Heritage, P.O. Box 21, 15141 Lahti, Finland


Ingrowing - _Suicide Binary Reflections_  (Obscene, June 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan  (6 out of 10)

Prague truly  is the home  of absinthe. Nothing but  a hallucinogenic
alcohol could  have spawned this  wonder of auditory  punishment. The
Czech Republic is  in my mind now a  place I must go. If  not for the
scenery and alcohol, to discover what could have produced this little
wonder. I don't think it can be  put better than in the promo: "hyper
technical grindcore fury  that explodes in yer face  like a container
full  of corrosive  alien pus".  I'm not  sure who  they paid  to say
that,  but they  certainly know  their  stuff. This  is true  extreme
grindcore.  The outstanding  thing is  not  just the  music, but  the
amazingly shocking  translation of  quite clearly  originally bizarre
lyrics.  "Binary reflections  let distort  the reality  to postmortal
surreality",  but nothing  rivals  my favourite  lyric  of all  time:
"demodeous --  I am nasty joke  of master of gloomagic".  Wormwood is
clearly a strong influence, but that's  no bad thing. Nor is it wrong
to be amused at the various band members committing comedy suicide on
the front cover (the best is attempting to swallow a chainsaw).

Contact: http://www.obscene.cz


Isis - _SGNL>05_  (Neurot Recordings, March 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)

Atmospheric  sounds  that  could  be associated  with  some  sort  of
post-nuclear  wasteland  combine with  distorted,  psychotic-sounding
piano  in  the  opening track  of  this  MCD  to  set the  stage  for
what  turns out  to be  a rather  remarkable musical  experience. The
apocalyptic-sounding "Divine  Mother (The Tower Crumbles)"  then hits
you  hard  with its  bludgeoning  mid-paced  guitars and  percussion,
complemented by harsh vocals, and leaves no doubt that the tower does
crumble.  This  is  before  the  minimalistic  yet  initially  brutal
atmospheric  electronics of  "Beneath Below"  start pounding  at your
ears, only  to be joined by  a surprising, dirgeful melodic  line and
matching  vocals. The  slow crescendo  of "Constructing  Towers" then
follows, building its way to  a comparatively disappointing climax. A
remix of  "Celestial" by  Justin Broadrick  of Godflesh  finishes off
the  MCD:  repetitive  chords  and  rhythmic  structure  occasionally
accompanied by distant-sounding chants; a rather hypnotic combination
if you  are in the  right mood. This 35  minute long MCD  lets itself
down somewhat on the last couple of  tracks -- if you take away their
hypnotic qualities,  that is, in  which case they become  just rather
boring after some time. It is a shame a significant part of it is not
as  great as  its first  three  tracks, which  would clearly  deserve
better than  a 7 out  of 10 themselves,  but I am  definitely looking
forward to hearing more material from Isis in the future.


Judas Iscariot / Krieg - _To the Coming Age of Intolerance_
by: Alvin Wee  (8 out of 10)  (Paniac, 2001)

A  co-celebration  in  evil  from two  of  neo-black  metal's  better
appreciated one-man acts. Little-known Finnish combo Crimson Evenfall
get thrown on Akhenaten's stinking  altar with Judas Iscariot's cover
of  their  '96 demo-track  "Winterheart".  Deftly  executed with  the
typical JI flair: brimming with  primitive blackness yet never losing
its  grip  on  the  trembling soul.  In  true  Darkthrone-worshipping
tradition,  the sheer  simplicity of  the riffing  lends the  music a
hypnotic, tense atmosphere. Krieg goes somewhat more directly for the
throat with all the frenzy of  an Immortal winterstorm, churning up a
distinctly under-produced  guitar maelstrom  behind bouts  of inhuman
screeching. Such mayhem  is appealing in its own right,  but with the
lacklustre production  on this disc,  merely comes across  as greatly
weakened  and bordering  on the  messy. Still  not a  bad performance
dripping lots of blood and fury, rounding off nicely this little slab
of iniquity. Limited and hand-numbered to 666 copies as usual.

Contact: mailto:paniac@wol.be


Junta - _Junta_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

The metal  attack of trio  Junta is  one comprised of  many different
elements. While death metal in essence,  the music of Junta flies off
the handle  into an abrasive death  metal attack with hints  of jazzy
riffs/drumming and heavy metal mentality.  Needless to say, the music
is stop  and start action  that results in a  lot of cool  sounds and
styles  to  surface  from  this. The  production  of  this  five-song
recording is  pretty good, not great,  and I think that  the somewhat
edgy flow of things gave some substance to the anarchy within. Choice
cuts on this self-titled disc have  to be the riotous charge of "This
Vast Indifference" and  the shredding stomp of "Plight".  Junta are a
good band  that have  managed to  add some  charm to  the predictable
sounds  that come  with death  music  sometimes. Good  from start  to
finish.

Contact: mailto:ian.mccartney@purchase.edu


Karma to Burn - _Almost Heathen_  (Spitfire, September 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (5 out of 10)

What to do? I find myself in a predicament of perplexing proportions.
This West  Virginia three  piece is an  obviously talented  trio, but
their style  isn't something I  find myself intrigued by.  The groove
present in all ten tracks on _Almost Heathen_ is opulent and lavishly
rich -- no doubt there. There are  no vocals at all; it has been that
way since  putting out their  self-titled debut  in 1997. I  may have
liked to  hear that  particular manifestation of  the band  since the
all-instrumental version of Karma to Burn leaves me a bit desiccated.
This being my  first exposure ever to this outfit,  I cannot draw any
comparisons to  previous material. I  understand the band  opened for
Metallica a number  of times, but I am unable  to say conclusively if
that was "old" or "new" Metallica; my guess is "new". I can tell you,
however, if  you are a  fan of heavily melodic,  trippy, groove-laden
instrumental material, Karma to Burn may be for you. For me, although
not a prerequisite, I'd appreciate some vocals from KtB and a broader
range of  material, too, I think.  As for my predicament,  I resolved
how to score  this by anticipating how much I  will listen to _Almost
Heathen_ and five times  out of ten is high-ending it  a bit, but KtB
are skilled  musicians and  that counts for  something; that  much is
evident.


Keelhaul - _II_  (HydraHead, May 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (10 out of 10)

A classic  one-of-a-kind, _II_ is  an album into which  Keelhaul have
poured so  much of themselves  that the  result could not  quite have
been achieved by any other group  individuals: _II_ seems to me to be
a very  pure expression of the  musical feelings of the  four men who
make up Keelhaul. On the other hand,  _II_ seems to me to be a record
that is deeply  relevant to the "noisecore  underground" -- disparate
as their  links between  each other  in many  cases are,  the various
groups of people operating on  similar musical wavelengths do merit a
collective classification.  _II_ is proof that  placing boundaries on
the exploration of  the basic instruments of rock is  a foolish thing
to  do. Keelhaul  demonstrate what  brilliance can  come from  simply
letting yourself play  and seeing what the result is  later; it works
because  Keelhaul  are  such  incredible  but  free  musicians,  with
according "musical minds". Impossible to  describe in words and do it
anything  like  justice, _II_  rocks  around  the atomic  clock  with
unsurpassed style and brilliance.


Khold - _Masterpiss of Pain_  (Moonfog, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (6.5 out of 10)

This four-piece outfit from Norway exposes some of the more inclement
elements to the black metal world with _Masterpiss of Pain_. I hear a
lot of Tulus' _Evil 1999_ [CoC #43]  on this CD, and that is a really
good thing. "Old" is a word I might use to describe Khold. The band's
style is by  no means stale, but the style  evident on _Masterpiss of
Pain_  is archaically  deliberate --  so  much so  that the  listener
either becomes drowsy  or hyper; I find little  middle ground between
the two. Written  in ancient Norwegian language, Khold  adds to their
mystique. This fails them in only one  place that I can tell -- track
eight, "Mesterverk  av Smerte". The  linguistics and panache  fail to
connect and  the song comes  across as  missing its mark.  Other than
that, I  should appreciate _Masterpiss of  Pain_ more than I  do, but
anymore, if  it is not truly  an outstanding effort, I  cannot reward
banal efforts  with good marks.  Khold is better than  most, granted,
but musically  it leaves  me a  bit on  the chilly-side.  First, find
yourself a copy  of _Evil 1999_; a superior effort  in the same vein,
only more interesting.


King Diamond - _Decade of Horror_  (Massacre Records, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (6 out of 10)

     Whether the _Decade of Horror_  box-set is a sincere celebration
of  the King's  longevity in  the scene  or just  another transparent
money-making venture is anyone's guess, but I for one acknowledge the
logic in  collecting the band's  later, less established work  in one
convenient  package. Four  opuses from  the Nineties  displayed here:
_The  Spider's Lullabye_,  _Voodoo_, _The  Graveyard_ and  the recent
_House  of God_.  Each  album is  beautifully  presented on  luscious
picture  vinyl, but  sorely  missed  are the  usual  extras found  in
box-sets of this  time. Devoid of any posters, special  items or even
inserts, the box feels disappointingly empty given the high standards
expected  of a  major  label like  Massacre.  Considering the  King's
propensity  for churning  out  highly engaging  lyrics,  the lack  of
printed  material  is deplorable,  which  mars  greatly an  otherwise
lavishly rendered release of all four albums. Also, aesthetics differ
with each  disc, with  the lacklustre artwork  on _The  Graveyard_ in
stark contrast to the breathtaking  _Voodoo_ disc, with its intricate
illustrations of maps,  character portraits, etc. Might  be worth the
cost of  the entire  set. But  then again...  Let's hope  Metal Blade
picks up the cue with a better Mercyful Fate set.
     _The  Spider's Lullabye_:  Took me  a while  to appreciate  this
album  full of  twisted melodies,  but once  it sunk  in, this  album
became one of the most insidious and unforgettable in my book.
     _The Graveyard_: A fantastic album  that didn't have any trouble
drawing me in. As  eerie as ever, and perhaps a hark  back to the old
days? Killer stuff.
     _Voodoo_: Another  original concept album that  draws its effect
from the swamps of Louisiana. Unique and not quite as straightforward
as in the old days, but a little concentration should do the trick.
     _House Of  God_: Great song-based  stuff that scores  points for
departing  from  pure  horror  to  more  philosophical  grounds.  The
memorable music helps too!


Kult Ov Azazel - _Triumph of Fire_  (Pavement Music, March 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (7 out of 10)

We have grown used to hearing death  metal bands pop up one after the
other from  the Florida  swamps, but  here we  actually have  a black
metal band  from this American  paradise. But  if Florida is  the new
Eden, then Kult  Ov Azazel is the complete opposite.  These guys have
decided to  play raw and icy  cold black metal inspired  by the early
Norwegian  bands.  Whether Darkthrone  is  one  of their  sources  of
inspiration I do not know, but if they are, then I'm glad they didn't
copy  the lousy  production. The  production was  in fact  handled by
Jeremy Staska,  who is  also responsible  for albums  from Malevolent
Creation and  Hateplow. Nobody  is surprised  anymore when  they hear
about American black  metal bands, but from now on  there is one more
quality band  to keep track  of. Unfortunately, many of  the American
black metal  bands are in  some way connected to  neo-nazi ideologies
which I really despise. I don't know  if Kult Ov Azazel are, but I do
know that  they are capable  of composing decent, very  intense black
metal  with  savage  vocals.  Sometimes their  music  gets  a  little
bit  boring and  the grim  vocals  slightly annoying,  but there  are
interesting riffs scattered  around. With time, Kult  Ov Azazel could
grow to become one  of the top American acts in  this field. The band
has only been  alive since 1999 and _Triumph of  Fire_ is their first
label release. A good, solid piece of dark art.

Contact: http://www.kultovazazel.com


Lacrimas Profundere - _Burning: A Wish_  (Napalm, May 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7.5 out of 10)

This record's  predecessor, _Memorandum_ [CoC #43],  already showed a
strong  Anathema  influence. _Burning:  A  Wish_  is even  closer  to
Anathema  at times  (the beginning  of "Solicitude  Silence" and  its
reprise of sorts "Re-Silence" could have fooled me); some other times
it harkens back to a style more identifiable as Lacrimas Profundere's
own (including some  faster sections and death growls);  and the rest
of the  time shows the band  moving into a more  atmospheric, melodic
and gothic  style of  doom than  before. This is  saying quite  a bit
considering _Memorandum_ was  already quite melodic, but  there was a
harsher  edge to  it  which  is all  but  gone  now. Melancholic  and
occasionally  somewhat goth-like  clean vocals  are used  a lot  more
often  than death  growls  this  time around.  The  way the  vocalist
sometimes  drags his  voice tends  to annoy  me, as  does the  drowsy
quality it  tends to  have when  he does that.  Some other  times the
clean  vocals bring  to mind  Anathema's Vincent  Cavanagh, which  is
not  very  surprising  given  the influence  they  have  in  Lacrimas
Profundere's  guitar work  and style  to  begin with.  There is  less
musical contrast  in the  record (not  enough of  the old  "light and
shade" for my  taste), and it is also  more chorus-oriented. However,
while  it  is a  fact  that  the  music  of Lacrimas  Profundere  has
become softer  and for  my taste less  enticing, its  quality remains
undeniable. Whether it  will be to the taste of  everyone who enjoyed
_Memorandum_ I cannot  say for sure, even though that's  likely to be
the case  -- but Lacrimas  Profundere don't seem  to be heading  in a
particularly original or unpredictable direction at all, so it should
be reasonably easy to figure out  whether you're likely to enjoy what
they're doing these  days before you buy the record.  If you've never
heard anything by the band, then I'd say _Memorandum_ is clearly your
best bet,  unless you're really  looking for something on  the softer
side of doom metal.


Lobotomy - _Holy Shit_  (No Fashion, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay  (7 out of 10)

Yea,  I  do  believe this  one  has  been  out  awhile. The  band  is
apparently a bit behind on their  release schedule and the new one, I
understand, is to hit the stores  anytime soon as Lobotomy was aiming
for a May/June 2001 date. Until then,  we have the five song EP _Holy
Shit_; a pleasurable ride through  some of Stockholm, Sweden's finest
death/thrash experience.  I won't drag  this out, since those  of you
Lobotomy fans probably have this nugget, but for those of you who are
new to  the affair, this  five piece  has something to  offer. Vocals
drudged  from  the bowels  of  detestation,  sounding at  times  like
Charlie Silva  from Dreams  of Damnation.  This style,  surrounded in
a  heavily  choppy, manicured  metal  sound,  becomes most  alluring.
Recorded  at  Sunlight  Studios,  Lobotomy's sound  is  nowhere  near
unique, but it  captured this writer's attention amidst  the piles of
CDs left to  review. The band says, "Don't believe  the hype, believe
in Lobotomy". You don't even need half your brain to take those words
to heart.


Lost Soul - _Scream of the Mourning Star_  (Relapse, February 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (9 out of 10)

Try  to imagine  a  less  adventurous version  of  Lux Occulta's  _My
Guardian Anger_ [CoC #48] written and played by Vader. Done? Probably
not, because Lux Occulta are still  not as well known as they deserve
to be. But  never mind, Lost Soul don't really  sound similar to them
anyway  -- it's  more their  approach to  writing extreme  metal that
seems to have  a few things in common with  Lux Occulta's. _Scream of
the Mourning  Star_ is fast --  very fast -- and  quite unpredictably
varied at  times. Most of  the time,  though, Lost Soul  just unleash
their highly energetic, technical  and rather memorable turbo-charged
death metal;  but then they  can throw  you off with  some unexpected
twist or  turn every  once in  a while. The  sheer velocity  of their
playing and  the intensity of  their music  really allow the  band to
pull off these tricks. Their  drummer is not only lightning-quick, he
also  refuses to  rely exclusively  on  his kickdrums  for speed  and
impact;  powerful vocals  and guitars  complete a  faultless mix,  to
which unobtrusive  keyboard passages are occasionally  added. This is
one seriously potent and enjoyable death metal record from Poland. As
a matter of  fact, and even though I realize  Vader have written some
superb tracks  in the past, overall  I enjoy _Scream of  the Mourning
Star_ better than any Vader album to date.

[Paul Schwarz: "I'll put it simply: the best Polish death metal album
 since _De Profundis_ and a hot  favourite for best death metal album
 of the year. Stunning."]


Madder Mortem - _All Flesh Is Grass_  (Century Media, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (9 out of 10)

I hoped Madder Mortem would be able to build on the quality of tracks
like "The  Grinding Silence"  from their full-length  debut _Mercury_
[CoC #37] to  produce the outstanding follow-up  record they appeared
quite  capable of  achieving. As  it  turns out,  Madder Mortem  have
followed a  slightly different path, but  have nevertheless succeeded
in taking their  sound to another, brilliant  level. Agnete Kirkevaag
is certainly not your average female vocalist, so do not expect sweet
soprano vocals  here -- this  woman puts a lot  of her soul  into her
vocals, which are skillful,  emotional and creative, and occasionally
also do carry  the sort of subdued frailty that  doom metal sometimes
requires. Madder Mortem may still be likened to early The 3rd and the
Mortal  in  some  of  their  more tranquil  passages,  but  the  band
spends most  of the  time delivering a  very personalized  mixture of
crunchy, percussive riffing and doomy guitar work, a dynamic rhythmic
backbone  and Kirkevaag's  distinctive  vocals. Furthermore,  through
their  intelligent  songwriting Madder  Mortem  build  and tear  down
musical  structures made  of atmospheric  elements, doomy  or rocking
riffs remarkably  well. Despite  some line-up changes,  Madder Mortem
have matured and evolved in a way somewhat akin to Katatonia in terms
of their sound, its variety not  hampering the flow of the album, and
its  individuality  never at  stake.  Coincidentally  or not,  Madder
Mortem and Katatonia are also two  of the very few bands whose lyrics
I have found  interesting recently. Whilst personally  I still prefer
Katatonia's _Last Fair Deal Gone Down_  [CoC #52], I think _All Flesh
Is Grass_ is an achievement  of similar proportions for Madder Mortem
within their own  musical style (which is not  entirely comparable to
Katatonia's, besides the obvious difference in the vocal department).
Serious,  mature, hard-hitting  and emotional,  _All Flesh  Is Grass_
shows a band determined to follow  their own path and forge their own
sound  -- and  in  this instance  they have  done  so with  excellent
results.


Mayhem - _US Legions_  (Renegade Records, June 2001)
by: Quentin Kalis  (3 out of 10)

_US Legions_ marks  Mayhem's third live album and their  second in as
many years.  Before proceeding  any further, let  me just  state that
only little more than half this  album consists of live tracks -- the
last five tracks  are inferior pre-production versions  of songs from
_Grand Declaration of  War_ [CoC #48], while tracks one  to seven are
live songs.  What I can't understand  is why the compilers  chose the
songs that they did. Only two  tracks are live versions of songs from
_GDoW_, and these are also  featured as pre-production versions. Such
repetition is tiresome and unnecessary. The remaining five tracks are
nothing we haven't heard before --  in fact, the same five tracks can
also be  heard on _Mediolanum  Capta Est_ [CoC #50],  albeit recorded
at  a  different location.  Strangely,  _De  Mysteriis Dom  Sathanas_
is  not  represented by  a  single  track,  which is  highly  unusual
considering the album's status as  a modern classic. Furthermore, the
aforementioned pre-production  versions give the impression  of being
hastily added in  order to flesh out  the album. If a  new live album
release  was unavoidable,  surely  they could  have  used songs  that
Mayhem have yet to record live? What about "Ancient Skin"? Or "Cursed
in  Eternity"?  Personally,  I  think  that a  live  version  of  "De
Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" without Attila's pseudo-operatic vocals would
make for a killer live song. I fail  to see the need for a live album
so soon after the last one,  especially one that doesn't really offer
anything new. _USL_ appears to  have been compiled more for financial
reasons than  for artistic  concerns, and  the album  does absolutely
nothing to enhance or sustain  Mayhem's considerable legacy. The only
thing approaching a high point on  _USL_ are the live versions of "To
Daimonon" and "View From Nihil"; without these two songs I would have
given this album an even lower rating.


Melechesh - _Djinn_  (Osmose, May 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

Drawn out in an epic fashion,  the latest release from Melechesh (and
their debut  for Osmose)  is a  wonderfully passionate  expedition of
metal music. The term "Mesopotamian  metal" has been thrown around to
describe the  band's music, a  term that  sticks well with  the theme
here and  where the band takes  their music. Drawing from  the sounds
of  his homeland  (the  Mediterranean), guitarist/vocalist  Melechesh
Ashmedi  has managed  to  successfully blend  those  sounds with  the
vicious stride of death metal music. The sound is indeed unique. Just
listen to the music on notable numbers such as "Genies, Sorcerers and
Mesopotamian Nights" and "Rub the Lantern", songs that not only sound
strong,  but lie  within a  real magical  spectrum of  sound. Another
unique  attribute of  the release  is the  work of  Absu drummer  Sir
Proscriptor McGovern pounding away on  the drum kit. McGovern's fluid
flow of rhythmic bashings adds fuel to  the drive of the band. A good
choice to snag him for work here.  Do you fancy a ride into something
mystical and mysterious? Then _Djinn_ awaits you, my dear friends.


Merlin - _They Must Die_  (Great White North Records, 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (5 out of 10)

Merlin is somewhat  of a rarity, being a Russian  death metal act led
by a female vocalist/bassist who actually  was the one who formed the
band nine years ago. Female vocals  sound interesting? Well, I had to
do some research  to conclude that vocalist Mary is  indeed a female,
as  her death  grunts are  not very  feminine. Rather  repetitive and
emotionless, actually; she could learn  a lot from Cadavaria of Opera
IX. Their  music is  traditional death  metal; fast  and semi-brutal.
Both the music and production sound  "old" and most of the riffs here
have been  done before. The  verses in  every song sound  exactly the
same  and make  it  hard to  tell  the songs  apart.  There are  some
elements  here that  are  interesting and  the  musicians play  well.
Still,  the sheer  repetitiveness  of  this album  makes  it hard  to
recommend.


Moonspell - _Darkness and Hope_  (Century Media, August 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (7 out of 10)

Moonspell  are  back.  Rumours  from  Century  Media  indicated  that
Moonspell  would return  to the  style from  _Irreligious_, with  the
heaviest atmospheres they have ever written. Sadly, these rumours are
unfounded.  Still,  this is  a  clear  improvement from  the  utterly
disappointing _The Butterfly  Effect_. With a simpler  and less noisy
style, Moonspell  now play a  mellow blend of  rock and metal.  It is
quite soothing  at times, but  I miss the tension  from _Irreligious_
and the variation from _Sin_. The  first half of the album is clearly
stronger than the  second, although track ten, "Than  the Serpents in
My Arms", deserves  an honorable mention. They have  managed to sound
very "Moonspell"  despite yet  again changing  their style  of music.
This shows  how important the  guitar sound  and vocals are  for this
band's identity. This album releases Moonspell from the hospital, but
they need to regain some long-lost energy before they can be declared
as perfectly healthy again.


My Dying Bride - _Meisterwerk II_  (Peaceville, June 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (8.5 out of 10)

"Sear Me  MCMXIII" is the  proper way to open  a good My  Dying Bride
compilation, in  my opinion,  and part two  of MDB's  collection does
just that. Although it features naught but piano, violin and voice, I
feel  this song  epitomizes much  of the  spirit of  My Dying  Bride.
Towards the end of the  disc, "Your River", another well-chosen track
from arguably the  greatest doom metal masterpiece  ever, _Turn Loose
the Swans_,  wraps up the  set of MDB material  that can be  found in
_Meisterwerk_. The two covers  originally released in the _Peaceville
X_  compilation  [CoC #31]  then  finish  things  off --  a  somewhat
debatable option. In between, the disc  flows in much the same way as
the  first _Meisterwerk_.  On  the  rare side  of  things, the  album
features  a good  demo  track  from _Towards  the  Sinister_, a  demo
version of  "Vast Choirs" (originally  from _As the  Flower Withers_)
and "Follower", an unreleased track  from the mostly ill-received and
hardly MDB-like  experimentation of _34.788%... Complete_  [CoC #35].
Also included are the acoustic "Two Winters Only" from _The Angel and
the Dark  River_ [CoC  #8] and  "She Is the  Dark" from  MDB's latest
studio album [CoC #44]. All of this provides significant insight into
MDB's  various doom  and death  metal stages  and shows  a remarkably
large  portion of  what the  band has  been about  across the  years.
In  the same  fashion  as  part one  of  the  compilation [CoC  #51],
_Meisterwerk II_  offers some good  value for  money in terms  of the
rare tracks it  contains, whilst sprinkling the  proceedings with the
superior  quality  of  some  better known  songs.  This  second  disc
achieves a  better mix of  classic songs than  the _Like Gods  of the
Sun_-drenched  first  part  and provides  a  thoroughly  entertaining
listen as  well as interesting  collector's tracks. Those who  do not
own the  MDB discography  yet are advised  to look  into Peaceville's
massive series  of re-issues as  well; some  of the greatest  gems of
doom metal are there to be found.


Myrddraal - _Blood on the Mountain_  (Decius Productions, May 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (8 out of 10)

From "Down Under" comes the thunder of black metal horde Myrddraal, a
stunning and totally powerful black metal act that showcases dynamics
and  raw aggression.  The  band's  disc _Blood  on  the Mountain_  is
highlighted  by some  of  the  most insane  drumming  (real raw)  and
intense yet passionate  screams I have heard in some  time. And while
the  production is  miles away  from  the clean/slick  work of  Dimmu
Borgir's _Puritanical  Euphoric Misanthropia_, it still  delivers the
same  aggression  of said  record.  Bathing  in total  anti-Christian
themes,  Myrddraal  sets the  tone  with  strong lyrics  and  themes,
powerful songwriting (i.e.  "Daughter of the Night",  "What Once Was"
and the  title track) that  is backed up  by an even  more impressive
work of  musicianship. There are  hundreds of bands  scattered around
the  globe with  the same  determination  as Myrddraal,  but some  go
unnoticed. I'm  just glad I  stumbled upon  these guys 'cause  now my
music  collection  is  one  CD  stronger  and  the  campaign  against
Christianity has grown a bit more.

Contact: P.O. Box 71, Latham ACT 2615, Australia
         mailto:the_myrddraal@hotmail.com
         http://move.to/myrddraal
Contact: http://www.deciusproductions.com


Mystica - _Blinded By My Blood_  (Painkiller, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (7 out of 10)

This  is another  one  of  those albums  that  leaves you  undecided:
despite  the  solid  musical  expertise  and  enjoyable  songwriting,
there's  little from  the album  that  really sticks  with you.  That
aside,  _BBMB_  could  well  be  the  soundtrack  to  today's  scene,
attempting to meld Gothenburg death with traditional black metal, and
only  occasionally ending  up sounding  like a  poor man's  Immortal.
Typical of  many newer  acts these days,  with a  melodic black/death
hybrid so prosaic it's hard to describe. Still, it isn't a bad album,
with the  blazing leads on cuts  like "Illusion" and the  title track
emphasizing the band's creative and  musical wizardry. For what might
be  described  as the  new  Swedish  sound,  Mystica do  pretty  well
considering the territory's been pretty  much covered by almost every
other band these days, and is still  a nice break from all that messy
underground stuff  creeping around.  Even so, this  isn't interesting
enough  for  me,  and  labels  should  start  taking  the  hint  that
crunchy guitars  and Kris  Verwimp artwork  don't necessarily  make a
money-pulling album. Oh, and Painkiller is  up to its usual tricks by
putting the album out on four formats again...

Contact: mailto:painkiller@infonie.be


Necrology - _Malignancy Defined_  (Great White North Records, 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (6.5 out of 10)

Dutch Necrology  presents potent  brutal death  metal on  this album,
which contains their  _Cold Skin_ MCD accompanied by  five new songs.
The old MCD actually has better production than their new tracks. The
newer production  chokes the instruments  slightly, almost as  if the
music was  recorded in a  metal box.  The band consists  of competent
musicians, and the music is executed with great precision. The vocals
can  be  compared to  those  of  Cannibal  Corpse, but  the  vocalist
sometimes also utilizes  some blackish screams. The  music lacks some
variation though.  With brutal death  metal, I need large  amounts of
either variation, technicality or crushing  riffs to weigh up for the
fact that I get easily bored  by the deep, emotionless vocals and, in
fact,  the genre  as a  whole. _Malignancy  Defined_ presents  little
to  spur my  enthusiasm,  apart  from the  old  and  more epic  track
"Emotionless",  the  only  track  on  the album  that  I  don't  find
completely emotionless, and on top of that it has some awesome riffs.
This is a promising death metal act, however, and they certainly have
enough talent to become a big thing within the genre.


Necronom - _Exordium_  (Winterthorn, April 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan  (3 out of 10)

Dramatic. There  is little  else that  can be  said about  this brief
outing by  Necronom. Accomplished and dramatic.  Lyrically similar to
the poetry of  a teenage goth. "Provoking the gag  reflex, I vomit up
my existence". How  apt. This is not  a bad record, nor is  it not my
kind of thing, I just don't like  it. I tried to, but I just couldn't
stand to hear it through more than twice. Good use of organs, though,
and the  choral voice effect.  Yet inevitably nothing less  than pomp
and drama.


Neurosis - _A Sun That Never Sets_  (Relapse, August 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (7.5 out of 10)

It is no secret that I am a very large admirer of Neurosis's work. As
a  matter  of  fact,  right  or  wrong,  I  chose  to  witness  their
performance at  the Milwaukee MetalFest  two years ago as  opposed to
catching In  Flames' first  time in the  United States.  Neurosis had
such a  grand show unfolding  that I  couldn't bring myself  to leave
even for  a split second  -- it was  -that- captivating. As  most are
aware,  this  outfit from  the  sun-streaked  California climate  are
masters  at developing  a  mood within  the  limitless vicinity  they
inspire. More atmosphere than song structure, Neurosis, especially on
_A Sun That Never Sets_, generates  a powerful homespun feel in which
total concentration is required, consciously or unconsciously, on the
part of  the listener. With  each new song,  _A Sun That  Never Sets_
cultivates  an area  in  the  mind's eye  so  seductively sublime  in
texture  and enriched  with every  ounce of  energy this  quintet has
to  exhaust. One  track  never sounding  like  another, the  scouring
sensation of  "Falling Unknown" works  in complete diametric  form to
"Crawl Back In"  later on _ASTNS_. Deep down, I  believe that more of
this band's seventh  album will eventually have a  thriving effect on
me, but for the immediate future, I'd  be more apt to enjoy _Times of
Grace_ or even the 1997 re-issue _Souls  at Zero / Enemy of the Sun_.
Summing up, I am of the opinion  that a fan of this band should never
question where they are being lead musically; just modestly submit to
what  Neurosis has  to offer,  knowing in  all likelihood  that it'll
entirely take  place described only as  a land with a  sun that never
sets.


No Return - _Self Mutilation_  (Listenable, 2001)
by: Matthias Noll  (7 out of 10)

Post Bay Area, innovation-free but enthusiastically delivered, brutal
thrash metal is what No Return from France play on _Self Mutilation_.
Think  _Beneath the  Remains_ without  uber-songs like  "Inner Self",
Demolition  Hammer's  _Epidemic  of Violence_  onslaught  or  Channel
Zero's self-titled debut (both highly  recommended) and you're on the
right track. The Sepultura comparison  is especially valid because of
the vocals, which have much in  common with Max Cavalera on _BtR_ and
_Arise_, even though  they are a bit more monotonous.  I always had a
weak spot  for Bay Area  thrash metal riffing, and  _Self Mutilation_
surprisingly often manages to transfer  the good old days when Exodus
reigned supreme into a modern day context. Around the retro backbone,
things got  beefed up  by a decent,  modern sounding  production with
triggered drums, a couple of  death metal elements and the up-to-date
speed and aggression with which the songs get delivered. Although the
addition of samples  and rhythmic synthesizers on a  couple of tracks
sounds somewhat  out of place  and without proper embedding  into the
overall sound of  _Self Mutilation_, this is a  very enjoyable record
which gives me more pleasure for money than a lot of other stuff I've
heard recently.


Nokturnal Mortum - _Lunar Poetry_  (The End, 2001)
by: Brian Meloon  (8 out of 10)

This  was   Nokturnal  Mortum's  first  album   (not  counting  their
_Twilightfall_  demo),  and was  originally  recorded  in 1996.  This
re-release also includes a track called "Return of the Vampire Lord",
which  was previously  only released  on a  very rare  split MC  with
Lucifugum.  The style  is similar  to that  of their  brilliant _Goat
Horns_ [CoC #31],  though this album is not as  refined and the songs
are generally shorter. The music is brutal black metal with heavy use
of keyboards and folky melodies. What really sets these guys apart is
their  use  of keyboards.  While  other  bands generally  either  use
keyboards only  for atmosphere or rely  heavily on them to  carry the
music,  Nokturnal Mortum  choose the  middle ground.  Their music  is
guitar-driven, but the keyboards  are integrated into everything they
do. The  songs are generally  mid-paced, but  show a wide  variety in
styles,  due in  part  to  the effective  use  of different  keyboard
sounds.  While  the production  could  be  stronger, the  playing  is
top-notch, with  only a  few clean vocal  parts the  only performance
flaw I could find. For its time, this was an outstanding release, and
even five years later, it's a pretty good record. In my opinion, it's
even better  than the  new material  from the  band. Fans  of melodic
black  metal should  definitely check  it out,  though for  those not
familiar with the band, I'd suggest _Goat Horns_ first.


Obligatorisk Tortyr - _Obligatorisk Tortyr_  (Osmose, April 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (6.5 out of 10)

"Obligatory  Torture":   that's  the  translation  of   this  Swedish
three-piece's  name. That  name suggests  that Obligatorisk  Tortyr's
grindcore should  sound a  lot more American  than it  actually does.
Obligatorisk Tortyr  may principally  be a  grindcore band,  but they
don't allow this  to limit them to blastbeats,  three-chord riffs and
lung-destroying screeches. The varied cocktail that this, their debut
album, thus  presents you with  has its good  and bad points.  On the
positive side, _OT_ is varied enough  to not lapse into monotony with
the shocking rapidity of many a second-rate grindcore album; OT don't
merely attempt to  repeat the same song 25 different  ways -- or even
the same two  songs 12 different ways. On the  negative side, OT lack
impact:  their variation  of  tempo means  they  never build-up  pure
intensity through  speed like Discordance Axis,  Nasum or Hellnation,
while their lack  of songwriting talent means that,  though they vary
their tempo, they  don't create the dynamic  contrasts that embellish
so many great grind (or grind-leaning) releases -- His Hero Is Gone's
_Monuments to  Thieves_ is  just one album  where such  contrasts are
frequently and brilliantly  used. OT also seem to lack  a coherent --
or endearing?  -- identity  of their  own. _OT_  combines a  range of
elements unusual  for run-of-the-mill  grindcore or death  metal, but
rarely offers a single song  that is interesting and enjoyable enough
to listen  to all  the way  through. Ultimately,  _OT_ is  more often
monotonous than invigorating.


Occult - _Violence and Hatred_  (Painkiller, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (9 out of 10)

I  must  admit  to  having  approached  this  two-tracker  with  some
trepidation  given my  recent less-than-satisfactory  experience with
Painkiller signings, and wanting to retain my memories of Occult as a
semi-legend way back when. Kicking off the single powerfully with the
title track, Occult's latest incarnation completely erases all doubts
with  their  brand  of  classic Dutch  death.  Heavily  rhythmic  and
brimming with metallic energy, Occult  sound fresher than ever before
with a  thrashy edge reminiscent of  Vader, only far cleaner.  If the
first  track  hasn't broken  your  neck,  the  second will  with  its
infectious, headbang-inducing riffage. The  band flaunts its maturity
and experience with ease, flitting back and forth comfortably between
crushingly heavy  riffs and scintillating  flights of fancy,  all the
while maintaining their grip on the sheer energy coursing through the
music. As if the brilliant  music weren't enough, the playing surface
of  the CD  comes laser  etched with  logos: it  must be  seen to  be
believed! Absolutely  exciting stuff,  and if  the album  is anywhere
near this then we'll have a classic on our hands. Not sure if this is
for sale, but ask.

Contact: mailto:painkiller@infonie.be


Pest - _Towards the Bestial Armageddon_ 7"  (Northern Heritage, 2001)
by: Alvin Wee  (8 out of 10)

Northern  Heritage   strikes  again   with  their   customary  flair,
presenting these somewhat whispered-about  Danes on limited vinyl. If
the title  looks familiar, it's because  this is a re-release  of the
long  out-of-print  EP  released  some  time  back....and  worthy  of
re-circulation it certainly is! While Darkthrone and Celtic Frost get
their usual tributes on the two meaty tracks, Pest manage to fend off
impending accusations of stagnancy with the sheer conviction of their
solid delivery.  Opening thrasher  "Satanic Winter" kicks  things off
with  a  bang,  the  band's old-school  sentiments  suggestive  of  a
tighter, better-rounded Urgehal (if anyone still remembers them). Any
lack  of originality  is amply  forgotten in  the wake  of the  title
track, maintaining  the slightly upbeat  thrashiness of side  A while
injecting a somewhat  spry groove into the  jet-black procession. Few
old-school bands achieve the level  of consistency and freshness Pest
manage to  endow their  traditional style; it's  especially memorable
for the fact that  the two tracks on offer here  put Aura Noir's most
recent offerings to shame.

Contact: Northern Heritage, P.O. Box 21, 15141 Lahti, Finland


Peter Murphy - _Alive: Just for Love_  (Metropolis, July 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (8.5 out of 10)

Countless kudos to Metropolis for picking  up Peter Murphy for a deal.
Anyone  sneering  at  this  writer's  appreciation  for  Mr.  Murphy's
brilliant performance  capability has  never seen  him live.  My first
time bearing witness to Peter Murphy on stage was in St. Pete, Florida
with  Nine Inch  Nails opening  the show  in support  of _Pretty  Hate
Machine_ (that  dates me, huh?).  My esteem  for this artist  has done
nothing if  not spiked  to new  heights. _Alive: Just  for Love_  is a
double  live CD  and  a masterful  cross-section  Murphy's talent  and
tenure as  a soloist, as well  as with Bauhaus. Even  covering some of
his former band's songs on disc  two, "Who Killed Mr. Moonlight", "All
We  Ever Wanted"  and  "Hope (Midnight  Proposal)",  joined for  those
tracks by  David J., formerly of  Bauhaus, too. The guitarist  is also
someone you may recognize -- Peter  DiStefano of Porno for Pyros fame.
Peter Murphy's  voice is truly  at the top  notch on _Alive:  Just for
Love_, sounding like a harmonious cross between Neil Diamond and David
Bowie. Ousting  _Deep_ or _Cascade_  as my  number one choice  for Mr.
Murphy's best and,  as most of you know, live  material is something I
am  the most  skeptical about.  My melancholy  disposition as  of late
hinging  on  my  fiancee  being  removed  from  my  company  for  five
weeks  makes this  release  all that  more  appropriate. Reminding  me
ever-so-much of how -I- proposed, you'll  have to listen to the dialog
immediately  before  the last  track  on  the  second disc,  "Love  Me
Tender". Bravo, Mr. Murphy -- BRAVO!

Contact: http://www.petermurphy.org


Project Pitchfork - _Daimonion_  (Metropolis, May 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (5 out of 10)

Around the nuclei, this European  outfit, consisting of Peter Spilles
(vocals and keyboards) and Dirk Scheuber (keyboards and programming),
penetrates  with  a  steadfast  and technically  agreeable  blend  of
rhythms and  industrial beats.  Clean, understandable  vocals flatter
the  driving force  of the  music. Lyrical  content is  publicized as
intelligent, but I  might argue that description should  be closer to
thought provoking or maybe "deep". The strength of this band seems to
be  modesty and  unpretentiousness used  as  a vehicle  to get  their
message across,  but in  some way  it becomes  lost. Whether  that is
because they are more comfortable in  a live setting or the recording
process isn't kind to Project  Pitchfork's particular sound, I cannot
answer for  sure. The  true iridescence of  _Daimonion_ comes  in the
form of track  five, "We Are One (Mirror Split  Up Into Pieces)", and
the  symbolically heavy  "Last Call",  track thirteen.  Research some
other Metropolis; they might be more to your liking.


Proscriptor - _The Serpentine Has Risen_  (Dark Age, 2000)
by: Adam Wasylyk  (7.5 out of 10)

Finally! A sophomore release!  Another trip into the ambient/darkwave
world of Proscriptor is exactly what  one needs to flush excess heavy
metal  out of  the system.  One of  America's leading  acts in  their
respective genre, it's the side  project of Proscriptor McGovern from
America's occultic metal  legends Absu. Their debut  album _The Venus
Bellona_  ranks  as one  of  my  favourite  non-metal records  in  my
collection and  should stay that  way for some time.  _The Serpentine
Has Risen_ marks  some progression in the  classic Proscriptor sound,
but I fear some of its spontaneity may have been lost in the process.
Holding less than half the number of songs that _TVB_ held, the eight
songs (or "voyages") on _The Serpentine Has Risen_ appear to have had
more time spent on them; they  sound better composed and were written
with each piece to be better described  as a "song" and not so much a
"fragment" which can  be seen on _TVB_. However, the  material on the
new album is in essence less catchy and infectious, but does continue
in the tradition  of its predecessor. Carrying the  tradition over in
featuring a cover song, while _The Venus Bellona_ featured "I Ran (So
Far  Away)",  originally  performed  by A  Flock  of  Seagulls,  _The
Serpentine  Has Risen_  sees  a great  treatment  of Cliff  Richard's
"Devil Woman" -- incidentally first pointed  out to me by the editor,
who is always  on his toes when  it comes to the  work featuring this
individual.  While the  newest  Proscriptor recording,  in my  honest
opinion, doesn't fully measure up to  their debut, it still stands on
its own as a worthy ambient/darkwave recording.

[Gino Filicetti: "As Adam  has  already stated:  Finally a  sophomore
 release!!  You  can't imagine  how  long  the  small but  elite  CoC
 writer's  Proscriptor fan-club  has been  waiting for  this release.
 Naturally, all of this pent up anticipation has infinitely escalated
 our expections  of this album, so  living up to them  would be quite
 the  insurmountable challenge.  Perhaps this  explains our  lukewarm
 reception of this release as I share Adam's opinion that this record
 does  not quite  measure  up to  _The Venus  Bellona_.  What I  find
 strange  are the  many pieces  of _TVB_  that are  spliced into  the
 background  of  a  few  songs  on  this  album;  although  I'm  sure
 Proscriptor's intentions were to give the feeling of progression and
 continuity, to me,  it comes off a tad trite.  However, I must admit
 that over  a continuous  period of repeated  listens, this  album --
 much like Absu's _Tara_ -- is  definitely starting to grow on me and
 you can rest  assured, that is the  mark of a truly  great album. If
 you bought and  liked _TVB_ you should definitely pick  this up, but
 be forewarned: Patientence is an absolute MUST."]


Psychotogen - _Perverse and Unnatural Practices_
by: Adrian Bromley  (7 out of 10)  (Bring Out Your Dead, July 2001)

If the  album's 42  second intro  titled "Venom  in the  Voice" isn't
enough to get you  all riled up and thirsty for  a brutal death metal
assault, then you won't have any interest in Psychotogen. Luckily for
the band, after the  opening number I was ready to  let the fists fly
as  I went  into a  death metal  rampage. Tight,  brutal and  totally
drenched into  death metal vibes,  the music of  this Baltimore-based
act flies out of the starting  gate with deep vocal growls, shredding
guitar riffs  and a  punishing drum blast  that could  cripple anyone
getting too close. Technical on  numerous levels, the playing here is
pretty rock  solid; occasionally the  band will slow things  down and
hang  for a  few seconds  before launching  into another  death metal
onslaught. At just over 32  minutes, Psychotogen does the right thing
by  playing  fast  and  furious  (i.e.  "In  the  Dust  of  Your  Own
Nothingness", "Tears  at the Flesh"  and "Chaingod") and  getting the
fuck out of  there. They make no apologies for  their brutality, they
just keep moving onto the next set of victims.

Contact: Bring Out Your Dead Productions, P.O. Box 312, Hunt Valley,
         MD 21030, USA
         mailto:bferg@boydp.com
         http://boydp.com


Rebaelliun - _Annihilation_  (Hammerheart, September 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (4 out of 10)

There is  no doubt  this band  has cornered the  market on  being the
"Brazilian extreme  attack". Since  their beginning  in 1998,  I know
this  virulent four-piece  has been  amassing all  the violent  speed
evident on _Annihilation_.  Vocals similar to that  of Steve Tucker's
on  _Formulas  Fatal to  the  Flesh_  and  drumming suggestive  of  a
Flo  Mounier  (Cryptopsy) and  maybe  a  Max Kolesne  (Krisiun)  mix,
Rebaelliun's fundamental  sound is very  much like what  you'd expect
from a  Deicide/Immolation blend.  Track six,  "Unborn Consecration",
demonstrates  some  of  the  finest  guitar work  on  the  whole  CD.
Beginning at the  three minute and twenty second  mark, the masterful
solo  pitted against  the  backdrop of  agonizingly  fast playing  is
remarkable.  Again  on  track  eight,  "Bringer  of  War",  there  is
undoubtedly  some noteworthy  interplay between  Rebaelliun's members
--  enough  to  make  one  take  serious  notice.  Outside  of  those
two  honorable  mentions,  and  all  due  credit  for  harboring  the
unquestionable  desire for  vastly  accelerated  velocity, this  band
leaves  me  ostensibly  unconcerned  for   any  of  the  material  on
_Annihilation_.

[Paul Schwarz:  "It's a  pity that _Annihilation_'s  arrangements are
 rather boring,  because the  production that  Andy Classen  at Stage
 One  studio has  given the  album is  truly massive.  Unfortunately,
 Rebaelliun rely too much on the  impact of their sound, and haven't,
 in  my  opinion,  put  enough into  making  their  music  creatively
 interesting.  Nonetheless, _Annihilation_  could flay  the skin  off
 _Gateways to  Annihilation_, and that's  quite an indication  of how
 the tables of extreme music have turned in recent years."]


Sceptic - _Pathetic Being_  (Last Episode, May 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (8 out of 10)

Polish bands  seem to  have been  coming out of  the ground  in rapid
succession lately, and recently the duo of Lost Soul and Sceptic have
certainly impressed me. Contrarily to the more brutal Lost Soul [also
reviewed in this issue], Sceptic's  very technical death metal boasts
plenty of Atheist  and Death influences -- to the  extent that one of
my first  thoughts when listening  to _Pathetic Being_ for  the first
time was  whether they  had managed to  borrow the  excellent Richard
Christy from  Death. Maciek Zieba is  the man who is  actually behind
the drums for  Sceptic; and whilst he is not  quite as outstanding as
Christy,  his skill  nevertheless is  one  of the  album's points  of
interest. The rest  of Sceptic are also  very technically-minded, but
still manage to create interesting songs that do not tent to get lost
in  redundant technical  flourishes. The  unusually audible  and busy
bass guitar work also deserves to be mentioned. I do feel that Michal
Skotniczny's  somewhat old-fashioned  rasped shouts  could have  been
better,  but  they're  not  terribly  ill-suited  to  this  style  of
technical death  metal. The vocalist fails  to add much to  the final
result, but isn't likely to really get on anyone's nerves either. The
production isn't very powerful, but is also unlikely to become a very
significant  annoyance. Overall,  _Pathetic Being_  is a  dynamic and
enjoyable  record throughout,  has  enough variation  to keep  things
interesting without sounding disjointed,  and achieves a good balance
between technicality  and effective  songwriting. Sceptic  could very
well be a band to watch closely in the future.

[Paul  Schwarz:  "Covering  Nocturnus   ("Arctic  Crypt")  is  not  a
 run-of-the-mill thing  to do,  and though Sceptic  still have  a few
 kinks  to iron  out  before  they should  be  looked  at as  serious
 contenders  on death  metal's  international scene,  they are  still
 anything but  run-of-the-mill. Technical,  dynamic and  varied, they
 wear the influence  of Nineties Death emblazoned on  their sleeve --
 with tattoos of Cynic and Atheist no doubt lurking beneath."]


Silentium - _Altum_  (Spikefarm, 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (7 out of 10)

Puzzling record, this. Not that it  is all avantgarde or difficult to
describe;  in fact,  originality is  not particularly  abundant here.
Instead, what  puzzles me about _Altum_  is the way the  band tend to
sound quite like  bands such as My Dying Bride  and EverEve, and then
finish the album sounding like  Tristania, without leaving much of an
impression  of what  Silentium  themselves really  sound like.  There
should have been more regard to  the structure and flow of the record
as a whole, since the band's musical skill is evident as their silky,
violin and keyboard-enhanced, romantic doom metal evolves. All things
considered, Silentium's  style hasn't changed much  since their debut
_Infinita  Plango Vulnera_.  They  have matured  somewhat, but  still
lack  direction and  still need  better male  vocals (although  their
current vocalist does  show some improvement). _Altum_  is a somewhat
inconsistent album,  but Silentium  are clearly  a talented  band and
they do seem  to possess enough skill  to write a great  album in the
future. For  the time being, however,  they still need to  find their
own identity and some more consistency.


Steel Prophet - _Book of the Dead_  (Nuclear Blast, June 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan  (7 out of 10)

Fantastic fun. There is nothing to detract from the feel good flavour
of this album; I enjoyed it from  start to finish, many times over. I
have to confess  to having it on repeat for  about two days. "Burning
Into  Blackness" is  one of  the best  examples of  what this  record
really is, the  truly acceptable end of rock/pop  crossovers. With so
many  growling Europeans  on the  scene, it's  heartening to  hear an
American take pop-metal  back to its roots and have  a distinct sound
of Sabbath about them. The vocalist's  voice is one which can only be
described as the  mongrel child of Rob Halford and  Ozzy. His wail is
an impressive sound, one which is  welcome in this world of nu-metal.
There's nothing to beat a good  fun slice of Eighties style Americana
rock. In opening track  "When Six Was Nine" I can  hear the reason my
friend has attempted to steal this from me three times; it is nothing
less than good, clean, wholesome metal.


Stratovarius - _Intermission_  (Nuclear Blast, June 2001)
by: Kirsty Buchanan  (5 out of 10)

I haven't  laughed so long or  hard in some time.  I've been awaiting
eagerly the latest ejaculation of material from Stratovarius. And I'm
not disappointed,  it is  exactly as  I expected.  Air guitar-tastic.
I've had  to replace  imaginary strings! Not  content with  their own
masturbatory guitar  techniques, they  felt the  need to  cover Judas
Priest and Rainbow.  I don't think anything else needs  to be said on
that  front. Rainbow  did it  their way  and it's  not necessary  for
Stratovarius to  echo exactly the very  nuances of Dio. Still,  a new
journey  through the  minds (and  up and  down the  guitar necks)  of
Stratovarius is a welcome addition  to any record collection. If only
after a few outings as a coaster. However, the live performances hint
at the  potential Stratovarius wield when  freed from the bonds  of a
studio  and the  necessary mixing  desk.  A more  impromptu feel  and
something more  lively is  projected by the  band. "Hunting  High and
Low"  seems not  to belong  because of  the change  in the  band from
studio to live.


The Darksend - _Antichrist in Excelsis_  (X-treme Records, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (6 out of 10)

This  is one  of those  completely  uninspiring album  titles that  I
actually find intriguing,  though only in the sense that  it makes me
wonder whether the  music is going to be as  generic as it indicates.
Although they seem  to have drawn great inspiration  from Emperor for
their album cover, it turns out to be Dissection and Naglfar that The
Darksend  most often  try  to emulate.  The  band's obvious  penchant
for  melodic black  metal  is  reinforced by  the  occasional use  of
female vocals  and acoustic guitars.  Despite their complete  lack of
originality and  thematic interest, The Darksend  generally do manage
to keep  their head  above water  and the  music usually  moves along
nicely --  this also in spite  of the rather mediocre  vocals. By the
way, one  has to notice  the consistency  of their song  titles, such
as:  "Hell's  Manifesto", "Lightmare",  "Profanity  Be  My Name"  and
"Paradise, Thy  Name Is  Hell". This  last one  closes the  album and
consists of some nice female vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar...
until the band's rather  irritating vocalist pompously proclaims that
"We  are the  Darksend,  and  we seek  to  dominate  the worlds  both
spiritual and mundane, and we shall  -- WE SHALL". And thus the album
ends: in what I perceive as rather comical fashion, unless you had to
pay  for  this  record.  Nevertheless,  The  Darksend  do  their  job
reasonably well most of the time,  and even though the record suffers
from considerable  irregularity, the  band does achieve  several good
passages  (but then  they tend  to  sound reminiscent  of some  other
band).  Overall,  however,  despite their  reasonable  competency  at
creating Swedish  melodic black  metal, The Darksend  do not  add any
real originality or extra spark to  the mix, nor do they get anywhere
near challenging the bands who inspired them.


Therios - _II_  (Hollenden Records, May 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (7.5 out of 10)

This CD almost blew the speakers on my boombox. Imagine the chaos and
noise that  would result from a  car crash in your  living room while
you were watching TV on the  couch. Got that mental picture? Then you
know what to expect from Therios  on this 40-minute release. The band
speeds through  brash sonic fits  made up of fuzzed-out  sonic blasts
and violent waves of ear-bleeding mayhem. Think Merzbow toying with a
transistor  radio. This  is some  screwed-up shit,  yet I  can't stop
cranking it.  Who said noise  like this couldn't have  some redeeming
qualities? You've all been warned.

Contact: Hollenden Records, P.O. Box 18129, Cleveland Heights,
         Ohio 44118-0129, USA


Throneaeon - _Neither of Gods_  (Hammerheart, September 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (5 out of 10)

This Swedish quartet  employs a subtle musical variation  on a pretty
typical  death  metal  theme.  The  guitars  are  gracefully  spliced
into  Throneaeon's  savage  style.  An  example of  what  I  mean  is
clearly showcased on  track five, "Seven in Heaven,  Seven on Earth",
nearly one  minute and twenty-two  seconds into the  song. Naturally,
the  standard anti-religious  subject matter  is partly  exercised on
_Neither  of Gods_.  The misspelled  song printed  on the  CD insert,
"Strenght (sic) of the Flesh" and "As  It Has Come to End" would have
to be my  choices for the most accomplished pieces  on this inaugural
full length  from the band. I  have to credit Throneaeon  for putting
"As It  Has Come to  End" as the last  thing they leave  the listener
hearing; by far the strongest cut off of _NoG_. Otherwise, there is a
lot  of  room  for  improvement,  but  I  surely  could  conceive  of
Throneaeon tailoring their  sound to correspond with  a less ordinary
death metal  approach in  the future. Their  website, on  their other
hand, is extraordinarily well done; check it out.

Contact: http://www.throneaeon.com


Various - _Triarchy of Vasconia_  (War Is Imminent Productions, 2001)
by: Vincent Eldefors  (7 out of 10)

Most of you are probably already  familiar with the Basque country of
Spain because of the activities of ETA, but fortunately there is more
than  just  terrorism going  on  in  this  area of  southern  Europe.
_Triarchy of  Vasconia_ is a triple  split disc from a  small Spanish
label that seems to specialize in  black metal, and it features three
bands: Adhur, Aiumeen Basoa and Ilbeltz.  Without a doubt this is one
of the  most interesting black  metal albums I  have heard in  a very
long time. To tell you the truth  this is not purely black metal, but
rather a mix of pagan metal  and folk music. Almost everything can be
found  here  --  nice  clean  vocals  (both  male  and  female,  even
operatic), evil  screams, haunting  keyboards, ocean  waves, violins,
flutes, accordions... All  of these bands are very  similar in style,
but  the one  that  stands  out is  Ilbeltz,  with several  beautiful
melodies that even beat Storm  and Vintersorg. The acoustic parts are
by far the  best, while the electric instruments leave  a lot more to
be desired. The music is enshrouded  in a very nice Basque atmosphere
in order to revive ancient traditions. If these Basque bands continue
to develop further  we could see some major label  acts coming out of
there, because this  kind of music has never been  done before. Storm
did it  the Norwegian way, Otyg  and Vintersorg the Swedish  way, but
this  is different.  I also  like  the fact  that the  CD comes  with
information about the bands and the Basque country.

Contact: War Is Imminent Productions, P.O. Box 5069, 35080, Spain
         mailto:unholycross@unholycross.com


Vesperian Sorrow - _Psychotic Sculpture_  (Displeased, July 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (9 out of 10)

Wow! Having grown  ten-fold from their 1998  Displeased Records debut
release  _Beyond the  Cursed Eclipse_  [CoC #41],  Texas black  metal
aficionados  Vesperian  Sorrow bring  their  latest  offering to  the
forefront of the American black  metal pack, releasing to this unkind
world a powerful sophomore record if  there ever was one. Inspired by
the likes  of Europe's black  metal masters and classic  heavy metal,
Vesperian  Sorrow hold  solid ground  with _Psychotic  Sculpture_, as
they parade  their black  metal mastery  with solid  musicianship and
creative passion. Just  listen to the mighty opener  "Solitude" at 9+
minutes and you'll  be swept away by the amazing  attention to detail
the band has  assembled here. But while the opener  is an interesting
number for us  to embrace, the record  offers up a whole  lot more to
digest and  explore. Other songs  worthy of praise include  the title
track,  "The Singularity",  the clever  flow  of "Into  the Realm  of
Dreams and Haunts"  and "Arena Unorthodox". While  there are numerous
black metal bands in North America making names for themselves (Absu,
Noctuary,  Usurper, Black  Funeral  and  Aurora Borealis),  Vesperian
Sorrow are guaranteed  a lot of attention  when _Psychotic Sculpture_
hits store shelves. Time will tell  if the North American black metal
horde latches onto Vesperian Sorrow as this CoC reviewer has. I raise
a flask to Vesperian Sorrow! Onward with your battle.

Contact: http://www.vesperiansorrow.net


Vitriol - _I-VII_  (Neurot Recordings, March 2001)
by: Pedro Azevedo  (6 out of 10)

Recorded in the Cambrian mountains  (Wales) by Ben Green of Godflesh,
Vitriol  is  an  atmospheric   musical  entity  that  possesses  some
redeeming qualities  but seems  unlikely to  raise more  than cursory
interest in  anyone who isn't  a dedicated  fan of the  genre. Having
read Green's very philosophical description of these roughly recorded
tracks, it seems to me that if  you can embrace the concept that this
record is based upon, you may be in for quite a spiritual experience.
For everyone  else, however,  there may  not be a  lot in  _I-VII_ to
justify  a purchase.  The  rumbling voice  and background  atmosphere
of  the  third  track  and  the more  musical  final  one  stand  out
from  the monotonous,  depressive soundscapes.  Apart from  that, the
slowly evolving sequences of  guitar distortion and "natural acoustic
phenomena" do little to cause  any direct impression on the listener,
instead trying to  stealthily creep their way  into the subconscious.
There isn't  a lot on this  record to keep your  attention focused on
Vitriol's  work, so  you  are  more than  likely  to  find your  mind
wandering off -- hopefully into some  inner voyage, if you are in the
right  frame of  mind, but  most  likely towards  your collection  of
CDs  to seek  a  better  alternative. As  far  as background,  purely
atmospheric  soundscapes  go, Vitriol  is  quite  good; its  use  and
enjoyability as a record seems to me rather limited, however.


War - _We Are... Total War_  (Necropolis Records, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (6 out of 10)

In CoC #42, Paul Schwarz didn't care a lot for this effort, giving it
a 3 out of 10. Earlier, Steve  Hoeltzel granted a standing for War at
a 5  out of 10 in  1998 (CoC #29).  Of my two esteemed  and respected
colleagues, I align  myself a touch more with Steve  on this one. War
secures my respect here by the  virtue of their honesty. A stark lack
of embellishment  seems to  drive this band  forward with  a ferocity
achieved  by  a simple  few.  Speaking  of  simple, there  is  little
substance  to War  other  than Satan-praise  and contemptuous  metal.
Comprised  of both  _Total  War_ and  _We Are  War_,  this CD  nicely
packages a  couple efforts  that have  now become  unavailable. Chaos
breeds chaos and it seems to follow War around like a lost puppy (see
the inside cover  of _We Are... Total  War_). All I can  tell you, if
you  are  looking  for  some other  (not  necessarily  better)  Peter
Tagtgren,  Mikael Hedlund  and Blackmoon  material, this  compilation
effort might be for you.


W.A.S.P. - _Unholy Terror_  (Metal-Is Records, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay  (7 out of 10)

Many would  dismiss this '80s  outfit as cartoon characters  from the
1992  movie "Cool  World", but  that  would be  a regrettable  error.
Having stood the  test of time in the harsh,  roller-coaster world of
metal  (especially  from  that  era), W.A.S.P.'s  passion  and  total
commitment has  never been questioned and  surely remains uneclipsed.
The  band seems  to  feed voraciously  on  controversy and  dichotomy
alike, never satisfied  solely with either one. Aside  from the whole
P.M.R.C.  debacle, this  group's  fascination  with aberrant  conduct
has  always been  more interesting.  For example,  taken unassumingly
from  the "Widowmaker"  (_Last Command_)  playbook, the  instrumental
"Euphoria" and  gratifying "Evermore" on  this album expose  the soft
underbelly of this beast. As  with everything W.A.S.P. has done since
its self-titled  debut in  1984, _Unholy Terror_  is as  crowded with
stimulating power  as their stage  should be  at the Wacken  Open Air
Festival on  August 2nd. Listen  to the nice guitar  communication on
the  last  track,  ten,  "Wasted White  Boys";  almost  as  musically
capricious as a modern-day "Blind in Texas" with all the insinuations
a la "I'm Alive". It fits very well into the theme running resolutely
throughout _Unholy Terror_.  I did very much enjoy  the annotation on
the inside of the CD booklet  by the band's main songwriter, bassist,
guitarist, producer  and singer,  Blackie Lawless. Lawless  shines an
illuminating light on his take as it pertains to people's perceptions
of  religion. It  is  well  thought out  and  devoid of  antagonistic
language. The frontman merely sets  forth his opinion and comments on
songs included  on the  release. With such  strong songwriting  and a
distinctive voice never confused with  other singers, I'd say _Unholy
Terror_ is par for the course  in the on-going game W.A.S.P. has been
championing for nearly twenty years.  In the world of metal, W.A.S.P.
are what unholy legends are made of.


Winds - _Of Entity and Mind_  (Avantgarde, June 2001)
by: Chris Flaaten  (7.5 out of 10)

Andy Winter  is the brain  behind this new band  -- or should  we say
project  --  featuring,  among  others, August  and  Hellhammer  from
Arcturus. Arcturus  is a logical  comparison. Winds have much  of the
same sound and  production as _Aspera Hiems Symfonia_  [CoC #12], but
the music  is far less  aggressive and more leaned  towards classical
music than black metal. Grand piano arrangements and trademark August
guitar solos are accompanied by  some solid riffs and vocals courtesy
of Eric  Si. _Of  Entity and Mind_  is an MCD,  heralding what  is to
come.  It does  a  decent  job at  that,  because  this certainly  is
interesting music. With a fresher, less synthetic sound and some more
progressive and  energetic elements, this  concept would be  close to
perfect.  The  musicians  certainly  prove  that  they  are  capable.
However, without some more variation and bite, the coming album might
become  a  little  dull.  It  can  go either  way;  I  choose  to  be
optimistic.


Within Tears - _Moments of Life: Chapter 1_  (<Independent>, 2001)
by: Adrian Bromley  (7 out of 10)

While there is a good mixture of  ideas on the debut disc from Within
Tears  (i.e.  doom,  gothic  and  death  metal),  the  real  standout
attribute has to be the solid  doom-like flow of the band's material.
Not all  the songs have  been able to grasp  the heavy weight  of the
doom influence, but the ones that  do sure stand out: "Beauty Creates
Pain", "In  Mourning" and "Alone". Within  Tears' masterminds Anthony
Lauer and Sal Sgroi have done a  superb job at creating a real creepy
atmosphere  here on  _Moments  of  Life_, successfully  orchestrating
songs of power and dark passion.  While the disc does suffer at times
due to  lack of studio experience,  give these guys a  few more years
and/or  until their  next record  and I'm  sure the  results will  be
mind-blowing.

Contact: Within Tears, 46 Canton St. Brooklyn, NY 11299, USA
         mailto:withintears@hotmail.com
         http://withintears.virtualwave.net


Zonata - _Reality_  (Century Media, April 2001)
by: Paul Schwarz  (3 out of 10)

Before HammerFall went  and made it a fashionable thing  to do, bands
that rehashed the  cheesy, pompy metal of the  Eighties -- especially
the mediocre  bits of it we'd  all be better off  forgetting -- would
not be given a record deal. There were negative aspects to that state
of  affairs. Many  were  unfairly irreverent  to crucially  important
bands like Iron Maiden and Judas  Priest. And even though today there
is maybe a little too much praise going around for any metal band who
can be dredged up from the Eighties, I still find the situation today
to be a preferable state of affairs: it means that bands like Manowar
and 'Priest  are more often considered  and judged on the  music they
play, and  less often disregarded  on the  basis of the  clothes they
wear. However,  at least before  HammerFall did _Glory to  the Brave_
[CoC  #18], albums  as cringe-worthy,  sub-standard and  POINTLESS as
_Reality_ wouldn't come through my door so damn frequently. I realise
that we must accept the good with  the bad -- I'm certainly glad that
the  acceptance  of  clean vocalled,  traditionally  flavoured  metal
has  allowed the  likes  of Nevermore  and Iced  Earth  to grow  more
popular and  keep on making  albums as  we progress further  into the
twenty-first  century --  but accepting  that crap  like this  -will-
exist, doesn't mean I'm happy about that fact, or that I'm gonna keep
my disgust under  my hat. _Reality_ offers nothing new;  like so many
it merely rehashes  the work of other bands, and  does it badly. Call
me strange, but I can't see why ANYONE needs an album that does that.

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


Forlorn Legacy - _Dead Man's Fear_  (6-track demo)
by: Brian Meloon  (****-)

Forlorn Legacy are  a melodic death metal band from  Croatia. This is
their fourth  offering, and it  has roughly  the same sound  as their
1999 demo  _Omega_ [CoC  #51]. The music  is pretty  standard melodic
death metal, with some clean vocals (which remind me vaguely of Alice
in  Chains)  and  melodic  sections.  The band  has  toned  down  the
brutality for  this release, instead focusing  on mid-tempo, melodic,
memorable (but not overly catchy) death metal tunes. And this they do
very well.  The songs all  are around the  4-5 minute mark  (with the
exception of the two minute  closer, "Desert"), and have non-standard
structures. Yet, the band is able  to tie the songs together, usually
by means of  a particularly memorable riff or section.  This leads to
songs  which have  the rare  combination of  memorability as  well as
replay  value. While  the music  isn't particularly  challenging, the
songs are performed tightly and solidly. The production is a bit weak
-- particularly the  snare sound -- but it's  passable. Overall, this
is  a  good release;  it's  not  ground-breaking  or amazing  in  any
respect, but it's solid melodic death  metal, and it should appeal to
fans of that genre.

Contact: http://www.geocities.com/forlornlegacy/


Holocaust - _Holocaust_  (3-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley  (***--)

The three-song demo  from metal veterans Holocaust  -- the Edinburgh,
Scotland act that had  a hand in the New Wave  of British Heavy Metal
(NWOBHM)  with  two classic  releases  _The  Nightcomers_ (1981)  and
_Live: Hot Curry  and Wine_ (1983) -- shows that  they are again back
for more  metal action in  2001. Even  though I am  not a fan  of the
band,  I  do know  of  their  music. And  even  though  the band  has
continuously been releasing material over the years (in 2001 they put
out _The  Courage to Be_), I  have not really followed  their career.
That said,  I delved into this  three-song offering and must  admit I
was  pleased with  the sound  of  the material.  While indeed  paying
homage to the classic sound they breathed back in the early '80s, the
new material sounds a bit more  current and a bit more palatable. Not
commercial, but safe at times, though  the riff in opener "Iron Will"
is indeed  lethal. While it  is hard to really  say how the  new disc
_Primal_ will  sound like when  it comes  out later this  year, these
three demo tracks  from that record show that Holocaust  are far from
being classified as dated and not relevant. Their music is impressive
here, so  let's hope the  disc fulfills this  promise once it  is all
assembled. Both die-hard fans and myself wait.

Contact: mailto:breadfan@cybercom.net
         http://www.cybercom.net/~breadfan/holocaust.html


Neocrima - _Indifference's Deadly_  (5-track demo)
by: Brian Meloon  (***--)

Neocrima is  a band from Kyrgyzstan  who play what they  like to call
"technical melodic death metal". I'd avoid using the word "technical"
to describe them, and "death metal" may be a little bit of a stretch,
but it's  definitely both melodic  and metal. A good  reference point
would  be Ablaze  My  Sorrow's  first album  or  the  first few  Dark
Tranquility  albums, though  Neocrima's  songs are  simpler, and  the
production is understandably  inferior. Each of the songs  has at its
base metal riffs which are  similar to the Gothenburg sound. However,
the  band broaden  their sound  with a  variety of  different styles,
including female  vocals on two  tracks (think "The  Gathering"), and
some sparingly-used  keyboards and  acoustic/softer sections.  I hear
some  definite rock  influence  in  their riffs  and  their music  is
generally  slow-to-mid  paced. They  also  have  a slight  industrial
tinge  to some  sections,  though  this is  more  likely  due to  the
over-distorted  guitar  tone  and  mechanical  precision  with  which
they're played.  Unfortunately, they  haven't integrated  their ideas
into a coherent, distinctive style yet,  as many of the sections have
me thinking  "hey, that  sounds like...". Overall,  this is  a decent
first effort,  and I hope they  learn from it and  define and develop
their own sound with their subsequent releases.

Contact: mailto:neocrima@hotmail.kg
         http://neocrima.online.kg


Oroboros - _Demo CD_  (4-track demo)
by: Adrian Bromley  (****-)

As if I was floating on some ethereal wind, the music of New Orleans'
act Oroboros lifted me up into a  sedate state of mind, causing me to
fall in  and out of  a world of  beauty, harmonic ecstasy  and tribal
rhythms.  While only  four songs,  the music  of this  talented young
band  sounds like  they  have been  doing this  for  a decade.  Soft,
yet  effective compositions  align  this with  sculptured beauty  and
priceless sounds of  sincere emotional highs. Songs  like the bizarre
"Supernatural"  and opener  "Transcend" unfold  with strong  results,
easily captivating the listener with the use of numerous instruments,
electronics and  lots of  passion. Weird  and a  little out  there at
times, the experimental flow of  Oroboros could easily bring even the
most savage  metal head into a  sedated slumber. Powerful in  so many
ways.

Contact: 4218 1/2 Magazine Street (Upper), New Orleans, LA 70115, USA
         mailto:oroboros33@yahoo.com
         http://www.crosswinds.net/~oroboros33/


Qohelet - _Thanatopsis_  (7-track demo)
by: Chris Flaaten  (-----)

This album contains some kind of experimental pseudo-rock with really
excruciating vocals.  I have spun it  two times in its  entirety, and
its least poor track, "Lethe", three  times, more hoping to find some
positive  things to  say about  it. Mission  failed. This  is without
doubt the least attractive music I have ever heard. They deserve some
credit for putting  effort into their lyrics, which  are based mostly
on  Greek words  and history.  Thanatopsis is  for example  Greek for
"meditation on death".  I'd rather buy a book by  Homer than this CD,
though. Judge for yourself at:

Contact: http://www.audiogalaxy.com/bands/qohelet/


Spiritus Mortis - _Forward to the Battle_  (6-track demo)
by: Chris Flaaten  (****-)

Spiritus Mortis are  from Finland, but do not play  the kind of music
their name and location indicate. The band have existed since 1988(!)
and have  now united  again to  show "the Finnish  kids" how  to play
-real- metal,  or "perkele heavy  metal" as they call  it themselves!
And metal they play. Following in  the footsteps of Black Sabbath and
Deep Purple, one can't argue  about its "realness". The production is
quite good,  not high-tech  or state-of-the-art,  but still  close to
perfect considering  the kind of music  they play and that  this is a
demo.  The five-piece  plays  with confidence  and  a certain  flair,
sounding  tight and  fresh at  the same  time. The  vocalist does  an
excellent job  and his voice is  perfect for their sound.  Of the six
songs on  _Forward to the  Battle_, "Forever", "In Pouring  Rain" and
"In Between" are a bit better  than the others. Clocking in at 18:26,
this  demo still  has a  decent amount  of variation,  both inbetween
songs and  in the songs  themselves. In  conclusion, this demo  put a
smile on  my face, albeit  a nostalgic one... I  can be a  sucker for
nostalgia. I somehow doubt this music  has much potential in the 2001
metal  market,  but I  do  not  think  becoming metal  superstars  is
Spiritus  Mortis'  goal  with  their music.  Have  fun,  play  metal,
perkele!

Contact: mailto:vesa.lampi@pp.inet.fi
         http://www.metalprovider.com/spiritusmortis/


Winter Bestowed - _Within My Labyrinthine Heart_  (4-track demo)
by: Brian Meloon  (*****)

Subgenres of metal  seem to follow a predictable  pattern. First come
the inventors,  who define  the style  and delineate  its boundaries.
Next  come the  innovators, who  expand the  style and  stretch these
boundaries. And then  come the also-rans, who happily  tread the same
ground that's already been covered. Unfortunately, the large majority
of bands  are also-rans, and after  a few years, the  genre stagnates
and appears on the verge of fading away. And then, into this stagnant
pool of banality  come a new set  of bands who breathe  new life into
the  genre  by  infusing  new ideas  and  experimenting  once  again.
Winter  Bestowed  fall  into  this  final  category,  doing  for  the
Gothenburg sound what bands like Cryptopsy and Deeds of Flesh did for
death  metal. This  four-song demo  can  be summed  up as  "technical
Gothenburg-style metal", though such a  short description is bound to
be somewhat misleading. The main comparison  that needs to be made to
connect Winter  Bestowed to  the Gothenburg scene  are to  the faster
songs from Dark Tranquillity's _The  Gallery_. Winter Bestowed have a
similar  way  of  structuring  their riffs  and  melodies  and  their
vocalist has a similar delivery.  However, Winter Bestowed sound like
what Dark Tranquillity  would've sounded like had  they continued the
more technical and aggressive progression that their first few albums
showed. They also sound to me like what Epoch of Unlight's _Caught in
the Unlight!_  should've been,  instead of  the tepid  and ultimately
forgettable offering  that it turned  out to be. Winter  Bestowed are
able  to combine  frenetic  technicality  with melodic  memorability,
without losing the best qualities of  each. Aside from a few slightly
sloppy sections, the music is  very well played, and the technicality
of the music makes these  few sections understandable. About the only
complaint I have with this demo is that it lacks diversity. While the
four songs on here  are great, I could imagine a  whole album of this
style could  get a  little boring. This  is strongly  recommended for
fans of the  Gothenburg style, and of technical and  melodic metal in
general. Great stuff, guys!

Contact: http://www.come.to/wb/
         http://www.mp3.com/winterbestowed/

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       W E R Y   W I C I O U S   W A C K E N   W I O L E N C E
       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                           Wacken Open Air
                  Wacken, Germany, 3-4 August 2001
                          by: Paul Schwarz


Friday
~~~~~~
     I went  to Wacken with fellow  CoC writer Matthias Noll  and his
good friend and metalhead Daniel Griessmeyer. I flew to Frankfurt, we
drove about six or  so hours to Wacken, and each  of the three nights
we slept  in the car.  There's the outline of  my time in  Wacken, so
let's get onto what happened that's relevant to the music, shall we.
     Though we arrived  on Thursday evening in time to  catch some of
W.A.S.P., none of Matthias, Daniel and I could be bothered to get our
wristbands to enter the arena to  see W.A.S.P.; it didn't seem in any
way a worthwhile use of our  time, considering the fact that we could
hear  W.A.S.P.  playing, and  were  uninterested  in it  getting  any
louder. In  the end,  we met  up with David  Rocher outside  the main
arena, had a look about some  of the festival site, his campsite, and
got  our wristbands  when  W.A.S.P. were  finished  and everyone  was
leaving to  go to sleep; it  was a short  queue, and we were  glad of
that.
     Friday morning we  were up early; Deceased were to  be the first
band onstage  for Wacken proper,  at 10am. Happily, I  arrived before
Deceased began  -- despite lame-ass  rules on "security"  which meant
that I  was held up  at the arena entrance  with getting a  bottle of
water out of my bag. I was surprised to find Deceased equipped with a
stand-in drummer, allowing King Fowley the  run of the stage and only
one of his  usual two parts to perform. To  my even greater surprise,
King Fowley announced that this was Deceased's first ever performance
in Europe. I  thought at the time  that it was a good  thing King was
out from behind his drumkit;  the unusual, front-personless nature of
Deceased's usual sets  would not, in my opinion, have  gone down that
well with  this German audience,  who --  judging by the  bands, both
good and  bad, at Wacken --  are favourable to bands  who mostly have
instrumentally  unhindered,  and  --  at  least  supposedly  --  very
mesmerising frontmen.  King Fowley  was mildly mesmerising;  with his
considerable girth  and generally unattractive appearance,  he looked
the part  of your  proverbial heavy  metal uncle  or cousin,  the bad
influence "caring"  parents would steer  you away from. To  the small
crowd assembled he proclaimed that  Deceased had "45 minutes of speed
and thrash" to play, and he  wasn't lying. Two things marred what was
otherwise a pretty damn pleasing  performance. Firstly, the sound. Of
course it would be idiotic of me to expect a clear and powerful sound
of the first band on at a  two-day -festival- -- renowned as they are
in  general  for dealing  out  bad  sounds  left, right  and  centre.
However, some of  the intricacies of Deceased's work  were lost. This
reduced their impact, as of course  did the fact that their sound was
mushy and ultimately did not have that much power. Second problem was
the setlist. Maybe it's just me,  but my impression from two times of
seeing Deceased  is that  they don't generally  choose to  play their
best songs. We get "Night of the Deceased", "The Silent Creature" and
"Fearless  Undead Machines"  itself from  Deceased's 1997  album [CoC
#23]; but where is,  in my firm opinion the best  track on the album,
"The Psychic"? Similarly,  we get "The Premonition"  from last year's
_Supernatural Addiction_ [CoC  #47], but where is  album stand-out "A
Very Familiar Stranger"?  Similarly, why is there  nothing from their
short-song-laden, brilliant  1992 EP  _The 13 Frightened  Souls_ [CoC
#48]? Only the new Deceased EP,  _Behind the Mourner's Veil_, is well
represented;  we are  treated  to "The  Mausoleum",  its standout.  I
understand that this may all seem  a bit of a subjective matter, this
quibbling about  a mere setlist, but  it has frustrated me  twice now
because --  much as I  have enjoyed watching  Deceased -- I  have had
this itch both times of imagining how much -more- I could be enjoying
their  performance  if  only  they'd represent  their  recorded  work
better,  as I  see  it.  Still, they  played  a  fine first  European
performance,  pulling  out not  only  their  old favourite  cover  of
"Voivod"  (recorded for  _T13FS_),  but also  a surprise  "Tormentor"
(yes,  the one  by Kreator)  as a  closer. Before  they got  to their
closing  song,  Deceased  proudly  and plainly  pledged  their  metal
allegiance: "Deceased  are proud  sponsors of  heavy power  metal. We
love denim, we  love leather, we love beer... we  love sluts", said a
here-paraphrased King Fowley. Deceased weren't just talking big about
being on the  same level as their  fans, either; at the  end of their
set, King  Fowley tossed  multiple copies  of their  new EP  into the
crowd.
     While I waited  for Soilwork's set on the Party  stage, I caught
glimpses of  Carnal Forge on the  left Main stage where  Deceased had
been. A mushy sound and  essentially rather boring super-thrash songs
didn't  spark my  interest,  although  I did  laugh  when the  singer
introduced "Covered  With Fire  (I Am Hell)"  in his  lilting Swedish
accent.
     Soilwork's sound was bad to begin  with, and it was during their
set that  I first noted  the sound clash  between the Party  and Main
stages,  which  plagued  many  bands over  the  festival's  duration.
However, shoulder-to-shoulder  axe-work from  the two  guitarists and
the audience's impressive  response helped to alleviate  the pangs of
irritation that came whenever the band stopped play, and another band
could be heard. It seemed to  be Soilwork's first time using wireless
guitars, as bald my-left  guitarist managed enough ecstatic rock-star
antics to prompt Soilwork's vocalist to bring him to attention before
one song by  saying: "Hello Yngwie? Mr. Malmsteen? Could  we play the
song?" The singer himself managed to create some, possibly unwitting,
comedy. He introduced "Neurotica Rampage" thus: "This song is about a
bitch... a real  nasty one". As the assembled  audience joined voices
to sing the band's final number,  it was obvious that they had indeed
also been "ready for some Soilworking".
     Lacuna Coil  were a  convincing, physical live  act over  on the
Main stage.  They didn't  quite equal  their performance  at London's
Metal Odyssey  to my  mind, but  seemed good all  the same,  and less
biased in focus towards lead female singer Cristina Scabbia. However,
they weren't any  more a band I was that  interested in listening for
an extended period of time; so I left, and returned to the right-side
Main stage for Napalm Death.
     The sound for their  set was very poor -- and  not helped by the
wind,  which  constantly changed  direction  during  their set.  This
basically meant  that although  they played many  of the  numbers off
_Enemy of the Music Business_ [CoC #50] that I'd been -dying- to hear
live ("Taste  the Poison", "Next  on the List", "Volume  of Neglect",
"Necessary Evil"),  they weren't really that  captivating. Only their
cover of  Raw Power's  "Politicians" came off  well, though  the DK's
"Nazi  Punks Fuck  Off!" fared  decently. Ultimately,  I wasn't  that
bothered that  they failed  to play  anything from  _Fear, Emptiness,
Despair_; I wouldn't have wanted to hear it with this sound.
     Later, I hear the sound of drums from the right-side Main stage.
"Is that "Painkiller"?", I wonder. No, it's Primal Fear. AAAAAH, time
to run screaming  from Ralph Scheepers, Mat Sinner,  and their hordes
of Teutonic morons. The second-worst true=shit metal band performance
of the weekend.
     While Primal Fear continued to wank away at ripping off 'Priest,
the  Party  stage next  played  host  to  the  antidote to  the  case
of  "Napalm  Death  sounded  shite,  I want  my  grindcore!"  that  I
had  contracted: Sweden's  Nasum. "Do  you like  power metal?"  asked
guitarist/vocalist Mieszko A. Talarczyk. "This is an anti-power metal
song", he  followed on before  anyone had  a chance to  answer. Isn't
every  Nasum  song  an  anti-power metal  song?  Certainly  yes,  but
evidently as  the set  continued Mieszko realised  that he  wasn't so
much  competing with  Primal Fear,  as  giving a  large gathering  of
people who enjoyed  his music a break  from the noise of  it. "I love
all you PM  fans", he later commented after Nasum  had reeled through
"Mass Hypnosis", "Shadows", "Corrosion", "The Professional League", a
selection of old material  from a soon-to-be-released 2CD compilation
cataloguing the  band's early years,  and a rendition of  "The Masked
Face"  with Shane  Embury playing  bass. "Sir  Shane Embury"  was how
Jesper Liverod introduced the gigantic bassist, and he left the stage
with the title of "The king,  the legend". Barney had similarly given
props to Nasum  during Napalm's set earlier on.  Nasum totally kicked
ass, they  were one  of the best  bands at Wacken.  A crisp  sound, a
menacingly tense  and spastically  physical performance, and  some of
the  finest grindcore  ever written  leaves you  with one  hell of  a
blasting din, and a shit-eating grin!
     It  seems that  metal posturing  can --  sort of  -- work.  That
is,  if you  have  a long  history  behind you  and  put your  tongue
substantially in your cheek mid-posture, as Exciter did. The likes of
"Stand  Up and  Fight", "Rule  With an  Iron Fist",  "Pounding Metal"
(with  its chorus  of  "Poun-ding me-tal")  speak  for themselves,  I
think. The  guitarist's ludicrous solo  (think the bit of  Spinal Tap
when Nigel  Tufnel comments "My  solos are my trademark")  seemed the
crowning glory of  silliness, but no! There was still  "Long Live the
Loud",  and  then there  was  a  pause. "Last  year  it  was the  one
hundredth anniversary of the death of one of your greatest thinkers",
begins Exciter's singer as my mind  goes "Oh no, not another horribly
crude  Nietzche  reference  from  a heavy  metal  band!".  "Friedrich
Nietzche" was  indeed the bald-headed  squealer's next words,  and he
went on to  "explain" that Nietzsche "had something  called the "will
to power"" and  metal expresses power, and if you  express power, you
should do it with "VIOLENCE! AND FORCE!". Dumb but very entertaining,
head-nod worthy fun.
     Kamelot sucked  from a distance. I  dared not go any  nearer and
find out if they sucked from close up too.
     It was  embarrassing to  hear Paul DiAnno  trot out  old 'Maiden
song after old 'Maiden song with  his "Killers" -- yes, that's really
the backing band's name! I laughed as  he tried to get crowd to guess
what song he was about to  sing. "Phantom of the...!" he declaimed. I
didn't hear the audience, but just  pissed myself when the next words
from the stage were "Phantom of the fucking what!?". He took pictures
of his audience "being metal" at  him; DiAnno is obviously aware that
it may be a  long time -- like maybe till  the afterlife... -- before
he sees an audience this size again. It was sad to watch, but I can't
knock the guy for enjoying it  while it lasts, I guess. Still, twenty
years flogging one dead  horse is always going to end  you up with an
ungodly mess, isn't it?
     Serious,  real,  traditional  metal  finally came  my  way  when
Nevermore took  the right-side  Main stage. They'd  taken a  while to
come on  and in true German  fashion chants of Nevermore  began, died
away, were replaced  by chants of Slayer, and  silence then prevailed
until  Nevermore's apocalyptic  intro  began. As  the  band took  the
stage, I could hardly see them  for all the devil-horned hands raised
in their  salute. This was gonna  be good. Compared to  the UK, where
they played their first show in May, Nevermore have a large and loyal
following here in  Germany; that they're on after  Primal Fear speaks
volumes about how much they obviously sell or draw, and it also gives
me hope  that Germany has  the ability to temper  its well-documented
enthusiasm  for metal  with  a  pleasing degree  of  good taste.  For
Nevermore  are  modern-metal-from-traditional-roots  of  the  highest
order. And they had Wacken's crowd  in the every palm of their hands.
"Narcosynthesis",  "Inside Four  Walls" and  "Ophidian" had  made the
first assault  when Warrel  Dane commented that  we'd "all  know this
one..."  before the  band plucked  the first  acoustic notes  of "The
Heart Collector".  Everyone knew  it so well  that, shouting,  I felt
like I wasn't even making a sound as I attempted to "sing" the chorus
and most of the  rest of the song -- as did the  majority of the rest
of  the crowd.  As "The  River Dragon  Has Come"  opened, I  caught a
snapshot of the band on stage  which could have been framed and given
the  by-line "ready  to  strike", such  was  Nevermore's poise.  Only
"White Rabbit",  the (supposedly worst) track  from Sanctuary's album
_Refugee Denied_,  marred their  set. As  Nevermore finished  up with
"The Seven  Tongues of God"  and "The  Sound of Silence",  I couldn't
help but wonder when I might see them live again. I hoped it would be
soon.
     Maybe I'm  just being a  bastard cynic  here, but I  don't think
Overkill  -- next  on the  Main stage,  left-side --  could pull  500
people if they came to the  UK. However, in Germany they are welcomed
like veterans returning home victorious from a bloody war -- and in a
sense, they are, though the "army" was the Eighties thrash scene, and
the war was the Nineties. Daniel is a living-proof explanation of how
Overkill have stayed  alive over all those years. He  has been to see
them on  pretty much every  tour they have  done since 1985,  when he
bought the "Feel the Fire" T-shirt  he wears at Wacken the day after;
today it's Holy Terror who adorn  his chest. Judging by the audience,
Daniel isn't  the only one who  has taken pains not  to miss Overkill
over  the years.  Before the  band  began, Matthias  was saying  they
sucked,  but  once the  band  were  turning out  spectacularly  tight
performances  of  "Deny the  Cross"  and  "Evil  Never Dies"  with  a
powerful production  behind them, he  was banging his head  just like
all the  other maniacs.  Someone in front  of me had  a T-shirt  of a
festival which featured Destruction  called "thrash metal evolution".
Judging by the overwhelming response to Overkill, such a statement is
oxymoronic to the  Germans. "Welcome to the Gutter" and  "In Union We
Stand" were just  some of the tunes that  continued Overkill's charge
before they  capped off their set  with "Fuck You!". Within  the song
they managed to smoothly flip into  "War Pigs" for its first verse --
which had us all  singing along -- and flip back  into their own song
to quickly cap it  off with one final blast of  the defiant chorus of
"We don't care what you say...  fuck you!" As Overkill left, Matthias
commented that  "Overkill with  a good sound  only playing  songs off
their first four  albums would beat just about any  other band live".
Overkill put on a performance so  powerful that I think it would have
converted even the most cynical, self-loathing, self-pitying nu-metal
fan to their thrash metal cause.
     If  a band  can't be  good, then  it's at  least relieving  that
watching them -- or being near the  stage they are playing on even if
you choose to read the Nuclear Blast catalogue rather than -actually-
watch  them  --  is  entertaining.  And  it  doesn't  get  much  more
laugh-at-them-not-with-them  than Mortician.  Every  song was  called
something along the lines of "urgh urgher urgh urrrgh ur!", most were
preceded by samples, and nearly  every one of the over-twenty numbers
was  dedicated to  a different  person or  group of  people, such  as
"Everyone in the "House By the Cemetary" shirts" or "The guy who just
threw the banner on stage". Musically atrociously boring, but a great
laugh was had nearly every minute nonetheless.
     If Matthias was translating  properly, Desaster claimed: "We are
not  like normal  people because  we have  metal running  through our
veins".  This was  their  spiel to  open  the unexciting,  repetitive
rendition of a song called "Metalised Blood", which closed their set.
Matthias  and I  both marvelled  that the  band hadn't  brought their
garage with them, such was our surprise that they had ever left it in
the first place.
     But thrash was not to go out on a bad note for Friday because of
Desaster; The Haunted were next up on the Party stage. The sound they
got could have cut through steel were it turned into a physical force
-- and  I'm sure many  in the audience  were wishing like  myself and
Matthias that  it would run  off and  slaughter Saxon so  that they'd
SHUT UP! The  band were tighter than the proverbial  duck's arse, and
fully belted out the likes of  "Undead", "Hate Song", "Chasm" and "In
Vein" with  such a  fury that  I imagine  even Saxon's  audience were
nodding their  heads to  The Haunted's furious  beat. "Are  there any
ladies  in the  house?" asked  Marco  Aro about  halfway through  the
band's set.  "Also some transsexuals  too, it seems", he  added after
the audience had  responded. He later added "Oh man,  I'm too fat for
this shit" to  his humorous utterances of the evening  after the band
had  whipped their  way through  something particularly  devastating.
Nothing from the weekend at Wacken  has burned a mental image into my
brain  quite as  profoundly as  Jensen, his  laid flat  on his  knee,
thrashing with visual aggression.
     The Haunted should have proved  the proverbial kiss of death for
returning  German thrashers  Exumer --  playing the  second of  three
"one-off" reunion shows -- but somehow the band managed to pull off a
performance  that was  not only  powerful, but  did them  justice. It
wasn't surprising to see a crowd  gathered for the band despite their
fourteen-year  absence  from  the  metal scene;  on  Friday  morning,
Matthias was offered  200 DM (about $100 US) for  his 1987 _Possessed
By Fire_ tour shirt. Having been  in practice, the band were suitably
tight as they reeled off the likes  of "A Mortal in Black" from their
debut album and  "Winds of Death" from their second  _Rising From the
Sea_ effort.  Unfortunately, the band  chose to reduce the  amount of
original  material they  would play  by  including a  cover of  Black
Sabbath's "Symptom of the Universe".  It was competently executed and
sounded heavy,  but it didn't  possess the  impact that a  live cover
needs,  in my  opinion, to  justify  its inclusion  over an  original
number. However, worse  was that Exumer wasted a good  few minutes of
our time with  a "new" song they'd  written -- or was it  a "nu" song
they'd written?  It began  with the  worst Korn-a-like  two-note riff
I've heard since  I used it five  years ago in a Korn  rip-off song I
helped write for the  only band I've ever been in.  I was sixteen and
had just  got into Korn and  Sepultura's _Roots_, okay! Yeah,  it was
the one  that goes  "dun-da, dun-da, dun-da,  dun-da, dun-da-dun-da"!
Apart from that  embarrassment, Exumer were very  worth watching. The
band may have been plain-clothed  apart from vocalist Mem Von Stein's
Death Angel T-shirt,  but they were not lacking in  metal spirit. Mem
spiced  up  proceedings  very  nicely by  rushing  around  the  stage
throwing karate kicks and punches in time to the music -- looking for
all the  world like Tekken character  Martial Law brought to  life --
which  made up  for the  rest of  the band's  almost entirely  static
stance.

Saturday
~~~~~~~~
     As the  light of 11 in  the AM struck the  right-side Main stage
and I waited for Cryptospy to  play, I noticed the large Wacken skull
placed in-between the two stages was charred and burnt from the night
before's  proceedings. A  pity it  had  mostly burned  for bands  who
didn't deserve the spectacle. I wished they'd light it for Cryptopsy;
damn the fact that it's not even  dark: this was to be Mike DiSalvo's
final performance with the band. I caught a little bit of Warhammer's
set,  which  came  before  Cryptopsy on  the  left-side  Main  stage,
but  apart from  the amusement  of  them introducing  "Shadow of  the
Incapitator" <snigger> -- a song naturally not exceeding the velocity
of anything  on Hellhammer's  _Apocalyptic Raids_ --  as "this  is as
fast as we go...", they did nothing for me.
     Cryptopsy,  on the  other  hand, did  marvellous  things for  me
despite  the fact  that their  performance was,  by their  standards,
merely above average.  The flaws were the sound quality  as it stood,
the fact that  the show was outdoors,  and the fact that  the band --
playing on other people's amps and  with a muddy sound -- lost timing
for  a  brief  few  seconds. Basically,  Cryptopsy  were  technically
perfect by just about anyone  else's standards, and though they could
have sounded better,  were nonetheless extreme as  hell! Mike DiSalvo
turned in  a damn fine performance  for his (unannounced at  the show
itself) epitaph. "Are  you awake?", he asked the  crowd after "...And
Then It  Passes" had, ahem, -passed-.  "Well, you will be  after this
fucking set!" And I doubt anyone  could have proved him wrong on that
one.  "We Bleed",  "Defenestration", "Cold  Hate, Warm  Blood", "Slit
Your  Guts",  "Shroud",  "Emaciate",  "Phobophile"  and  "Screams  Go
Unheard"  composed the  rest of  the  set. That  sums it  up: it  was
Cryptopsy, they  may not  have been  at their  finest, but  they were
Cryptopsy.
     Germans Brainstorm seemed  to be doing OK  with the power-thrash
thrust of one of their songs, but  then the -- I don't know, -eighth-
-- Halford-clone of  the weekend began singing. It  almost worked for
one  song, but  then  the  band started  playing  a lame-ass  ballady
number. Ugh!
     Judging by their performance on  the right-side Main stage, Dark
Tranquillity are suffering from the  belief that they are rock stars.
I can't say  I care much for Dark Tranquillity's  post-_The Mind's I_
material, but  it did  sound reasonable live.  However, unfortunately
that's because it's  pretty damn simple to play.  "Punish My Heaven",
on  the other  hand,  is  not easy  to  play,  and Dark  Tranquillity
executed it  sloppily, like they couldn't  be bothered to put  in the
practice and would  rather spend their time on  stage posing-out with
their well-trimmed  haircuts than  take some  pride in  playing their
material as it was originally  intended. "Wacken should be every day,
right?" Maybe, Mikael, but I wouldn't book you at it every day except
to keep  you and your  band practicing your instruments  and training
your voice.
     A more shocking disappointment were Krisiun. I had been close to
praying that  Krisiun were good  since 1)  my confidence in  them had
been shaken by my having listened  to _Ageless Venemous_ -- a cum-rag
of a death metal album -- and 2) they were the only band I was really
interested in seeing before Opeth, who  were on at 10:30pm! They went
on about "real fucking metal", making  a "united stand for metal" and
how they were "the warriors  of real metal", but unfortunately turned
in  a  very lacklustre  performance.  I  don't doubt  that  Krisiun's
hearts are  forged of  pure steel, but  unfortunately having  a steel
heart  doesn't change  shit when  you're playing  songs as  generally
uninventive and unnecessarily repetitive  as "Perpetuation", "Dawn of
Flagellation" and "Evil Gods Evoke". A sound which mostly brought out
only the sound of Max Kolesne's bass drums did not help matters; even
songs I  liked from  _Conquerors of Armageddon_  [CoC #47],  like its
title  track, "Soul  Devourer"  and "Hatred  Inherit", didn't  really
light my fire because of the bad sound mix. Max also tried to impress
us with a  drum solo towards the  end of the set:  Flo Mounier's drum
check was  better -and- got  a greater  round of applause.  It became
plainly  obvious very  quickly during  this performance  that Krisiun
desperately need to engage their creative  side and come up with some
new ideas for song constructions. The band are, in the bare technical
sense,  extremely  good  at  playing  their  instruments,  but  their
abilities are presently utilised  blindly. Playing the drums -really-
fast or  playing loads of -really-  fast trills on the  guitar is not
interesting; though we might be impressed that Krisiun can play their
instruments in such a way, I doubt  many of us care to listen to them
do  it more  than once  --  and that  means for  one song!  "Whatever
happen, real metal  never fucking dies" [sic] says  Alex Carmago near
the close of the  band's set. That may be so, Alex,  but don't sit on
your  laurels  and let  interesting  metal  die: you  are  definitely
capable of  much better  than repetitions on  one theme.  At present,
Krisiun's four  albums could  be condensed into  one thirty  or forty
minute  document  and  include  everything  worth  hearing  of  their
material; it  would only include  material from _Black  Force Domain_
and _Conquerors of Armageddon_.
     Not long  after I'd  been disappointed by  Krisiun, I  heard the
announcement  that  Annihilator  had  been held  up  on  the  highway
and  would not  make  their 4pm  slot. However,  we  were told  that:
"Annihilator will  play, maybe tonight...". Helpful.  Apparently they
did play. I missed it. I'll live.
     Upon finding  not Arch Enemy but  Naglfar about to take  the Wet
stage in the boiling tent where it's situated, Matthias and I decided
it wasn't worth staying.
     We caught snippets of German Skyclad-ish band Subway to Sally on
our trips from  beer-tent to food-tent to metal market  in this point
of the day. I  was very glad I didn't understand  most of the lyrics;
Matthias translated  one particularly crap line  which came whistling
to us on  the wind: "Master, master:  put roses on my  white skin!" I
say, for the second time in this piece, ugh!
     Never have  I seen a bigger  beergut that the one  the hung from
the body  of Tankard's singer as  he waddled the Party  stage singing
refrains like "Fear of Tattoos". Admittedly, earlier material sounded
marginally better, but  this still was definitely not for  me. I left
while that gut  was still covered by a beer-soaked  T-shirt -- I made
sure  my back  was  turned before  he  could go  topless;  I have  no
interest in looking at men's breasts.
     There was a  huge gathering for In Flames' set  -- some of their
followers were even crowd-surfing with  tinfoil swords! -- and a good
thing it  was that there was  too, for them, since  they were filming
the show for a DVD release.  Having already sold out their live album
at the  festival, it was  no surprise that  In Flames were  so warmly
welcomed, but  it was pleasing that  the band delivered such  a solid
set. A great  sound in terms of  clarity lacked only in  punch as the
band reeled off "Food For the  Gods", "Behind Space 1999" and more of
their ilk, including  "Artifacts of the Black Rain", a  track that --
according to Anders  Friden -- had not been included  in the live set
for some time before the show.  Of course there was no "Everdying" or
"Stand Ablaze", but no-one expected there  to be, and however much In
Flames'  present direction  seems  disappointingly under  the par  of
their first two releases to me  and some others, it's undeniable that
to many  more they have become  one of the most  worship-worthy metal
bands  on the  planet. And  they  got my  head nodding  many a  time,
especially when they played "Only For the Weak".
     Seeing Opeth on  the Party stage was a  truly moving experience,
despite the constant interruptions from  HammerFall -- Matthias and I
took  a look  at them  after  Opeth's set.  Rarely had  either of  us
witnessed such lameness: I would  rather watch a three-hour Mortician
performance than  sit through  one hour of  HammerFall; at  least the
former would send me to sleep  instead of just frustrating me until I
curled up  into a  little ball and  expired. Daniel's  description of
them as "Manowar featuring Yngwie Malmsteen" is pretty apt, and scary
just to think  of. So forget Hammerfall, and think  of Opeth. Halfway
through their  four song -- remember,  it's ten minutes a  song... --
set,  Mikael Akerfeldt  looked with  disdain  at the  Main stage  and
seemed to be trying  to do the same. Yet he did  not seem bitter that
Opeth's wondrous  music-making was marred  by wailing and  wanking at
mammoth volume. He thanked the audience humbly for their increasingly
positive responses as  the band played through  "White Cluster", "The
Drapery Falls" and "Advent". Then there was a pause. We all knew that
realistically one  more song was  all Opeth  were going to  play. But
what would they play? "We've got one more song for you", began Mikael
"and it's the obvious closing song for this Wacken set..." Most of us
had  guessed  it  was going  to  be  "Demon  of  the Fall",  but  yet
the  confirmation was  comforting.  The song  itself was  masterfully
executed, and the applause Opeth got  was greater than any other band
I remember. They  deserved every clap, and I await  seeing them again
eagerly.
     I also  saw Motorhead. Basically,  apart from having  the Bomber
lighting rig -- which dove down,  steered from side to side and moved
in a  few other ways --  at this show, Motorhead's  London Forum show
back in  May was much better.  The band tour Germany  constantly, and
have for years.  The Bomber has been  on a good number  of tours with
them in  Germany. No-one was  that bothered about Motorhead,  and the
atmosphere of apathy even rubbed off on Lemmy and his motley crue who
seemed  noticeably deflated  compared to  their exuberance  when they
performed  in London.  Also, Motorhead  are not  an outdoor  band. So
basically, I stood on my feet for  an hour and twenty minutes to hear
"Killed by Death" and watch a huge lighting rig go up, down, left and
right. It  was more-or-less  worth it,  but it was  no great  hell as
Motorhead performances go.

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                 B R A V E   R E D R U M   N I G H T
                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                  Katatonia, Akercocke and Gandalf
              at the Camden Underworld, London, England
                           June 29th, 2001
                          by: Pedro Azevedo


     Situated in  the rather peculiar  area of London that  is Camden
Town, it is my understanding that the Underworld is about as renowned
for its  spaciousness as it  is for  the average sound  quality bands
normally achieve there  -- i.e. not very good. Tonight  was to be the
exception in both cases to  a considerable extent: good sound quality
and headliners that really were not  bothered by the smallness of the
stage.
     Gehenna were initially advertised as  the opening act, and I was
quite looking  forward to seeing  how their gritty  black/death would
fare in a live situation. That was not to happen, however, as Gandalf
replaced the Norwegians. Katatonia's and Akercocke's label Peaceville
wanted  a more  balanced  set, and  the fact  that  both Gehenna  and
Akercocke play a kind of black/death combination might weigh somewhat
against Katatonia.
     Gandalf -- whom I have seen advertised as being an "unholy union
of  AC/DC  and  At  the  Gates" --  played  to  an  initially  rather
indifferent, half-crowded Underworld. The sound  was not bad, and the
Finns were  able to capture some  of the crowd's interest  with their
brand of death 'n' roll. Gandalf  tended to sound more like a mixture
of In Flames  (rather than At the  Gates) and AC/DC to  me -- melodic
guitar leads  and hooks  and raspy  vocals alternating  with chunkier
riffs and  clean choruses. I  couldn't help  but grit my  teeth every
time  the two  backing  vocalists  decided it  was  time for  another
chorus, and their vocalist tried too  hard to reach the audience, but
I  find that  understandable  given  the style  of  music they  play.
Gandalf generally proved to be a fun  live band, but I would hazard a
guess that their music may come across as very uninteresting on CD --
I say  stick to  the mighty  The Crown  if you  are looking  for some
superior death 'n' roll.
     British Satan-worshippers Akercocke continued to make a name for
themselves at the venue before  they even started playing. First, add
their T-shirt designs to the naked women and Satanic imagery in black
and white  images on their albums'  front covers, and you  get a very
consistent  collection.  Furthermore, the  band  showed  up on  stage
wearing  their usual  black and  white suits  (black ties  included).
Their set, however, was quite enjoyable.
     In stark contrast to Gandalf, Akercocke  are not an easy band to
appreciate live  if you  aren't familiar  with their  material. Their
involved mixture of blasting black metal and equally aggressive death
with sound samples, clean vocals and various accompanying instruments
seemed difficult to accurately reproduce  live. As it turned out, the
band benefited  from very  acceptable sound  quality and  delivered a
highly competent set.  They played a selection of songs  from both of
their full-length  records, complete  with insanely fast  and precise
drumming,  shrieking  vocals,  death  grunts and  clean  singing.  My
personal highlight was "A Skin For Dancing In", my favourite track on
their new effort _The Goat of Mendes_ [reviewed in this issue], which
came across very  well live. The rather amusing stage  talk about our
master being  with us tonight and  the nasty faces the  vocalist kept
pulling  seemed to  be well  received by  the crowd  that now  packed
the  Underworld, a  very significant  part of  which clearly  enjoyed
Akercocke's set. The band delivered just over half an hour of intense
aggression,  sometimes blurring  one blast  beat into  the next,  but
generally keeping things interesting, enjoyable and always brutal.
     Having been one  of my favourite bands ever  since their classic
full-length debut _Dance of December Souls_, and having just released
another brilliant  record after  all these years  in _Last  Fair Deal
Gone Down_ [CoC #52], Katatonia were very  high on my list of bands I
would really  like to see  live. Nevertheless, I hardly  noticed them
getting on stage -- and I don't think many people did.
     Having arrived very quietly,  Katatonia proceeded to play "Don't
Tell a  Soul" from _LFDGD_  and "Nerve" from _Discouraged  Ones_ [CoC
#31] back to back. The first  thing that really hit me when Katatonia
started  playing was  how downright  terrified vocalist  Jonas Renkse
looked. The livid frontman kept his eyes closed most of the time, and
throughout the  entire set usually put  one hand on top  of the other
over  the microphone,  therefore hiding  all of  his face  up to  the
eyebrows. Withdrawn  yet vocally still very  competent, Renkse seemed
thankful for  the Underworld's cramped  stage -- besides  raising his
arms to put  his hands over the microphone and  nervously tapping his
thigh with his  right hand most of them time,  Renkse hardly moved at
all.  Add  to  his  sorrow-drenched vocals  the  genuine  feeling  of
discomfort and of not wanting to be  there that he exuded, and if you
appreciate Katatonia's music then you  should be able to imagine that
their live performance became even more endearing.
     Despite all this, Renkse's vocal delivery was still very good --
better  than I  expected, as  a matter  of fact,  and improving  with
every  song.  Meanwhile, the  two  Norrman  brothers (who  really  do
look  like  brothers)  did  their job  without  looking  particularly
involved; drummer Daniel Liljekvist delivered a superb, perfectionist
performance; and  main guitarist  Anders "Blakkheim" Nystrom  was the
complete opposite of Renkse's  stage presence. Frequently singing the
lyrics to  himself, often  headbanging and  always seeming  to really
feel  every riff  and every  guitar  lead, Nystrom  (the band's  only
long-haired  element  these  days)  seemed  at  ease  from  the  very
beginning  and  confidently led  the  band  through what  might  have
otherwise been a rather difficult set.
     Benefitting from  a sound that  allowed all instruments  to come
across with  clarity and power, Katatonia's  performance was flawless
and, it goes  without saying, highly emotional.  Midway through their
set,  I  had already  accidentally  spotted  three people  crying  in
the  audience --  one of  them  a middle-aged,  long-haired man.  The
Underworld audience completely surrendered  to Katatonia, who in turn
delivered an  absolutely memorable set. Following  the aforementioned
"Don't Tell a  Soul" and "Nerve", Renkse timidly  announced they were
Katatonia,  from Sweden,  and --  something that  happened throughout
their set -- explained which tracks  they were playing and what album
they  were  from.  "Deadhouse"  from  _Discouraged  Ones_  was  next,
followed by _LFDGD_'s single "Teargas".
     At about this  point, a juvenile dimwit in  an Offspring T-shirt
who  had  been  "stage  diving"  throughout  Akercocke's  set  (note:
the  stage is  about  one  whole meter  above  ground level)  thought
Katatonia's music was as good for  having fun as any other, and again
made  his way  onto the  stage.  Damn, how  I  wish I  had a  shotgun
sometimes. Renkse,  however, wasted no  time after the song  was over
and succinctly  asked the  audience to "please  keep off  the stage".
Fortunately, the message was understood.
     "Right  Into the  Bliss"  was the  band's  first excursion  into
_Tonight's Decision_ [CoC #42] material,  and whilst that is my least
favourite Katatonia record  (which isn't saying much), I  have to say
the three  live renditions of  songs from _TD_ were  highly enjoyable
and well chosen. Katatonia then returned to the present with "Chrome"
and "Tonight's Music",  both off the new record,  before returning to
_Tonight's Decision_ to play "For My Demons". An impeccable rendition
of _LFDGD_'s "Sweet Nurse" then followed, with its superb chorus, and
then "I  Am Nothing" from  _Tonight's Decision_ and "Cold  Ways" from
_Discouraged Ones_. You may have noticed that I am trying to save the
adjectives  here, because  in my  opinion these  are all  -brilliant-
tracks, and  with the  good sound  quality and  Katatonia's excellent
delivery, this was an outstanding concert already. My only regret was
that  my better  half,  herself a  great  appreciator of  Katatonia's
qualities, could not be by my side tonight.
     But  Katatonia weren't  quite  finished yet.  When Jonas  Renkse
announced that  they were about to  play their last song,  he said it
was going to be a song from  _Brave Murder Day_. Much of the audience
immediately  roared  in  approval,  and Renkse  added  the  song  was
"Redrum" (how much of a reference to "The Shining" this was, I do not
know).  I could  hardly  believe  my ears  as  Katatonia ripped  into
"Murder"  (the real  title of  track  two from  _Brave Murder  Day_).
Nystrom seemed to feel every  cycle of the downward progressing riffs
and the agonizingly painful slow guitar leads, but it was when Renkse
unleashed his massive, desperate death growls that I was really blown
away. Not  having heard  any of  his death  vox since  October Tide's
_Rain Without End_ [CoC #30], I was very surprised by the sheer power
and feeling he imbued those vocals  with in the live situation -- but
maybe that shouldn't have come as  a surprise after that October Tide
record, or  after his  vocal performance  in Katatonia's  now distant
_Dance of December  Souls_. Renkse more than  emulated Opeth's Mikael
Akerfeldt's vocals on  _Brave Murder Day_ to  create an unforgettable
experience, and  the band even  added some of  _BMD_'s characteristic
double-bass drumming  to the  end of  the song  to finish  their set.
Somehow, Katatonia managed to pack  more brutality into that one song
than the sum  of all of Akercocke's blasting and  screaming -- a very
different kind of brutality.
     I could barely believe an hour  had gone by -- or that Katatonia
only played for  an hour, for that  matter -- and of  course the band
did not come back for an encore. It would have been unlike them to do
so, and  in any  case, there was  little or no  point in  coming back
after  having finished  their set  with "Murder".  The cycle  was now
complete.

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                M E C H A N I C S   O F   D E C E I T
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                         Tool and Cortizone
               at the Brixton Academy, London, England
                           June 12th 2001
                          by: Paul Schwarz


     Cortizone were not  a typical Tool support band.  In my personal
experience  --  and  judging  also  on  what  I  have  been  reliably
informed -- Tool usually have  bands supporting them who are utterly,
unbearably badly suited to the task  -- and often just plain bad with
it. This three-piece were reasonably listenable. A few of their songs
were embarrassingly Tool-borrowing for Cortizone's situation, one was
unutterably shite early-Nineties angst-rock of  the worst kind, and a
few were OK. By the time they'd  finished, I decided that I'd like to
hear their  record before I gave  a final judgment on  them, but that
essentially, I wasn't  really interesting in hearing  their record. I
got Cortizone's debut album, _Selling Out for the Sucker_, a few days
ago. They're not a band worth chasing up.
     Cortizone over  and done with, it  was time for an  experience I
had been  waiting to  enjoy again  for over  four years:  seeing Tool
live. Unfortunately,  Tool proved not  only to be  disappointing, but
actively -boring-. Take into account that  this is the band that made
_Aenima_, the record  I would nominate as my favourite  record of the
Nineties  -- above  even Carcass'  _Necroticism_, Cynic's  _Focus_ or
Entombed's _Clandestine_. I  should have loved every  minute of Tool,
despite the fact that they played many songs from their latest album,
which I had  unfortunately found little time to listen  to before the
gig. No, it  wasn't the setlist that was the  problem with this show.
Certainly  not. In  fact, with  the likes  of "Eulogy",  "Stinkfist",
"Opiate" and  "Sober" on the menu,  tonight should have been  all the
more excellent  a show. So  why wasn't  it? Well, the  messy, echoing
Brixton  Academy  sound didn't  help,  but  it was  essentially  Tool
themselves and  what they did  -- or rather  -didn't- -- do  on stage
that made their performance such a frustrating yawn-a-thon. Tool were
arranged and "performed" thus on stage: bassist Justin Chancellor and
guitarist Adam Jones  stood in the foreground of  the stage, unmoving
with  their heads  near-unwaveringly pointed  at the  ground for  the
duration of the show; Danny Carey  played his drums at his drumkit at
the back of stage left -- he did more or less all a drummer can do to
put on an interesting live performance; Maynard James Keenan stood on
his own  separate stage  at the  back of  stage right,  faced towards
Carey for most of the show --  thus he was side-on silhouetted to the
crowd --  and moved  more than  his bandmates as  he sang,  though he
never  left  his private  stage  during  the performance.  There  was
seemingly no communication between the  members of Tool on stage, and
certainly no  connection with the  audience. Tool's music is  full of
dynamics, and  I can't believe  the band's  willingness to put  on so
little of a performance physically to their fans who are so enamoured
of them.  Tool's music may contain  themes of isolation --  and maybe
there  was  some meaning  to  their  disconnected presence  on  stage
tonight, though  I strongly doubt it  -- but the bottom  line is that
they might as well have been sectioned off into cubicles and obscured
from the  crowd, such was  their seemingly oblivious attitude  to our
presence -- save  for a meagre few words from  Maynard, Tool might as
well have been performing live in  a studio, and in separate rooms to
each other.  So basically,  Tool weren't  very interesting  to watch,
they didn't seem  very into their music, and they  didn't allow their
physical actions  -- Maynard  is a  minor exception  to this  for his
meagre movement  -- to mirror  the physical, impact-filled  nature of
much  of  their music,  or  its  dynamic  range. The  alternative  to
watching Tool was watching the  video sequences created by Adam Jones
which were played on the large projector hung over the stage, and the
small screen on Maynard's stage -- Tool's non-existent stage presence
suggested watching  these and ignoring  them might be just  what they
wanted you to do. These  video sequences had some interesting moments
-- and  were synched,  if crudely,  to the band's  songs --  but were
essentially rather passe. It was all the kind of images we've come to
expect  from Tool:  worms  with faces  that  writhe, people  swimming
naked, decapitated bodies in dirty rooms waving, all with a grimy but
still distinctly  MTV colour palette.  Most annoying though  was that
the images  were mostly  simply ten or  so second  sequences repeated
over and over  again at varying speeds. There were  only a meagre few
of the more  flowing, continuous, acid-induced visuals  that the band
projected at  their 1997 London  Astoria show,  and which made  a far
more interesting complement to their more interesting performance all
those  years  ago.  A  few  of  the  songs  played  tonight  --  most
notable "Opiate"  -- gave  me some  joy, but Tool  were on  the whole
tedious and  frustrating. Still,  myself and those  I went  with were
almost completely  alone in  being thoroughly  unmoved by  the band's
performance -- the assembled crowd  cheered everything Tool did: they
cheered when the  band interrupted their set for six  minutes to play
the "Schism" video, they even cheered when Maynard took the jacket of
his suit  off. The  impression I  got was  that Tool's  audience were
simply too overwhelmed with seeing Tool live  at all to be in any way
discerning --  I wonder  how many  of them  were fans  before Perfect
Circle's _Mer de Noms_ [CoC #48].  Either that, or I'm too discerning
and missed out  on the great gig that wonder-struck  voices harped on
about around  me as I  took the tube  home. Personally, I  think Tool
should  get their  heads  out  of their  arses,  realise they're  not
reaching their potential to be the live experience they could be, and
then start putting on live performances  that would be worth going to
if  they  were on  every  week,  'cause I  know  if  Tool could  turn
themselves into a live band  which matched their recorded brilliance,
I'd got to see them every week if I could.

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                PURITANICAL DESTRUCTIVE PREDOMINANCE
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
               Dimmu Borgir, Destruction and Susperia
             at Rockefeller, Oslo, Norway, May 26th 2001
                          by: Chris Flaaten


     This was the third time I  saw Susperia, even though their first
concert ever was held exactly one  year ago. After touring with Dimmu
Borgir, Susperia have gained a  healthy amount of live experience and
delivered a solid performance tonight. The sound was great and tracks
like "I  Am Pain" and  "Vainglory" seemed  to convince people  new to
their sound that Susperia is indeed a band to watch out for.
     I missed the first half of Destruction's set, but my bet is that
the second half  was quite representative of the  whole. Playing both
new tracks  and old  (and oldest) favorites  with awesome  sound, one
couldn't complain about their  performance. However, Destruction play
more "in your face" thrash, somewhat monotonous with little happening
in their  music compared to  Susperia and Dimmu Borgir.  Combine this
with the fact that most of  the audience was unfamiliar with the band
and a bored crowd was the result -- at least by the end of their set.
     Dimmu Borgir can't seem to lay  off the 4+ minute long intros --
something which greatly  annoys me --, but the  kids seemed impressed
by the spookiness  of it all. Opening with  "Night Masquerade", Dimmu
Borgir seemed  in good  form, but the  synths revealed  themselves as
absolutely horrible  some time into  the song: awful sound  and -way-
too loud.  Luckily this was  corrected a  couple of songs  into their
set.  The  guitars were  mixed  a  bit too  low  and  there was  some
resonance, mainly from  the bass, but apart from this,  the sound was
good. The  songs from their latest  effort worked very well  live and
were executed  with surprising precision.  The highlight for  me this
time was  the same as last  time: Simen "Vortex" Haestnes'  vocals on
"The Insight and the  Catharsis". Electric, goosebumps, he's magical!
Dimmu's set  could have  been a  bit longer,  as they  performed four
tracks  from _Enthrone  Darkness Triumphant_,  three from  _Spiritual
Black Dimensions_ and  six from their latest album. I  know many were
expecting "Stormblast". Maybe next time.

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

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

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.


	       T H E   F O U R   M U S C o C T E E R S
	       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
			   by: Paul Schwarz


Episode 3: THE REST IN RENNES
           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rockin' in Rennes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Finally, we were all assembled. After David, Matthias, Pedro and
myself got back to David's place in the small town of Breteil (just a
short drive  outside of  Rennes), we commenced  a mammoth  session of
music  listening --  which of  course  led to  discussion of  various
music-related topics.  This spanned the  entirety of the rest  of our
first day  in Brittany, the evening  which followed, and much  of the
next day. I'm gonna detail it in one huge section in a few lines time
in no  chronological order  -- trying  to remember  which discussions
came before and after which, and on which days given discussions took
place, is nightmarishly difficult, and ultimately unnecessary. Before
we get to that, a few things  which -also- occurred on this first and
second day should be mentioned.
     Firstly, we  had three excellent  meals (I think it  was three):
dinner  on the  first day,  breakfast and  lunch on  the second  day.
Thanks to  all those involved in  the preparation of those  meals and
generally to  David and Blandine for  their hospitality. I am  sure I
speak for Matthias and Pedro on this score, we were very grateful for
being  able  to  meet  up  like  this at  all,  and  to  be  so  well
accommodated and  catered for, only  made it all the  more excellent.
Special mention should go to Blandine, not only for making some great
food, but also for putting up with  so much heavy metal in her living
space for the days we were there. Eating was about the only important
thing I  can remember us doing  between arriving at Dave's  house and
the  late afternoon  of  the first  day, apart  from  listening to  a
shitload of music and talking a lot about most of it (there was sleep
somewhere there too...),  so without further adieu,  I'll relate some
of what transpired.
     From  David's   extensive  collection  of  Swedish   metal  came
the  likes  of Ominous  and  Profanity  (notable  as a  very  Swedish
sounding band,  who suddenly transform  into Helloween for  one song)
accompanying the more  well known likes of  Darkane's _Rusted Angel_,
which  was  proclaimed by  all  to  have  great drums,  and  prompted
Matthias to proclaim:  "This is the sound of thrash!".  At the Gates'
_Slaughter of the  Soul_ thus naturally got an airing.  Pedro was the
instigator.  "Fucking  amazing!"  was  all he  needed  to  say.  Dave
remembered when  the album came  out: "I listened  to this in  a shop
when it  first came out,  and my  jaw dropped!" A  Canorous Quintet's
_Silence of  the World Beyond_ got  a brief airing from  Pedro. Later
more discussion-worthy  Swedish albums  (as in ones  more of  us new)
were spinning. David  introduced a receptive Pedro  and Matthias, who
have since sung it high praises, Soilwork's _The Chainheart Machine_.
I was indifferent, and have remained  so: I just don't get that band.
Yet  more  general  agreement  came  when  Dark  Tranquillity's  _The
Gallery_  went  on. As  Pedro  put  it:  "Every note  sounds  right".
_Haven_, which I had a promo  of at the time, didn't produce anything
like as positive a reaction.
     I put on  one of the few CDs I  had brought, Dodheimsgard's _666
International_,  to see  what would  be thought  of it.  None of  the
assembled had really given it a lot  of listening, and it was not too
kindly received. To my knowledge, Pedro has since grown to like it [a
lot  --  Pedro]. Matthias  remembered  when  he  saw the  band  live.
Apparently, they sucked. Dave  played us The Kovenant's _Animatronic_
album.  I was  surprised that  David liked  it; I  underestimated the
breadth of his  tastes. Dave was not a fan  of _666 International_ at
the time.
     Rollins  Band's  _The  End  of Silence_  met  with  a  generally
non-plussed  response,  though  it  did  prompt  Pedro  to  recommend
Henry Rollins'  book "Solipsist"  to me.  He called  it a  "bible for
misanthropes".  [I  was  quite  aware  that Paul  is  not  exactly  a
misanthrope  himself when  I  said this;  but  I do  think  it is  an
excellent  book,  definitely  worth  reading  even  if  you  may  not
necessarily identify with the feelings it portrays. -- Pedro]
     Since we were  buying a beer called Loburg, we  had to check out
CoC's album of  1999, Summoning's _Stronghold_, although  a number of
our fold don't consider it to the band's best. Pedro found a good few
albums of interest  in David's collection which we  checked out parts
of.  Ulver's _Bergtatt_  and _Nattens  Madrigal_ he  knew, the  first
Borknagar he was envious of. On one trip to David's CD shelf -- after
Matthias, Pedro and I had been  discussing the merits and demerits of
Cradle of Filth's various  albums -- I asked if anyone  mind if I put
_Dusk and Her Embrace_ on. Pedro asked what my purpose was. I claimed
to be trying to induce the nihilistic destruction of social order [go
and read  the intro  to S.R.  Prozak's Metal  FAQ at  www.anus.com to
understand the  sarcasm --  Paul]. Matthias  commented that  the band
needed to turn their guitars up. Pedro and I agreed.
     A selection  of the new  releases got played. We  gave Tankard's
_Kings of Beer_ a shot 'cause we  figured maybe we do need more metal
songs about  drinking. Exciter's _Blood  of the Tyrants_  was praised
for at least not being Primal  Fear. Matthias summed up the appeal of
Vader: "If Vader and Slayer were playing  on the same day, I'd go see
Vader". The new  Venom album was played to the  enjoyment of Matthias
and David, and the interest of Pedro. I was more of a fan of _Cast in
Stone_.  One of  the  reasons  cited for  its  improved quality  over
anything since _Black  Metal_ in Matthias' opinion  was the departure
of  Abbadon.  We  all  laughed  and  nodded  at  the  description  of
Abbaddon's drumming as  being "like a drum kit falling  down a flight
of stairs".
     A  selection of  old releases  got played.  Bolt Thrower's  _For
Victory_  was proclaimed  "the real  sound  of a  tank". "The  engine
starts!" exclaimed Matthias as he began  "Tank Mk. I" on its warpath.
Slayer's _Reign in  Blood_ -- for which, Matthias  believes, the gods
of metal came to earth for thirty minutes -- was briefly visited.
     We conducted a  few "head-to-head"s, putting two,  three or four
records  up against  each other  and discussing  them. One  selection
featured Mayhem's  _De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_,  Satyricon's _Nemesis
Divina_, Marduk's _Panzer Division Marduk_ and Enslaved's _Blodhemn_.
The comments  began with Mayhem.  My problem with Hellhammer  is that
he's depriving  some village  somewhere of  their idiot.  Dave thinks
he's "undoubtedly the  best drummer in the black  metal scene". Pedro
countered that  comment by  showcasing the talents  of Dirge  Rep and
Frost, proclaiming  them as being  as talented or more  talented than
Hellhammer. David expressed "immense respect for Frost and Dirge Rep"
but thought, "Hellhammer is at the same level as Hoglan". Gene Hoglan
was Dark  Angel's original death  dealer who  has also made  his name
among many Nineties metal listeners in Death and Strapping Young Lad,
among  a  number  of  subsequent  guest  and  session  positions,  on
Testament's  _Demonic_ [CoC  #22]  and Old  Man Child's  _Ill-Natured
Spiritual  Invasion_  [CoC  #32],  for  example.  The  two  agree  to
disagree.  On the  other  hand,  on the  subject  of Mayhem's  _Grand
Declaration of War_ album, David  at that time expressed only disgust
and disinterest.

Kickin' Ass
~~~~~~~~~~~
     As we  listened, we  spent various  periods leafing  through the
issues of  Kick*Ass magazine, which  Matthias and I had  brought from
his house in  Germany. They provided much amusement,  and also raised
some interesting points.
     Matthias  is  prompted  at  one  point  to  make  the  following
(paraphrased) astute comment. He says that before _Altars of Madness_
came out in 1989, grindcore blastbeats  were thought of as "noise" by
most metalheads. A  comparable discussion was had  regarding what the
heaviest  release  -ever-,  is.  Kick*Ass  comes  from  a  time  when
power/heaviness was much closer to being a singular, definable thing.
In  1985,  the  heaviest  band  seemed  to  be  determinable,  though
their  might not  be -universal-  agreement on  it. Nowadays  what is
"heaviest", "most extreme", "most  brutal" or whatever, is impossibly
recondite by comparison.
     One  of the  bits  of  Kick*Ass that  amused  us  most and  most
consistently, was  a short piece  written about Possessed  from issue
#29,  March 1985.  "When I  first received  the Possessed  three-song
demo", it begins,  "I had to walk  about ten miles back  to my house,
because it blew me away that far... and I found my stereo melted down
after just one song, "Death Metal"." Bear it in mind...
     Our scrutiny and comparison of  classics turned, at my decision,
to Entombed's  _Clandestine_. There  was little reaction  from others
assembled, so we moved on. Sepultura's _Beneath the Remains_ provoked
much more discussion, and allegiance-swearing antics.

-- Sepultura - _Beneath the Remains_ (Roadrunner, 1989)

David Rocher: No brain,  no pain. I'd  give one  of my balls  to have
              played  on this!  This is  the best  thrash album  ever
              recorded!

Paul Schwarz: Better than _Reign in Blood_?

DR: I like it more. If I had to choose one of the two to take with me
    on a desert  island, I'd choose _BtR_. It will  be the last metal
    record to leave my collection.

Matthias Noll: I think Sepultura ruled the early part of the '90s.

DR: Without _Arise_, bands like In Flames and At the Gates would have
    been very sad indeed.

     And unsurprisingly, David's Swedish love-affair meant that there
was definitely  more to be  said about  In Flames, namely  that "Iron
Maiden's "The Clairvoyant" is the root of a lot of In Flames' stuff".
I couldn't argue...
     Cryptopsy's _None So Vile_ prompted  quite the discussion. As we
began listening  to the album,  I discovered  that Dave did  not have
_Blasphemy  Made Flesh_,  Cryptopsy's debut.  I recommended  it; even
though it  sounds almost like  Jon Levasseur is practicing  guitar on
some of the album, it's still a damn good record.

-- Cryptopsy - _None So Vile_ (Wrong Again, 1996)

Matthias Noll: The solos of  _Whisper Supremacy_ make much more sense
               than they do on _NSV_.

David Rocher: The lyrics to "Slit  Your Guts" are fucking incredible!
              I don't  like Lord Worm's  vocals too much  though, and
              Mike DiSalvo's I find a bit too hardcore.

Paul Schwarz: Mike's  vocals   remind   me   of  Brett  Hoffman's  on
              Malevolent Creation's _Retribution_ a little.

MN: The music on _NSV_ is extraordinary, unbelievable, but the vocals
    are just typical death metal.

PS: I'd say they're good as brutal vocals go: they're not as faceless
    as many singers'.

DR: _NSV_ is incredible, probably one  of the most technical albums I
    have. This is  not usually the kind of death  metal I'm into, but
    Cryptopsy  are just  so good  at it.  This is  hitch-a-ride death
    metal, _WS_ just knocked me into the shower.

     Partially as a result of comparing Mike DiSalvo and Lord Worm --
or rather the two different "era"s  of Cryptopsy in general -- we get
onto the  subject of political lyrical  content as it applies  to the
extreme metal  scene --  though we  didn't get very  far into  it. "I
don't want politics in my death metal and my black metal", said Dave.
"I don't think those are apt political supports."
     We  speak  briefly   of  Carcass,  mostly  in   the  context  of
_Necroticism: Descanting  the Insalubrious_. I squeak  like a teenage
death-metalhead -- and after  all, I was one -- about  how cool it is
that the  solos are named things  like "Human Jigsaw" and  "A Heaving
Organic Puzzle". Dave says that _N:DtI_ has "heavy metal leads" while
I go on  to praise the complex organisation of  the lyrics and ponder
at  the amount  of linguistic  translation work  that they  must have
required Jeff Walker  to do. I think people had  stopped listening by
then, though  I do also  mention remembering the humorous  topics the
songs -actually- cover, like  that of "Inpropagation": turning people
into compost.
     A  more   general  wagging   of  mouths  occurred   when  Dawn's
_Slaughtersun:  Crown of  the Triarchy_  went on.  At first  listen I
found this record boring. It is  now one of my most treasured musical
possessions.  There  is  agreement  among  us  that  Henke  Forss  is
brilliant.

-- Dawn - _Slaughtersun: Crown of the Triarchy_ (Necropolis, 1998)

Pedro Azevedo: It repeats some stuff a  bit too much, but it has some
               amazing build-ups and amazing passages!

David Rocher: This is real endurance drumming.

     Pedro relates how  he heard some people had  criticised the band
as  being  "Nazis"  based  on  the  lyrics  to  _S:CotT_  because  it
speaks about  genocide in them.  However, when interviewed,  Dawn had
apparently claimed,  "We're not  Nazis, we  just hate  everyone" when
they explained that  their lyrics were misanthropic.  Pedro said that
he  thought that  was  a  good answer  considering  Dawn's lyrics.  I
remarked that  that had been what  a number of black  metal bands had
said in  interviews I read in  the shady but useful  "Lords of Chaos"
book. Then  I remembered punks had  said that in the  Seventies while
wearing swastikas  on their  jackets too.  We return  to talk  of the
album.

Pedro Azevedo: The second track is brilliant.

David Rocher: The drumming is fucking impressive.

PA: I think these are some of the  best vocals I have ever heard on a
    metal album.

Matthias Noll: The  difference between  this and  a lot  of stuff  we
               listened to yesterday [the  first day at Dave's house;
               this conversation  occurred on the second  -- Paul] --
               for me -- is that  this makes sense, whereas the other
               stuff is  just "play as fast  as you can and  put some
               melodic leads on top of it". No offence.

Paul Schwarz: You mean the whole pile o' Swedish?

MN: This has a lot of structure even though it's so fast.

PA: It is very structurally dense.

PS: Nothing about  this is a band  trying to prove how  well they can
    play.

     Marduk  come  into the  discussion  in  the context  of  _Panzer
Division  Marduk_  [at  the  time,  their new  release  --  Paul].  I
characterise them as having simple  structures and brutality, and not
much  else.  Matthias  wondered  what Marduk  might  do  next.  David
remarked  that it  would involve  "slowing down".  To this,  Matthias
remarked: "I'm  not sure how good  that will sound." "I  guess Marduk
will revert to  something in the _Heaven Shall  Burn..._ style", Dave
clarified, "which is fine by me."
     Conversation inevitably returns to _Slaughtersun..._!

Matthias Noll: This is absolutely killer!

Paul Schwarz: And,  to  me,  this  is  more  intense   than   _Panzer
              Division..._.

Pedro Azevedo: In a way it is.

PS: To me, intensity comes with emotion.

PA/MN/DR: Yeah.

PS: Suffocation's  _Despise  the  Sun_  is  more -brutal-,  but  less
    -intense- than _Slaughtersun..._.

DR: It's  a pity Suffocation  split up after  the only good  thing in
    their career. _DtS_ is fucking incredible.

     David, earlier  in conversation, had made  the following comment
about Suffocation's  _Pierced From Within_:  "The best bits  were the
blank spaces in-between  the tracks. If they'd just made  those a bit
longer..."
     Matthias and David at one point got into a discussion hinging on
where the  sound of The  Haunted's self-titled debut  had essentially
come from.

-- The Haunted - _The Haunted_ (Earache, 1998)

David Rocher: The  Hauntred  sounded  like  they  had  listened  very
              carefully to _Slaughter in the Vatican_ (Exhorder).

Matthias Noll: I  thought  _Slaughter..._  was  overrated.  _Epidemic
               of  Violence_ by  Demolition Hammer  is fast,  all-out
               thrash. That's something I also consider very close to
               The Haunted.

     Later on, Matthias  remembers the time when Manowar  were just a
metal band like  any other, before they  began proclaiming themselves
"The  Kings of  Metal" circa  1987's _Fighting  the World_.  Matthias
didn't like Manowar's material from _FtW_ onwards.
     At one  point in  one of  the two days,  talk turned  briefly to
Dissection. The  only comment I  recorded was from Dave.  He remarked
that Dissection  basically just played  heavy metal with  death metal
structures.
     The last  record we  scrutinised in  detail was  Darkthrone's _A
Blaze in  the Northern  Sky_, which  Pedro had  not heard  before the
following conversation took place.

-- Darkthrone - _A Blaze in the Northern Sky_ (Peaceville, 1992)

Paul Schwarz: I remember  Fenriz once  remarked  that  "Darkthrone is
              total Celtic Frost worship".

Matthias Noll: I  disagree. Yes,  "In  the Shadow  of  the Horns"  is
               "total  Celtic Frost  worship",  but "Pagan  Winter"'s
               guitar lines  are very  unusual and  I don't  know any
               other record  which has  this kind of  mixture between
               the primitive stuff and  something more. I'd call this
               progressive.

Pedro Azevedo: Emotion is a requirement for  a great album: you can't
               have a  great album without getting  some emotion from
               it, for me. This is  better than other Darkthrone I've
               heard.

MN: I  think at this point  in time, the premier  definition of black
    metal was trying to achieve a bad sound.

David Rocher: This doesn't have  a bad sound.  The sound on  this  is
              fucking good.

MN: Everyone was looking for something -professional-: they went away
    from that.

Bretish Steel and Rockers on the Rocks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     On one afternoon, we went around a few CD stores in Rennes. At a
small  one,  Pedro picked  up  Soilwork's  _The Chainheart  Machine_.
At  a  larger  one,  we  used   the  listening  posts  to  check  out
_Nativity  in Black  II: A  Tribute to  Black Sabbath_  and Deicide's
_Insinerhatehymn_. Needless to  say, we didn't need  long for either.
If you wanna hear someone rap  "Sabbra Caddabra" or sing a song about
bashing bible bashers  called "Bible Basher", then  I suggest picking
up both without delay...
     On our third day we took a day trip to Dinan, a medieval town in
the  vicinity of  where Dave  lives.  One of  its streets  is a  long
cobbled street going down a long way  on the sharp incline of a hill.
We decided  this was the fabled  site where Abaddon had  attempted to
record a drum  solo, but was chucked  out of Venom before  he got the
chance. Near  Dinan, is the sea,  and a beautiful rocky  beach coming
down from rugged-ish terrain. We made joking metal poses on the rocks
for our  own amusement,  and laughed  at the idea  of an  armour clad
black metal  band picking over  the rocks for an  our to pose  for an
album inlay shoot.
     For  dinner, David  took  us  to an  establishment  that sold  a
wonderful, traditional Breton meal: Galettes. We ate with cider (also
excellent) to accompany us, and when we left we even got (again, also
excellent) pizza to eat later.

     That's roughly it. I'm sure all of us remember more in different
parts, but that's about all (or possibly a lot more) than you readers
will  be interested  in. Much  of the  meeting is  still vivid  in my
memory; I know we'll do it all again if we possibly can.

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

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


Gino's Top 5

1. Absu - _Tara_
2. Proscriptor - _The Serpentine Has Risen_
3. Tool - _Lateralus_
4. Brutal Truth - _Need to Control_
5. Entombed - _Clandestine_

Adrian's Top 5

1. Darkest Hour - _So Sedate, So Secure_
2. Slayer - _God Hates Us All_
3. Sigh - _Imaginary Sonicscapes_
4. Akercocke - _The Goat of Mendes_
5. Employer, Employee - _Sic [Sic]_

Brian's Top 5

1. Sceptic - _Blind Existence_
2. Threnody - _Locusts of Eden_
3. Embrionic Death - _Stream of Solidarity..._
4. Dim Mak - _Enter the Dragon_
5. Agretator - _Distorted Logic_

Alain's Top 5

1. Townsend, Devin - _Terria_
2. Akercocke - _The Goat of Mendes_
3. Thyrane - _The Spirit of Rebellion_
4. Immolation - _Close to a World Below_
5. Tool - _Lateralus_

Adam's Top 5

1. My Dying Bride - _34.788%... Complete_
2. Darkthrone - _Plague Wielder_
3. Carcass - _Symphonies of Sickness_
4. Misfits - _Famous Monsters_
5. Metallica - _Ride the Lightning_

Pedro's Top 5

1. Cadaver Inc. - _Discipline_
2. Dodheimsgard - _666 International_ / _Satanic Art_
3. Madder Mortem - _All Flesh Is Grass_
4. Diabolical Masquerade - _Death's Design_
5. Lost Soul - _Scream of the Mourning Star_

Paul's Top 5

1. Akercocke - _The Goat of Mendes_
2. Absu - _Tara_
3. AC/DC - 3 hour Bon Scott bootleg tape (Thanks Matthias! It rocks!)
4. Svartsyn - _His Majesty_
5. Order From Chaos - _An Ending in Fire_

Aaron's Top 5

1. Peter Murphy - _Alive: Just for Love_
2. Mortician - _Domain of Death_
3. Behemoth - _Pandemonic Incantations_
4. Savatage - _Gutter Ballet_
5. Crimson Moon - _To Embrace the Vampyric Blood_

David's Top 5

1. Sanctuary - _Into the Mirror Black_
2. Rammstein - _Mutter_
3. Impious - _Terror Succeeds_
4. Sodom - _Code Red_
5. Iced Earth - _Horror Show_

Matthias' Top 5

1. The Haunted - _The Haunted Made Me Do It_ / _The Haunted_
2. Dornenreich - _Her von Welken Naechten_
3. Opeth - _Still Life_
4. Dodheimsgard - _Monumental Possession_
5. Manfred Mann's Earth Band - _Solar Fire_

Alvin's Top 5

1. Blackmore's Night - _Fires at Midnight_
2. Tarot - _To Live Forever_
3. Absu - _Tara_
4. Honor / Graveland - _Raiders of Revenge_
5. Death in June - _DISCriminate_

Chris' Top 5

1. Diabolical Masquerade - _Death's Design_
2. Ambeon - _Fate of a Dreamer_
3. Sirrah - _Acme_
4. Silentium - _Altum_
5. Death - _Individual Thought Patterns_

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


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