Release date: April 15th 2012
Record Label: Roadrunner Records (USA)
Reviewer: Tristan French
After the departure of singer ZP Theart, DragonForce entered a bit of a reclusive grey area. Nobody, aside from the band themselves knew what was really going on, until they announced open auditions for a new vocalist. Months later, this new master of the pipes was revealed to be the relatively unknown, Marc Hudson. Having revealed that he’d never really sung professionally before, we were shocked as anyone to see his demoing tapes...suffice it to say, I was blown away by the notes that this guy was hitting, and was eager to hear more from the newly armoured DragonForce, and almost a year later, we’ve arrived at Marc’s first album with the band. Having toured with them prior to the release (including an opening show for Iron Maiden), its clear that live shows only increase his ability to pull down the rafters. That’s not to say that the rest of the band haven’t undergone a transformation as well. There’s a clear difference/alteration in songwriting. It seems that DragonForce have done away with the 7/8 minute tracks of old, and adopted a much more shortened approach. Believing that they have absolutely nothing to prove, this record comes across as DragonForce making a record for fun and of course the love of heavy metal, and it’s worked!
Opening track “Holding On” pull no punches in establishing this record’s direction. Opening with great falsetto’s from Hudson (those who saw the demo tapes will recognise these), DF show us that they’re going to be playing faster, heavier and harder than ever before. I’m going to be honest, if this song were any more positively reinforcing, it’d be about as cute as a panda bear. This song brings the tough, but with a clearly positive message, especially highlighted by the chorus of “woah’s” upon the outro and of course the chorus lyric “Promises of Yesterday, we’ll keep holding on!”, this is clearly a song to listen when you need to be cheered up. Of course, axemasters Herman Li and Sam Totman bring the intensity with their lightning fast soloing, whilst including some great prominent melodies that can really stick. Bottom line, this opening is catchy as hell and it only gets better!
Following is “Fallen World” , the first track released from the album. Quoted by the band as the “fastest, most intense DragonForce song ever” , it does just that. After a great and resonating melody the song bursts into a maelstrom of guitar parts, in what can only be described as a flurry of fingers. Apparently, DF decided that they wanted to take a song and compress it, and it’s so adrenaline inducing I wouldn’t be surprised if it became a future pit starter. Of course more high notes from Hudson as well as some furious drumming! This is not a song that gives you time to think, it just pushes on ahead, and does so very well!
Another prominent track is so far my favourite from the album and the current video single for the album, “Cry Thunder”. Opening with a melody that’s strangely reminiscent of the Skyrim theme song. This, unlike the other two tracks goes into a steady gallop, keeping with the true ethos of the song, to serve as a warmarch. Clearly synonymous with the feel of the song, the newly crowned frontman brings out his commanding aura, “Night after night, for the glory we fight, in a kingdom of madness and the tales of the old” (at least I think that’s what the lyrics are). This song is clearly going to have fists pumping and “Heys” resounding throughout venues. The incredible pitch hit on the emphatic “CRY THUNDER!”, has an almost battle cry like quality, and really lifts you up in preparation for any sort of assault.
Two other tracks worth mentioning are “Seasons” and “Heart of the Storm”. “Seasons” has an almost classic feel to it, slowing down to a rocky mid tempo, that is almost reminiscent of older glam rock songs. The track also displays Hudson’s ability to reach lower ranges, next to his higher pitched vocals. Li and Totman provide great stocatto melodies at the intervals between verses, and the solos are smoother than ZZ Top’s suits! “Heart of the Storm” completely contrasts this. In short its a bit like “Through the Fire and Flames” on speed. This is easily one of DF’s fastest songs yet, and honestly lead me to question just how much energy that drummer Dave Mackintosh has. Either that or he’s secretly an octopus, its just insane. As the only song on the album that’s over four minutes, this is probably the only track where you’ll find the long solo break and build ups of old. Of course the distinction between Li’s technicality and Totman’s awesome melodies synthesise greatly! It truly is one of the catchiest songs on the album.
Overall, I think this record is probably one of DragonForce’s best to date. I do understand that DF aren’t everyone’s cup’o’tea, but they do what they do well, and they’re a great pick-me-up during dark times. I’ll admit a few songs on this record are repetitive, but with the addition of a new singer to their arsenal, and a cutting down of song lengths (some of the shortest that the band have ever written) I certainly think it’s a step in the right direction. I’m giving The Power Within a 7.5/10 and I seriously look forward to their upcoming live shows!
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Genre: Groove Metal
Label: Roadrunner Records
Released: March 13th, 2012
Reviewer: Tristan French
Soulfly have always been a band known to bring the heavy, regardless of their popularity or the amount of recognition that they get. This being said, 2010’s “Omen” felt kind of dry. A good record in and of itself, elements of the record seemed repetitive as if the band were moving in a circle. I can safely say that this is not the case with Soulfly’s latest metal offering, “Enslaved.” When first described as “Arise on crack” and being the Cavalera fanboy that I am, I just had to give it a listen, and I can honestly tell you its one of the heaviest releases this year. I believe that this is partially due to the newer additions to Soulfly’s artillery, introducing former Static-X bassist Tony Campos and Norwegian death metal drum master “David Kinkade”, Soulfly are poised to shatter our heads once more!
“Resistance” introduces us loosely to the themes and direction of the album, including a mix of extremely fast distorted guitarwork leading into the resonating blows of timpanis, offering the atmosphere of slaves being lead to their quarters, truly haunting indeed. Lead single “World Scum” follows, and to cut a long story short, this track summarises the word “brutal.” Featuring Cattle Decapitation’s frontman Travis Ryan, the vocals on this track encapsulate anger, frustration and pure rebellious feeling against those who would oppress others. Another prominent feature is that both new members receive the spotlight right off the bat, with Campos’ bass introduction setting the track’s rhythm from the start, and Kinkade’s double bass assault following suit. Of course, Max Cavalera and Marc Rizzo cannot be overlooked, through stellar riff work and brilliant time changes throughout!
Track number three, “Intervention” is where the “Arise on crack” statement begins to become true, with a very old-thrashy Sepultura vibe. Opening with a mid-paced thrash onslaught before settling into a slightly slower tempo, this track features some of the records best guitarwork, allowing Rizzo to show off his brilliant lead abilities. A return to the faster speed and of course gang vocals display even more prominently that Soulfly have almost done away with the flourishes of old and have returned to their pure thrash roots. Second single “Gladiator” follows featuring a haunting psychadellic-esque introduction before erupting into another pace racer, continuing the vibe heard on “Intervention.” Featuring some of Cavalera’s inescapable sitar work (which only adds to the ferocity) and some of the lowest growls from his vocal repertoire, this track is sure to be a live favourite.
“Legions” and “American Steel” both continue the band’s battle march featuring some of the most oriental sounding riffs that I’ve heard in a while. “Legions” draws main focus to Kinkade’s ability to pull off time changes at an alarming pace, adding extra elements to the beat as the song progresses, while “American Steel” features one of the most pertinent breakdowns of the album, sure to heads banging, as well as some elements of some very unexpected bass effects.
Track seven introduces the album’s second featured vocalist, none other than DevilDriver’s energetic vocalist Dez Farfara. This track “Redemption of Man by God” literally defines the term “annihilation” as the question/answer approach adopted by both frontmen on the song’s chorus acts as a great display of their abilities, whilst providing a great contrast between Farfara’s higher screams and Cavalera’s more guttural vocals. A break mid song is needed to calm things down, as surely the excitement has reached unbelievable heights by now, leading into a clean outro, a fitting ending to such an awesome track!
One of my favourite tracks on the record is “Plata O Plomo”, sung in Portugese by Cavalera and Spanish by Campos. The result is an even more heartfelt song, recited in their native language making it sound insanely pure, almost like “Ratamahatta” from 1996’s Roots. This of course is only amplified by the sludgey atmosphere of the song, providing a great head bobbing rhythm whilst remaining ever so controlled, providing a great contrast the album’s thrashiest tracks. The inclusion of some classical guitar during both the pre-chorus and the outro once again offers a really earthy feel to this song, and contrasts greatly with the heaviness heard earlier.
The final song on this album is again one of the ones I’ve been favouring lately. Revengeance features Richie and Igor Cavalera Jr. as guest vocalists/guitarists and Zyon Cavalera on the drums, this track lyrically encapsulates the feelings felt by the Cavalera family at the murder of their brother/son. If anything, this song shows that brutality runs in the family, with both Igor and Richie offering a good mix of black metal-eqsue growls, and lower pitched gutterals. Zyon’s drumming is also extremely prevalent, going through time changes seemingly effortlessly. Max Cavalera has actually stated that most of the riffs were written by his sons, wanting to give them a chance to voice their anger. Slowing things right down to a great breakdown ends this record as ominously as it started. All I can say is it took a while for the goosebumps to go down.
Enslaved is definitely worth checking out, whether you’re an older Sepultura fan or preffered the earlier Soulfly stuff, there’s something on here from everyone. Although there’s no instrumental “Soulfly” track at the end of the standard edition of the album, I personally think it ends just as well, and brilliantly showcases each band members talents. I’m giving Enslaved an 8/10. Soulfly have clearly gone “back to the primitive”, and it’s worked!
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Genre: Melodic Hardcore
Label: Self-released
Released: February 10th, 2012
Reviewer: Tristan French
Midway are Dubai’s premiere melodic hardcore crew, and its safe to say that these guys have been enjoying quite a run of dominance over the past few years, and this EP marks the start of a giant push by the band. No mistake, these guys are out for blood and “Burdens Lost” is honestly one of the best releases that I’ve heard to come out of the Middle East recently.
The EP opens with the first track released from it, the ambient yet hard hitting “Lights.” Honestly, this song sounds like somebody took TesseracT and The Ghost Inside and merged them into the perfect melodic hardcore sound. Resounding chords provide the almost calming air at first, whilst the drums remain as quiet as possible. However, this is just calm before the storm, as the track then launches into an awesomely heavy breakdown, as all instruments are turned up to full throttle. This track is full of surprises as tempo changes seem to come at listeners in surprise, giving drummer Mychal Martinez a chance to demonstrate his clear precision as well as his clear mastery of his craft, driving the song forward, one beat at a time. This song also showcases frontman Bruno Solonen’s epicly raw vocals, encapsulating his clear frustration and anger, symbolised mainly through the lyric “These anchors won’t keep me.” This song is sure to have heads banging from start-t0-finish, and it’s only the first track!
After the fadeout of “Lights” we are immediately thrown into the maelstrom as the EP’s title track “Burdens Lost” takes the spotlight. Martinez immediately speeds things up with Solonen following suit, contributing towards the barrage of sound. In short, this is the EP’s “stand up and fight” song. This track is the chance of guitarists George Hughes and Joel Reardon to display their riffing prowess, prominently display their abilities to keep precision during such regular time changes! Solonen’s lower growls are also featured here, and let me tell you they were shockingly awesome (I’d tell you where they are, but trust me, you’ll know them when you hear them). This track is a future mosh inducer for sure, open the floors up!
Following the title track is the mid tempoed monster “Burning Bridges.” If any song symbolises the melodic hardcore genre, then this is it! The assault provided by guitars and drums alike is nothing but a display of sheer brutality, and an excitement causer for sure! Probably one of the most interesting moments of the track are Hughes’ vocals. Although not as deep as Solonen’s they are equally as brutal with clear resentment and pent up frustration finally being let loose. A clear rapport between the two has clearly been built, and as you’ll hear, it works extremely well. The tempo once again shifts into an awesome breakdown, receiving a build-up to end all build-ups, this breakdown is clearly the angriest on the EP. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few fists thrown during its duration.
We come to the conclusion of a short yet epic EP, as the band stated “It’ll only be 4 tracks, but 4 tracks of awesome!” , and you can clearly tell that they weren’t wrong. Opening with Solonen growling with all his might “RELEASE THE KRAKEN!” followed by one of the sludgiest breakdowns I’ve ever heard. This track is the one for surprises, and tempo changes and strange tempos begin to appear, clearly demonstrating the band’s time keeping skills. Remember those low growls I was talking about? Well they get even lower here! Seriously, they make George Fisher’s look high. After releasing the Kraken, the band erupt into a unusual yet apt Meshuggah-esque time change, which’ll be good news to you djent fans out there. Ending how it started, the band enter one last breakdown before speeding up to the mid, leading into the EP’s ambient outro, ending how they began.
Basically, you should definitely download this and give it a listen if you haven’t done so already. It’s a whirpool of originality, brutality and serves as proof that these guys are ready for the big time. I’m rating this EP an 8/10, almost purely based around the fact that with just 4 songs, Midway have made their stamp. For these guys, the only way now is up!
Genre: Groove/Thrash Metal
Label: Epic, Roadrunner Records
Released: January 24th, 2012
Reviewer: Tristan French
Lamb of God have always been a band for surprises. At the conclusion of their major tours, they’d lie low for a while and then come back and blow our ears off. Well this time round, they’ve done just that, except they’ve decided to take our faces, heads, bodies....pretty much our entire being away as well. 3 years after their previous album “Wrath” hit shelves and showed a return to the rawer side of Lamb of God, 2012’s follow up “Resolution” offers the Lamb of God ethos that we know and love whilst entering some previously unsailed waters in their now almost 2 decade spanning career. Its easy to say that these guys have come a hell of a way since their beginnings in 1994, and this record only goes to prove that LOG plan to continue their reign of dominance across the world again.
The album opens with the sludgy doom slow roller “Straight for the Sun.” Whilst easily being the slowest song ever written by the band, no sacrifices have been made in terms of heaviness or brutality, in fact, these factors are amplified! Opening the song with a trademark shrill scream from vocalist Randy Blythe, the tone is instantly shifted, as the band enters low territory. This track has a similar air to Pantera’s “Drag the Waters”. Each resounding low chord and note feeling like a strike to the chin, this seems to be LOG’s way of saying “We’ve come back for you all!”, a spine chilling opening and a good predecessor of what is to come in the rest of the record.
The tempo is immediately increased through by this track’s conclusion and this leads into the pumping main riff of the second track “Desolation.” Drummer, Chris Adler’s precision is on great display here, landing each beat with complete accuracy whilst still keeping things brutal, reminding us all of why he’s one of the best in the business (and shall be filling in for part of Testament’s upcoming record). This coupled with a trademark breakdown make this track one heck of a pace racer, with guitarists Willie Adler and Mark Morton’s awesome bends shining through. This coupled with the clear frustration and anger behind Blythe’s voice make for one hell of what I can only describe as a two part opening (haha).
The following track is the album’s lead single (for which an animated music video is available), I speak of course of “Ghost Walking.” In short, welcome to groove city. This song will surely have heads bobbing and feet tapping as it rolls along like a steam roller obliterating everything in it’s path (including Lil Wayne). Once again drum fills are on prominent display on top of an almost bluesy riff, courtesy of guitarist Mark Morton. Another main feature to this song is it features the first solo of the record (the first of many). As strange as that is for a LOG record, it offers Morton the chance to demonstrate his uncanny ability to take blues riffs and make a metal song out of them. Truly awesome guitar work coupled with provocative lyrics, with Blythe stating “21 to 1, I’m liking the odds” and ending with a truly resounding “THERE’S NO ONE LEFT TO SAVE.” I don’t know about you, but at this point in the record, I was most definitely liking these odds.
The album follows suit in a truly brutal manner with the thrashtastic “Guilty”. Sure to have crowds banging heads until they spin clean off, this is THE LOG track to simply go balls out crazy to. The subsequent track “The Undertow” is one of my personal favorites from the album. With a steady foot tapping mid paced riff, this is Randy’s chance to vent, featuring some of the rawest vocals he’s ever done. An awesome chorus of “I AM THE ONE WHO’S LEFT TO TAKE THE FALL! I FIGHT THE CONSTANT UNDERTOW!” truly reflects the frustration and struggle felt by the frontman. Trademark runs and awesome double bass drum beats make this a song for the books, with this song’s breakdown/solo receiving an awesome build up, Morton and Adler are able to display their riffing and technical prowess in the most suitable environment.
Things slow right down as track number 6 (ironically titled) “The Number Six” rears its head. The second longest track on the record (at 5 and half minutes!), this is a brilliant songwriting showcase. The amount of tempo variations within this track alone is insane! Nonetheless coupled with a refrain sure to be repeated by audiences worldwide of “YOU DUG YOUR OWN GRAVE.” One of the main highlights of “The Number Six” is Blythe’s vocal variation, ranging from raspy harsh cleans to his guttural, deep spoken lines, this is some truly poetic stuff. This highlight is also supported by the awesomely soulful clean sections, proving that heaviness isn’t this band’s only forte.
After such a bruiser of a track, “Resolution” then decides to calm us all down with the short yet awesome clean guitar instrumental “Barbarosa.” While squeals from an electric guitar refrain in the background, this truly is a haunting track, designed to creep up on you slowly and lead subtly into the surprise that is “Invictus.” Bringing back the groove to the record “Invictus” is bassist John Campbell’s chance to shine; where his groovey/smooth basslines are THE most prominent that they ever have been, upping the tempo during the song’s midsection. Combining this with an epically brutal breakdown makes for one storm of a track.
Following this is the clear punk influence of “Cheated.” At this point, this is easily the fastest track on the record. Within the same vein as songs like “Black Label” and “What I’ve Become”, its clear intent that this song is meant to be played to the waves of an insane circle pit (in awesome LOG fashion of course). Featuring some amazing drum fills during an epicly climactic bridge, this song will be a live favorite for sure.
Tenth track “Insurrection” is a plethora of unpredictability, with drum beats appearing when you least expect them, its Blythe’s vocals that provide the rhythm to this track. Featuring the appearance of some brilliant guitar harmonies on top of some clearly haunting/resounding chords. “Terminally Unique” provides a great minor key contrast, featuring yet another riff that rolls along crushing all in its path, whilst “To The End” provides another transformation of a blues rock riff into a metal one, once again proving Morton and Adler’s guitar prowess. “Visitation” provides a slight thrashy return, with awesome slowed sections on the pre-choruses. Coupling this with sections of clear teeth gritting vocal techniques from Blythe make this one heck of a venting track, sure to have fists throwing like no tomorrow.
The final track of this album is hands down my favorite on the record, being, in my opinion, one of THE best and most unique songs ever written by the band. I speak of course of “King Me.”
Starting with an almost middle eastern sounding clean intro coupled with female vocals (yes female vocals on a LOG record!) whilst Blythe’s raspy spoken words flow flawlessly. The song then enters into an orchestral string section (again, first time on an LOG record!) building up and diminishing into Blythe’s poetics once again. Out of nowhere “King Me” explodes into a supernova of track, featuring a brilliant opening growl from Blythe, the rest of the band follow suit, playing more aggressively than they ever have whilst still displaying control. An orchestral chorus and some backing female vocals are truly the icing on the cake to such an awesomely progressive song, this track is the symbol of Lamb of God entering previously unexplored territories...and in short it’s awesome!
In conclusion, I think we have a strong contender for 2012’s album of the year, and the year’s barely begun. For a band that have progressed so much over the course of their career to culminate in a brilliant metal opus that is “Resolution” should truly be viewed as a great achievement. Honestly, I can give this record no less than a 9/10. If you haven’t picked this record up yet, then you’re missing out, a lot!
Line Up: Trivium (headliners), In Flames, Ghost, Rise to Remain, Insense
Venue: O2 Brixton Academy, London, UK
Date: 4th of December 2011
Reviewer: Tristan French
Only one thing was going through my head as I boarded the tube to Brixton on the evening of the 4th of December 2011, that I would finally be able to see the band that I’d be waiting to see since I was 13 years old, I speak of course of the mighty Trivium. All that I can tell you is, that its been well worth the wait, as the Floridian foursome have returned not only with their crushing new record, but have shown that they are ready to take their place as one of the best live bands to ever grace the stage.
Of course, I’ll get to that later, there’s still another 4 bands to go through. After depositing our winter wear in the cloakroom (what? London’s bloody freezing in December!) my comrades and I (including former Shotgun Enema bassist Luke McIntosh) headed straight for the front. Little did we know, that we had the best seats in the house. As the hall began to fill, the intro to Insense’s opening track “Death For Me, Death For You” crept slowly, before erupting into some of the heaviest playing I’ve ever heard. Accompanying their short set with skillful drumming at the hands of Truls Haugen, brutal riffs, great clean sections, epic bass playing (I thought the strings were about to snap half way through) provided by Ola S. Hana, all garnished by vocalist and frontman Tommy Hjelm’s surprisingly varied vocal range. Needless to say, a great warm up and a sign of things to come later on.
Next up, were up and coming British (the only British band of the bill I might add) metalcore act, Rise to Remain. These boys redefined the genre with their debut record “City of Vultures”, and their live act reflects this just as much. As soon as the band literally exploded onto the stage with opener “The Serpent” (after choosing to soundcheck themselves as opposed to having technicians do it) Brixton erupted into a maelstrom of movement, with the band transferring all of their excitement to the crowd. Although their set was short, the band managed to leave a lasting impression on the audience, with frontman Austin Dickenson proving that crowd control clearly runs in the family (even going as far as to jump into the audience and crowdsurf over us!). Ending the set with “Nothing Left” and the resinous “Bridges Will Burn” left echoes ringing throughout the O2 Brixton, another indicator that Rise to Remain are released, and they’re out for blood!
As Rise to Remain left the stage, taking the appropriate time to thank us, the obscurity and mystery began, as a series of synthethic stain glass windows descended from the ceiling. As the smell of incense filled the room, we all knew who were coming next, Sweden’s foremost rock’n’roll/satanic crossover band, Ghost. As the Nameless Ghouls took their positions during a fairly ominous and shrouded opening, frontman, or should I say our sermon leader, Papa Emeritus made his grand entrance, accompanied by an incense burner (explaining the earlier scent). Honestly, for the majority of their set, the entire Brixton Academy stood completely still, in awe of the psychadellic theatrical performance that is Ghost. Ghost have appeared to be bringing back what was left by Alice Cooper, for
metal as a form of theatre. Every hand gesture put forward by Emeritus was done so with grace and precision, even going as far as to wander across the stage flicking his hands at us, placing us effectively under his spell. Ending their set with their hit “Ritual” Ghost left the stage as they came on, mysteriously and calmly, leaving us to gawk at what had just transpired.
The next band of the evening need no introduction. I speak of course of the legendary In Flames. The production that came with this show was a clear display that In Flames are a band that have clearly paid their dues, with an elaborate light show encompassing the entire setlist (which I’ll admit...kind of distracted from the music at times, given that everyone except frontman Anders Friden was a silhouette). Nonetheless, the set was riddled with tracks from the new album, including the catchy title track “Sounds of a Playground Fading,” lead single and fist pumping “Deliver Us”, the slow and sludgy “All For Me”, the fast paced heart racer “Fear is the Weakness” and of course recent single “Where the Dead Ships Dwell.” The highlight of this for me, were guitarists Bjorn Gelotte and Niclas Engelin’s brilliant exchanges and harmonies, clearly showing their brilliant chemistry and dynamic. Friden’s humour also shined through, clearly stating that he “loved us all” and upon seeing the “NO CROWDSURFING” signs, he stated that he “Didn’t like them.” Ending the set with hits “The Quiet Place”, “Cloud Connected” and “Take This Life” , left London in a feral state of mind , and demonstrated once again why In Flames are as revered as they are within the metal world
With four bands having performed, the time came for the main event. As the eerie knells of “Capsizing the Sea” filled the venue, we all knew what song that the mighty Trivium would open with. Waiting just the right amount of time before making their entrance, frontman Mattew K. Heafy poised himself carefully above the microphone before letting out a roar of “IN WAVES!” amplified ten fold as the anticipating London crowd sang (or should I say growled) along. Trivium’s set was perfectly balanced and didn’t contain a single low point for me (being the massive fanboy that I am) and being right the front was truly a blessing. After the opening track, Trivium burst straight into Ascendancy territory playing both “Drowned and Torn Asunder” and “A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation”, furiously darting across the stage in order to please each and every section of the crowd. The energy given off by the band was phenomenal, and this was only three songs in! Matt Heafy’s addresses to the crowd never failed to inspire (especially when it came time to challenge us to be better than Manchester!). The set contained old favorites such as “Like Light to the Flies”, “Dying In Your Arms”, “The Deceived”, a song never played in London before, “Departure”, and of course the old single “Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr” which consequently sent the entire crowd into a frenzy as we sang in unison. Of course songs from Trivium’s latest made it as well, with songs such as “Black”, “Dusk Dismantled” and “Caustic are the Ties That Bind” really showing off the bands return to form, through brilliant guitar exchanges between Heafy and co-guitarist Corey Beaulieu. The album’s latest single “Built to Fall” was the icing on the cake to this already awesome set. Of course, we couldn’t get away without a bit of shogun with “Kirisute Gomen” really lowering the tone as the 7-string guitars were unleashed. This was accompanied by the union inspiring “Down from the Sky”, which lead to a chorus of “heys!” and show closer “Throes of Perdition” before which Heafy once again instructed us to “Fucking Explode!” after stating that they would always return to London. After a series of pick throwings
(caught one! Huzzah!) and a truly triumphant bow, it was clear to all of us that a band that had burst onto the metal scene at such a young age, Heafy only being 17 when Ascendancy was released, had truly come into their own and were ready to take their place in the spotlight.
Needless to say, I remained encapsulated (as well as hypnotized by the pick) on my train journey home. Defenders of the Faith III is a gig that I won’t soon forget, and has left me in anticipation of seeing Trivium again.
Ratings for the night:
Insense: 8/10
Rise to Remain: 9.5/10
Ghost: 9.5/10
In Flames: 9/10
Trivium: 9.99/10 (Hey, I’m biased, what can you do?!)
Genre: Groove/Thrash Metal
Label: Roadrunner Records
Release-date: September 26th, 2011
Reviewer: Tristan French
My fellow headbangers, I give you, possibly the greatest record of 2011. The follow-up to the incredible album that was “The Blackening”, an album which set this band up on 4 years of touring, and a true stamp to show that they are far from one- hit wonders. Ladies and Gentlemen, the mighty Machine Head have returned with a new album to shake the world, “Unto The Locust”.
From start to finish this albums does brilliantly, showing a fresher side of the band, but also showing that they are still the dominant band that we know them to be. The first track “I Am Hell (Sonata in C Sharp)” is the longest track on the record (running 8 and a half minutes!) yet is probably the most brutal song in the band’s history. The song itself is divided into three parts, “Sangre Sani”, “I Am Hell” and “Ashes To The Sky”. “Sangre Sani”’s resinous hum is both hypnotic and haunting, reaching a gradual crescendo to the start of “I Am Hell”. The song then turns dark, with the brutal death knells of drummer Dave McClain and a slow but powerful chugging riff. Dressing this brilliance is vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn’s beastly snarls. “Ashes to the Sky” picks up the track’s tempo, bursting into a groovey thrashfest that’ll have people fist pumping and head banging like no tomorrow. Future show opener? I think so!
This flows awesomely into “Be Still And Know” an almost progressive track with real grit behind every note sung and played. The song opens with an almost harpsichord esque melody that transcends brilliantly into a brilliant slow groove of a main riff, again with Flynn’s vocals symbolizing every morsel of anger that’s been building up these past few years. The song’s chorus is probably one of the most “sing-a-long” esque nature of the song and is sure to have audiences chanting the words in immaculate chorus. Although this is “Unto The Locust”’s shortest track (being just 15 seconds under the 6 minute mark), it also contains one of it’s most dramatic time changes about half way through, trading the groove for a thrash-tastic mid section and awesome twin harmonies by Flynn and lead guitarist Phil Demmel. Fading the song out with a nice diminuendo keeps the ball rolling into the next track.
Lead single, and the first song released from this record, “Locust.” From it’s awesomely ambient clean guitar intro, into the thundering drums, into an extremely groovy rhythm pattern (which contains possibly one of my favorite melodies of all time.) Once again surprising us, MH burst into a great chugging riff for the verse, once again peppered by Robb Flynn’s awesome vocals, which on this track feature a higher register of growls that haven’t been utilized nearly enough on previous Machine Head records. This song’s lyrics are extremely potent, lines such as “behind an angel’s disguise, an insect preys” symbolizing the two faced and leech like nature of certain people in today’s modern society. The song’s soft mid-section pulls back the reins ever so slightly, to offer a more ambient atmosphere to the album’s most religious themed song, before once again erupting in volcanic majesty into an awesome solo section. Another point about “Locust” is that bassist Adam Duce’s parts are the, and I mean THE most prominent they’ve ever been. Win? I think so.
“This Is the End” amps up the tempo, throwing us right into the firing line with a great thrashy sound, someways in the same vein as “The Blackening’s” “Aesthetics Of Hate”. This is Machine Head at their angriest, purely letting their fingers set the fretboards on Fire. Featuring probably the most potent breakdown on the album, Flynn and Demmel once again show their riffing prowess, whilst Duce’s backing vocals provide a ghostly undertone to this otherwise brutal assault of track.
“Darkness Within” really slows things down. As the album’s ballad, in a similar vein as “Descend the Shades of Night” from 2003’s “Through The Ashes Of Empires” , this track is Flynn baring his heart on his sleeve and at his most vulnerable, which is clear from his vocals slowly becoming harsher throughout the track. Although the track is absent of heavy guitars etc etc, it still hits just as hard as any of the previous tracks.
“Pearls Before The Swine” picks up once again where the groovey charge left off. Being almost completely absent of clean vocals, this is clearly the album’s “angry track”, Machine Head truly venting about “casting pearls before the swine” ie: casting vast Riches infront of those that cannot truly appreciate them. The album’s chorus is very ghostly, featuring an extremely haunting vocal harmony over some amazing leads (Demmel’s on a roll here, seriously!)
Album closer “Who We Are” is probably my favorite track on the album. Just as Machine Head had opened well, they close this record with a track to equal the ferocity of “I Am Hell”. The dramatic shift from choral vocals by children (Robb Flynn’s and Dave McClain’s) to be precise, to Flynn’s undeniably ferocious growl, you can just tell that this WILL be an awesome track. Sure to have heads banging, this album rolls along like a Boulder crushing - insert artist that you hate here - , with the chorus being the album’s most anthemic. Audiences are sure to take to this as they did 2007’s “Halo”, chanting “This is who we are, this is what I am, we have nowhere else to go, divided we will stand.” Featuring the album’s most melodic solo, Phil Demmel once again proves that he is THE man, while Robb Flynn also displays his guitarmanship. Surely and awesome track. The track’s string outro is just the icing on this already delicious cake.
Honestly guys, I cannot say a negative thing about this record. It’s MH at their best, after topping a seemingly topless (yes…topless) album, “Unto The Locust” is sure to set Machine Head up for the next few years. I would give this album a 10, but no album is Perfect, so a 9.5/10 rating will have to suffice. As Robb Flynn would say “Cheers Fuckers!”
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Genre: Thrash Metal
Label: Megaforce (U.S), Nuclear Blast (Europe)
Release date: September 13th 2011
Reviewer: Tristan French
It’s been 8 years since Anthrax’s last studio release. In that time they’ve been through 3 vocalists, two years of recording/production, and most recently, a string of shows alongside fellow Big 4 members Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. The wait is finally over, as after regaining their true frontman and in the process their metal legs, in 2011’s “Season of Returns”, Anthrax have unleashed their latest studio opus, “Worship Music” upon the waiting world. It’s like they never left!
The haunting album opener “Worship” sets an almost evil overtone (similar to Slayer’s “Hell Awaits") leading into the ever thrashy “Earth On Hell” providing a real punch to the jaw for listeners. This thrash-gasmic opening is an indication that Anthrax are as good as ever, with Charlie Benante’s epic drums leading this trashy charge into combat, while the chorus provides an awesome time change, adding a progressive element to this otherwise thrashy bird. This track is almost reminiscent of the opening track of the ‘thrax’s debut album “Fistful Of Metal”, only a hell of a lot ballsier and vocally, more controlled. In short, the ‘thrax are back for us all!
The album flows pretty violently (in a good way) into tracks “The Devil You Know” and lead single “Fight ‘Em ‘Till You Can’t.” Both of these tracks sound like they were written back in the heyday of Bay Area Thrash, with modern twists added to them. “The Devil You Know”’s ferocity is contrasted by an extremely melodic and meticulous solo by lead guitarist Rob Caggiano, finally able to prove his metal after being somewhat underused on 2003’s “We’ve Come For You All”. The album’s intro/outro are reflective of a heartbeat in many ways, circulating and getting faster whilst getting the song rolling (and a fast roll at that.) “Fight ‘Em Till You Can’t” ‘s music however is also reflected in it’s lyrics, a chaotically “Metal thrashing mad” song about the Zombie Apocalypse. With the resinous opening chords being almost reflective of Armageddon , leading into a main riff that literally makes you feel like beating up zombies! (courtesy of rhythm guitarist Scott Ian.)
Vocally, this song proves that singer Joey Belladona is simply the man, and that this album could not have been done without him. The wild assault of words in the chorus, followed by the awesome melody of the words “I’ll end you” are a true indication that Belladona, is and always was Anthrax’s definitive frontman (and that’s not only because his vocals are on most of the songs that define Anthrax!)
Groovefest track “I’m Alive” is up next, and in all honesty it’s probably my favorite track on the record. From its slow building, “woah-oh” sing-a-long intro, into the song’s fist pumping groovey main riff, this is sure to be a fan favorite. Once demoed by short lived vocalist Dan Nelson under the title “Vampyres” (I know right?), this track showcases Anthrax’s ability to write anthems while keeping it in the vein of thrash; similar to songs such as “Madhouse” or “Spreading the Disease”. A track that’s sure to have audiences singing along, banging their heads, or at least tapping their feet, this groove is inescapable. Seriously, if there were a song to define “fight music” then this would be it!
In a sort of intermission, the record goes string section, with “Hymn 1”, which is fair enough considering the already awesome assault that we’ve been lead on, we’d need a chance to unwind. However, this subsequent unwinding is short lived as the album marches back to the frontlines with yet another head banger, “In The End”, from it’s slightly strange yet awesome vocal melodies, to it’s tempo change to become more of a mid tempo fist raiser, Anthrax display that they know their audience and know all too well how to toy with our minds and expectations, exceeding them continuously.
Back to some old school thrash sound (seriously, this track sounds like it was made in the 80s) with “The Giant” , before the interval of “Hymn 2”. Following this are melodic-tastic “Judas Priest” , the calm and more laid back “Crawl” (most likely the softest song vocally on the record) and the sludgingly groovery “The Constant.” Closing the record as they started it, Anthrax leave us lingering with the, and I mean THE thrashiest track on the album, “Revolution Screams”. Decorated with unexpected tempo changes, this song is most definitely assured to leave a lasting impression on all listeners.
Conversely, the one negative aspect of this record is that it gears towards a formula, which is apparent on certain songs on the record, after about the 5th groovey time change. However, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and given that this album has taken 2 years to make, and is the band’s first in 8, it’s quite a stellar achievement. Anthrax have proved that they can stand on equal ground to their Big 4 counterparts, producing probably the best thrash metal record for a while now. I’m rating Worship Music as an 8/10
As former frontman Dan Nelson once said, “Anthrax is back motherfuckeerrs!”
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Genre: Groove Metal
Label: E1 Music
Released: August 16th, 2011
Reviewer: Tristan French
Honestly, 2011 has seen bands go from one triumphant return to another, and the exciting thing is that there’s still more to come. With artists like Opeth, Mastodon, and the mighty Machine Head still to release records this month, it’s time to shine the spotlight a band that have returned to form as well as with a brilliant album. I speak of course of Chimaira’s latest effort “The Age Of Hell.” After the somewhat…well…..oddness of 2009’s “The Infection” (many Middle Eastern fans will remember “Destroy and Dominate” being premiered at Dubai Desert Rock Festival 2009) and the loss of 3 band members ; long time bassist Jim LaMarca, keyboardist Chris Spicuzza and the second departure of drummer Andols Herrick, it was doubtful that Chimaira could regain their once dominant standing. However “The Age Of Hell” signifies a brilliant return to form, with the addition of new members not taking away an ounce of Chimaira’s root sound (reminiscent of 2003’s “The Impossibility Of Reason,") in short, if I had to describe this album in two words, it’d be these, “Total Brutality.”
The album opens with the onslaught of a title track, “The Age Of Hell”, pulling listeners in instantly into the thrashing Octagon that Chimaira have created. Reminiscent of anthems such as “Power Trip” and “Pure Hatred” this title track shows right off the bat that Chimaira are out for blood with this record, and have hit you with their thrashiest and heaviest track yet to prove it.
This brilliant title track segways beautifully into “Clockwork” which catches listeners off guard by containing slightly more ambient moments than one would expect from Chimaira. However it’s oddly djenty and easy listening-esque atmosphere provided, many would think that the boys had gone djent! However, they pull another rabbit out of the hat (yes I did just make a magic reference) by keeping things within Chimaira’s brutal ethos, continuing the already assaulting album.
“Losing My Mind” and “Time is Running Out” will be more familiar to the die hard Chimaira fans, reminding all that have seen the band live of their mosh-tastic drums and hard hitting riffs. Drums are provided by new addition Austin D’Amond proving that he can easily match and excel former drummer Andols Herrick. D’Ammond clearly holds his own, being a somewhat newcomer to the metal scene, it’ll be interesting to see how he develops with Chimaira, bringing a new sense of innovative drumming to the table. At the same time guitarists Rob Arnold and Matt DeVries re-earn their brutal stripes, through intense riffing and their driving guitar lines on both songs.
The album then transcends into lead single “Year Of The Snake”, beginning in the typical calm before battle format that Chimaira excel at particularly. The track then erupts into a strange yet awesome combination of groovey riffs mixed with a chugging variety of the same kind. This song’s spotlight has to be on frontman Mark Hunter’s vocals, which I can only describe as beastly. Seriously, this man cannot be human, with his growl’s animalistic tone being brought out almost instantly, and then contrasted greatly with calmer/ambient clean vocals. The coup de grÃĒce being the breakdown, really showing the deathcore bands how it’s done, in a word, epic!
A potential lead single is my personal favorite track from this record, “Born In Blood”. In my view, this track is the album’s crowning glory, featuring vocals from none other than Whitechapel frontman, Phil Bozeman. This track’s dramatic shift in Bozeman’s brutal section displays a clear contrast and a brutal one at that between the two vocal styles. If Mark Hunter’s a beast, then Phil Bozeman’s a bloody demon. Lyrically this song is very potent, once again during Bozeman’s verse, featuring lines such as “These battered broken hands, have been turned to iron fists” and “the way world matters not to me for I hold It in the palm of my hand.” This is the stuff that poets are made of, and such a ferocious combination is sure be resurrected in the future, truly the album’s greatest track.
“The Age Of Hell”, despite it’s triumphant atmosphere, it does fall short on a few tracks. Tracks such as “Stoma” and “Scapegoat” which are, to be honest, pretty lackluster, when compared to the album as a whole. The other song to feature an artist , “Samsara” featuring Daath’s Emil Werstler falls short of the mark ever so slightly, with Chimaira’s unpredictability working against them to create a decent track, that could have been an awesome one.
All of that aside, “The Age Of Hell” is a clear display of Chimaira showing that they are poised once again to “Destroy and Dominate” the world, that they are back on track and more badass than ever. I'm rating "The Age of Hell" 8.5/10.
Welcome back boys! And just as a warning to all who will be seeing the band live (having seen them live myself) be prepared to mosh, and mosh hard! “This Is the Age Of Hell!”
Strongest Tracks
- The Age Of Hell
- Clockwork
- Year of the Snake
- Born in Blood (Feat. Phil Bozeman)
- Weakest Tracks
- Stoma
- Scapegoat
- Samsara (Feat. Emil Werstler)
Order "The Age Of Hell" via Amazon: CD | Mp3
Genre: Metalcore
Label: EMI
Released: September 5th 2011
Reviewer: Tristan French
Young London Metallers ,Rise to Remain’s full length debut , “City Of Vultures”, has been anticipated for quite some time now, after releasing their “Bridges Will Burn” EP back in the first quarter of 2010. However, that EP alone gained them tours with some of metal’s biggest names, including Funeral For A Friend, Bullet For my Valentine, Trivium and Iron Maiden. However, despite a mostly positive reaction, many were cynical of this album prior to its release, stating that the band were “manufactured” and were only receiving exposure due to the inclusion of vocalist, Austin Dickinson (yep, you guessed it, he’s Bruce Dickinson’s son!). These people could not be more wrong. “City Of Vultures” clearly shows why the band is called “Rise To Remain” and not “The Austin Dickinson Band,” as Austin does not hog the spotlight at all. From start to finish “City Of Vultures” is a solid group effort by a talented array of young musicians, prepared to prove the cynics wrong.
The album’s haunting and almost spine chilling intro (serving as the calm before the battle that I personally love oh so much) flows brilliantly into album opener “The Serpent” , a groovy riff fest of a track, immediately displaying the clear skill of guitarists Ben Tovey and Will Homer. Leading the charge however are Pat Lundy’s purely creative and unique drum beats (reminiscent slightly of former Trivium drummer Travis Smith). The sheer aggression is matched by Austin Dickinson’s demonic snarls while his melodious clean vocals sit beautifully on top of the brilliant guitar work.
Rise To Remain continue their aggressive assault with their anthem to the outcasts “This Day Is Mine” and their thrash-tastic title track “City of Vultures.” Again Tovey and Homer prove their riffing prowess, with both tracks rumbling along like a tank at full speed. However both songs contain equally inspiring melodies, which are sure to evoke confidence in all who hear them. The title track’s drums are probably the fastest and most aggressive on the record, so much so that at times that listeners are sure to experience a form of rush from Pat Lundy’s sheer stick/pedal/brutal mastery. The title track contrasts this atmosphere of aggression through a beautifully clean guitar outro, seeing as anyone would need to calm down after that barrage of a song, and a great calmer it serves as too.
Rise to Remain sustain this air of hostility throughout the album, including the lyrically poignant “God Can Bleed”, the dark and melodic chorus of “Power Through Fear”, the hope inspiring lead single “Nothing Left” and the fist pump inducing “We Will Last Forever” whilst cleverly and subtly adding progressive elements to the crunching breakdowns and sing-a-long choruses (djent fans amongst you will spot these right away).
If anyone does steal the show on this record, then it’s lead axeman Ben Tovey. His intelligent combination of melodic leads with a clear display of technical skill, displayed mainly on the sweep based solos of “Nothing Left” and “The Serpent” , while the solo on “God Can Bleed” provides contrast through a simple yet awesome melody. Bottom line, this guy can play!
Austin’s lyrics are also a central part of this record, focusing less on rhyming schemes and simplicity, and focusing more on the actual words being sung. I have to be honest “God Can Bleed” (I think this my favorite track on the album!) actually made me as a listener feel that limits were simply a fragment of the human psyche and that anything was possible, even wounding a god (dramatic way of putting it, but it’s true) and I haven’t felt this way since I first heard Disturbed’s “Indestructible”.
However, despite the unique nature of the band’s sound and their songs, there were some that made less of impact than I originally expected, namely “Talking Through Whispers” and “Illusions”. Out of all the songs on the album, these two are the ones that seem to break the flow of an otherwise well-gelling (if that wasn’t a phrase, it is now) album. Don’t get me wrong, they are both decent tracks in their own right, but in the context of the record…they kind of disrupt it’s natural flow.
All of that aside, “City Of Vultures” proves that Rise To Remain are aware of the steep hill that they have to climb, and that they’ll have to work bloody hard to do it, and although it may not be a flawless record, “City Of Vultures” has achieved what I believe a debut full-length album should, and that’s place a stamp upon the community, and, in the case of Rise To Remain, proved that they aren’t just “some other synthetic band”. Although there are two weaker tracks, the rest of them hit hardly enough to keep listeners more than satisfied. These guys have proved they can play and have the skills to push forward, so I’m going to rate “City Of Vultures” a:
Rise To Remain are definitely worth checking out, they may not be everyone’s cup ‘o’ tea, but are enjoyable and give slight hope to an otherwise dissipating young metal scene in the UK. To quote young Austin, “The Serpent has spoken”.
Strongest Tracks
- Nothing Left
- God Can Bleed
- This Day is Mine
- Power Through Fear
Weakest Tracks
- Talking in Whispers
- Illusions
- Roads
Catch Rise to Remain on their headlining tour throughout the UK in September/October AND on the Defenders Of The Faith III Tour alongside Insense, Ghost, In Flames and Trivium. [Click here to dates]
Release date: April 15th 2012
