Global Metal Apocalypse
Connect With Us
  • Home
  • News
    • Alternative Music News
    • Metal News
    • Live News & Reviews
    • Other Music News
  • Reviews
    • Alternative Music
    • Film Reviews
    • Metal >
      • Metal II
      • Metal III
  • Interviews
    • Alternative Music Interviews
    • Metal Interviews
    • Music Related Interviews
  • Metal Scenes
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Europe
    • North & Central America
    • Oceania
    • South America
  • Blogging
  • Extras
    • GMA Awards
    • GMA In The Press
    • Projects
    • Testimonials
  • Contact

Interview Interrogation: Sammy Sayed of Scarab (Egypt)

29/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

"It's better for us to stay underground, it might turn really hostile if we went big in our home town"


It goes without saying that alongside Crescent, Scarab are spearheading the Egyptian Metal scene on the international front, although they are definitely humble in their origins and yet pushing harder than ever to reach new heights. Having released their 4th album "Martyrs Of The Storm" back in March via ViciSolum Productions, it was only fair for GMA to interrogate their frontman Sammy Sayed about the band's humble origins, the challenges bands in Egypt face, the lack of a fully functional scene i.e. barely any venues, media or market as such, why the album being released on vinyl was a dream come true and something about a word made up by guitarist Al Sharif Marzeban - that word? 'Verminejya'.

Picture

What was the reception like for "Martyrs Of The Storm"? What was the feedback like in Egypt; was there any resistance?

      "I think it's very contradictory because somehow people related to it as it was something a little bit different to what we are doing; songs are heavier, shorter and more complex. So some people didn't really feel it, maybe it takes a while for it grow on them, and on the other hand we have also been showered with an intense positive feedback. But I believe that it is mainly controversial and that's a good thing; it got people to think and that's a good thing, perhaps it's not just music the you can listen to it and enjoy it, you have to dig deeper into it I believe.

     And in regards to any resistance in our home town... Not at all, because anyway this kind of music is underground and I don't believe there will be any kind of market for metal - we try to push for this to happen, but it didn't happen and I don't think it will happen on a major scale. But for the Egyptian Metal scene itself, so far I think people are really digging the album, especially in Egypt because the inspiration comes from here, it comes from what we're going through energetically and it just speaks to them I guess, so they can relate and feel it."


"Martyrs Of The Storm" was released through ViciSolum Productions, will you sign with another label in the future?

     "That is not something we have in mind right now, what we have in mind right now is working harder. With the album, we believe that it's not just music any more and the message has to artistically expand in the sense of more material to come in order to support the release, more things that we should say in order to explain what this album may represent or what it may mean for us. I don't know about expanding, so far ViciSolum have been really good to us and that's all what we need and this is something I would leave for the future; basically we are very happy with ViciSolum anyway."


Would you say this is the most ambitious album Scarab has ever done?

     "It is to me, not just because of how musically it would sound, but the process itself of creating the album was much different to what we've gone through... we've learned a lot through this album and it's like... we were trying to perfect something and I believe there is nothing like called perfection but it is as perfect as it can get, I believe this is the most sacred work that we have done so far and it's an evolution of anything that we have attempted to do in all ways shapes and forms. "Martyrs Of The Storm" is the purification of Scarab's past."


From "Martyrs Of The Storm" which is your favourite song and why?

     "This is a very hard question because we come up with the concept and I interpret the concept later on after the work has been finished, because our way of working (Marz and I) in terms of writing and composing music, it's like channelling or something - so for me when I started to write the lyrics it was also a from of automatic writing. I would unite with the energy of the song and Marz would give me the song titles mainly and I would start to contemplate and follow synchronicities of writing lyrics for the song depending on what it feels like. In the end what I want to say is to choose one song is hard because to us and to me, it feels like the Egyptian tree of life where the leaves are our chapters and every leaf is so important, it's like the human body.

    But if you insist on me choosing then I would go with the first song 'Martyrs Of The Storm', because I think it speaks of what the album is going to be about, what the other tracks would be about - like a good introduction." 


Can you tell us what the word 'Verminejya' in the song title 'Circles Of Verminejya' means?

     "Ha-ha it doesn't mean anything, the title and concept of the song came from Marz and he was like telling me about the 'Circles Of Verminejya', so OK it's not English, it's not any language, it's a made-up-word and so I was like OK so what does it mean? What the f**k does Verminejya mean? He's like 'Verminejya' means danger, it's a magical word, you get the point? It's not something that linguistically means anything but the energy behind it means something. So we started to interpret it and he's like I think it's about Africa, it's about the tradition, the religion and the magic of Africa. We don't like to stick to gimmicks in the sense of trying to act like we are something from 4,000 years ago, so with this song it's like a magical mix between Voodoo in Africa and Ancient Egypt, what it would be like if we mixed both into one thing... that's what Verminejya is, it's a kind of a realm where the magician or priest would hop into a dance ritual for the gods; it's like a magical war. That's what Verminejya is, it's dancing in magical wars furiously, manoeuvring dangerous. It can be taken as a mantra and that's what I think it means for us."


What do your parents think of Scarab's music? Are they very supportive?

     "They are very supportive, no one interfered; I'm lucky, there is a lot of freedom when it comes to my family. They never had a problem with the idea of 'what the f**k are you doing, why are you singing like that?' or anything like this. From my father or mother or any member of the family, they always thought of me as this weird kid who was an artist and is crazy, just leave him be." 

Picture
Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt / Source: Wikipedia
Do you feel that it's becoming ever more important for bands to reflect their national culture?

     "I guess so, but I have to say that I'm not sure if we fell into this idea of acting, the idea of music not being honest would lead it turning into a gimmick. But at the same time I think it's very important for bands to reflect their culture through their music, but it's not an obligation - if you don't feel it, do what you feel. There is one thing that I really hate, how can I explain this, it's not kind of a product where you are going to manufacture and represent, you know this kind of thinking? I hate it because for me, music is very spiritual and if you feel it, do it. If you feel that you have a message to be spoken about, then go ahead and do that, don't think that 'oh because I'm from Egypt, what is it that would make me different from others, I have to stand out' and then sell yourself as a manufactured product... that way of thinking for me, I am really trying not to judge but it's too commercial for me. And it is easy to spot it, simply honest music will always reach the heart."  


Over the years you've had a number of line-up changes, were these all amicable or were there discrepencies?

     "A little bit of both. We've been together as the same line-up until 2014, so from 2006 until late 2014 / early 2015 we started to have different views, interests, things like this. You know when you have had a relationship for a long time, that's how it is. I think we needed a break and some people just needed to break-up from this thing and I wouldn't say musical differences, it's about losing an interest somehow. The people who left had lost the interest in the essence of what they're doing and lost love towards the entity of Scarab itself, so they left; only Tarek Amr took a break and returned back again.

     The only hard thing to do was to replace them, for Scarab it's not business but more of a friendship; we grew up together and have been through a lot, it's friendship before musicianship and so it was really hard to find the right people to replace them; that is the hardest thing we've been through, it was only Al Sharif Marzeban and myself whom were left to serve the band and in terms of writing the music that's fine, but in terms of finding people that can give the right energy, dedication, chemistry, just everything - that's really hard to find until Stephen Moss from the UK (who is a very good friend of ours) helped to record "Martyrs of the Storm" with Al Sharif Marzeban, then he departed.

     We're still friends until now, the only reason I think this is not happening between us any more is actually the distance, that's the main problem; but now we're fine, Tarek Amr is back as a guitarist again and we have a new bassist Ahmed Abdel Samad, after another great bassist from the UK helped to record "Martyrs Of The Storm" (Arran McSporran from De Profundis and Virvum) as a recording musician. 

     It took us from around 2015 until 2020 to find the right people that we could feel right to us, because being a Death Metal band in Egypt is like 'swimming against tides', 'going through the abyss', something like that."



With exception of say Scarab, Crescent and say Mythos, do you feel the Egyptian Metal scene has yet to be fully recognised on the international stage?

     "I believe so very much because, speaking from my own point of view when it first started, when I first started in trying to perform, most of the bands were cover bands and very early on you would find some who would make their own music. But right now it's the other way round actually, which is a very positive thing, there are a lot of bands right now writing their own music, playing and recording their own music. Back in 2009 there was this disbelief about the idea that any band that plays metal music would be able to break through internationally anyway, it was not possible at that time because there was no one else that had done it as far as I know.

     I don't know if we were kind of lucky but we worked hard and luck served us, and we won 'battle of the bands' in Dubai and therefore played Desert Rock Festival alongside Nervecell (The UAE) who are our long-time friends and on the main stage of With Full Force Festival (DE) 2009 and that was the turning point, because for us it was a dream come true and was unbelievable like what the f**k is going on, it's how it felt like 'what was going on, is this magic?'. At the same time, it was an eye-opener I believe for a lot of great bands in Egypt, because there is not only just Scarab, there are other bands that are really good at what they do... the eye-opener is that 'yeah it can happen.'


     I wouldn't say that Scarab is the reason why, maybe we were just mediums for this to happen, it could have been anyone else, it was bound to happen anyway, but Scarab was ready and that is why it happened to us. Also there are two bands who I feel are very successful right now, they are Crescent (Black / Death Metal); back in the days they were playing Black Metal and then they changed their theme into Ancient Egyptian theme and are now their music is being distributed through Listenable Records and have also performed a lot abroad - big festivals...

     Also Odious who are a Symphonic Black Metal band from Alexandria, they've also performed abroad and they do tours, and their music is distributed worldwide. This is a good thing and there are a lot of other good bands that are coming up and I think that the more of this happening, the more it will lead the scene to expand at least internationally, not here... maybe I'm pessimistic OK? But I believe that if this kind of music went big and there was a market here, if you could actually tour Egypt and things like that, I think it's going to be negative, I'm really sorry but I think this is what's going to happen for the time being.

     It's better for us to stay underground, it might turn really hostile if we went big in our home town I believe so - that's my own opinion."



Given the COVID-19 situation, what are some of the plans that Scarab had that are still intact (if any?).

     "Now that everything is cancelled for everyone, so no shows, no tours, nothing, I think what we will be doing is writing new material... but before writing new material we will try to serve the album and maybe do more video material for every track... that's mainly what we are going to be doing and trying to figure out how 2021 would go, and if we're going to be booking shows... I think that's what we will be working on, but mainly since there is a lot of time we will be working on more video material."


For those metalheads visiting Cairo or indeed Egypt as a whole under normal circumstances, aside from the Pyramids, would sights / attractions could you recommend?

     "Well man that's the problem, there are no metal bars in Egypt, not as far as I know and metal shows happen every now and then; it depends on the luck or the research the person who listens to metal is going to visit Egypt in the hope of finding metal stuff, I don't think that's possible unless there's a show. There is Metal Blast Festival, I believe that's a great festival in Egypt because they host international acts like Swallow The Sun, I don't remember what else but they bring decent international acts and make local Egyptian bands open for them. So this is a very positive thing and I hope there is more of this. There are no venues, there is only El Sawy Culture Wheel, in Zamalek, Cairo and there is also, it depends but there is also the Cairo Jazz Club in Agouza, Giza which you can play at as a metal band.

     I would recommend anyone to visit south Sinai to see Saint Catherine's Monastery as well as the beach on the red sea, and also would recommend them to go on to the complete otherwise in Siwa - there is a lot of magic there. I believe these are the the two places that really speak of the essence of Egypt."



Given the resurgence of vinyl, what are your thoughts on Scarab's music being pressed on LP?

     "I'm very happy for it because for me I've always had this as a dream to have Scarab's music on vinyl or record, however cheesy that may sound, but it is to me, the band, Al Sharif Marzeban - Marz was like I wish "Martyrs Of The Storm" would go on vinyl. We didn't ask for it, actually what happened was that Thomas from ViciSolum, as soon as I sent him the final master he was like 'this has to go on vinyl' and then that's when I started to think, I wanted to make the vinyl a bit different than the CD and also the digital version.

     The CD is like a seamless kind of run, it feels like if you are listening to one song; all the tracks enter each other, but with the vinyl it's 5 songs on Side A and the other 5 on Side B - the energy of the first 5 songs on Side A is lighter before it gets darker on Side B with the last 5 songs. Like Side A is rage and anger, Side B is evil. Metaphorically speaking Side A would be the sun, Side B would be the moon. Side B has more of this Black Metal touch to it hidden inside somewhere."



Do you have any greetings or thanks you wish to send out to friends, family, fans etc?

     "Yeah of course I want to thank everyone who supported us throughout the years, and all the musicians that have their energy in some way or shape in the album, the guitarists that Marz invited - Karl Sanders, Joe Haley to name a few, and basically everyone that had their hands into this collaboration. All of our fans, their patience, believing in us, Thomas from ViciSolum for believing in us and being patient for 5 years for us to actually put this together during this hindrance and hardships that we were going through in finding the right members. I wish everyone will stay safe through this process of transition in 2020, wish them peace, growth and wisdom".

https://www.facebook.com/Scarabegypt
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: Flat Earth Society (Spain)

29/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

"isolation isn’t that bad when you’re a nerd and play video games a lot (you’re already kind of used to that lifestyle anyway)."


It's never easy standing out from the crowd when you play a genre that's arguably oversaturated, but there is always a way to make your music slightly more noticeable than others. Just ask Spanish Progressive Metalcore horde Flat Earth Society who seem to have found their rhythm and beat in 'la vida loca' that is the music industry. Having unleashed their debut album "Friends Are Temporary, Ego Is Forever" via Art Gates Records, it comes as no surprise that the quartet are licking their lips at what late 2020 and early 2021 could be winging their way. Given this achivement it was only fair for GMA to interrogatel the Madrileños and find out how they formed as a band, what metalheads can do in Madrid, what makes up their sound and what emotions were like signing to legendary Spanish label Art Gates Records.

Picture
Could you give us a brief history of Flat Earth Society, who came up with the band name and were you in bands previously?

     "We came together from different bands actually. Alex and Carlos were part of a band that was kind of dying and we already had some decent songs built up back then (which are part of the album) and we wanted to see them fruition.

     Drummers in Madrid (or in general) are very lackluster, so Alex receives lots of offers (besides him being really good at the instrument). He eventually auditioned for A Blackened Sight, which Jesús and Daniel were part of. After signing in with them, he noticed Daniel’s vocal prowess and told him about our idea. Daniel liked the project and joined in. Jesús eventually teamed up as well with us, playing bass instead of guitar (his regular instrument). Later on we found Guillem and he proved to be the perfect fifth for our band and signed him up right away.

     The name came quite randomly. We were brainstorming ideas and the situation degenerated quickly, proposing dumber names each time.  We chose the name Flat Earth Society because we thought it would be funny to parody that way of thinking while our lyrics treat scientific topics (Disarray, The Gravity Paradox, The Cataract). Later on we decided to just write whatever lyrics we wanted (Danko, Daniel’s dog, Ligma, a meme disease from Twitch etc…)."



You recorded your debut album 'Friends Are Temporary, Ego Is Forever' last year, talk us through the creation process and the album title meaning?

     "Usually each one of us writes music on its own and then we put it in common. Then we decide which ideas we like and learn them to rehearse them. Then we start playing them over and over while introducing arrangements along the way until we like the final result. Then we took what we had to studio with Alex Cappa and Pablo Rousselon.

     We originally wanted to release a 5-song EP after recording these tracks, but after signing in with Art Gates Records we decided to take their advice and put out a full LP, so we went back to studio and recorded Legfist, CC Chain and Tortuga. We feel the meaning of the title speaks for itself, although there are open interpretations about it. We’d rather people try to figure it out on their own."



How would you describe your sound without the use of genres? What / who are your influences in and outside metal?

     "Our sound is pretty experimental, we think that in a way some of our instrumentals are pretty ambiental, most of our songs are harmonious and pretty melody based, the rough part comes mostly with the vocals and the drums in certain parts. we classify our music as emotionally aggressive.
The most notorious influences reflected in this album may come from August Burns Red, Erra, Veil of Maya, Born of Osiris, Tesseract and maybe Periphery and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Outside Metal we have various influences, such as Salsa music, Flamenco, mostly hispanic music."



What was it like for you signing with such a prestigious label in Art Gates Records? Who initiated the contact first?

     "We already had contact with them due to a friend who collaborated in the past with Noctem and AGR, so he recommended us. We showed them part of our music and the general idea around the project and the album. They liked it and we moved forward with it. Everything was going smooth until the recent crisis. Working with them has been an enormous learning experience regarding how things are done the right way for a band who wants to reach far away places. Now we have to wait until things get better and see how we can resume our course."


As Spain is amidst a lock down due to COVID-19, what have you been doing at home; both in and outside of music?

     "We’re doing relatively fine considering the lockdown we’re suffering in Spain right now. However isolation isn’t that bad when you’re a nerd and play video games a lot (you’re already kind of used to that lifestyle anyway). Stay home folks, don’t risk your health or other people’s"


For metalheads visiting your home town / city (where?) what sights / attractions could you recommend (under normal circumstances)?

     "You gotta check Madrid’s down-town, lot of museums, lot of great architecture and if you are a fan, you gotta check Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid’s stadiums. If you ever come here under normal circumstances, be sure to also check the local food."


What plans do you have for the foreseeable future (COVID-19) depending and what has already been cancelled?

     "Most of what we had already talked through has been cancelled as for anyone else in the industry. We will try to take the album to the stages in and out of Spain as soon as it is logistically possible."

https://www.facebook.com/flatearthprog
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: Theodor Kapnas from Hamferð (Faroe Islands)

29/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

"There's stuff happening (on band releases), and hopefully 2020 will end up being a golden year for Faroese metal."


Having released their 2nd EP 'Ódn' last year to widespread acclaim, the Faroese Melodic Doom / Death Metallers Hamferð are eternally grateful for the achievements they have made during the past 12 years. Sadly however 2020 marked a tricky time for the band as guitarist John Egholm left the band, that but also the global pandemic the whole world is grappling with in COVID-19; putting a halt to the vast majority of the bands plans. We speak to guitarist Theodor Kapnas about the reception their latest EP attracted, the challenges Faroese Metal bands face, the inspiration behind their on-stage attire and the COVID-19 situation on the Faroe Islands.

Picture
You released your 2nd EP 'Ódn' last year, what was the reception like and will there be a new album in 2021?

     "The EP has been very well received. It does feel different from our other records though. One of the songs is a live recording of "Deyðir varðar" from 2015 which we did during the total solar eclipse, and the second one is a live recording from our release show in 2018 of our oldest song, "Ódn", which we've performed live extensively but have never released until now. So even if we released it as a new EP it's technically older material. People seem to have enjoyed it, and we're really happy to have the tracks out there.

     We are working on new material and have quite a bit written, but it's too early to promise any release dates. I do hope that it'll be in 2021 though."


You may well have been asked this many times, could you tell us about the idea behind your stage attire (being suits) - who came up with it, etc?

     "The stage suits are part of the original idea behind Hamferð. John founded the band because he was inspired to create Doom Metal in Faroese, and one of the main ideas was that our live show should be inspired by the atmosphere of a funeral. Traditional funeral wear in The Faroe Islands is either traditional Faroese clothes or a black suit, white shirt and black tie to a funeral. So the suit idea came quite naturally. It's something we feel works well for our shows, so we've stuck with it and probably will keep on doing so for the foreseeable future."


For those who cannot speak a word of Faroese, can you offer some tips in how to sing along to your music?

     "That's a tricky one. I guess you can just learn the songs phonetically. We've all sung along to songs while having absolutely no idea what the lyrics were about. One way would also be to make your own version of misheard lyrics of the songs. And if someone does that please let us know, we'd love to see them!"


Are the Faroe Islands in lock down? If so what have you been doing at home both musically and in other hobbies?

      "First and foremost, The Faroe Islands isn't in lockdown. Large gatherings are banned and social distancing rules are applied, but shops are open and a lot of people are still going to work. But it does of course leave you with more alone time than usual. This has given me time to be able to finish a few musical projects which have been laying around for too long, which now lets me focus fully on continuing with writing the next Hamferð record. I was supposed to do quite a bit of touring as sound engineer during the spring, but that has obviously been cancelled. The rest of the guys live in different places and have been affected in different ways, but this situation affects all of us.

     When it comes to hobbies I've done the usual, I love being outdoors and now I suddenly have time for a lot of hiking, fishing, diving etc... The main difference is that people are now trying to avoid seeing other people and are therefore heading out of the towns. So hikers have appeared absolutely everywhere."


Picture
Tórshavn, Faroe Islands / Source: Flickr @ Erik Christensen
Would you say the Faroese Metal scene is growing stronger each year or has it been a rocky journey?

     "The Faroe Islands is a very small place, so the metal scene moves in waves. A few years ago we had a lot of active metal bands, but as our generation has been getting older more and more guys have stopped playing that has obviously affected things. I don't think kids feel that it's as cool to be in a band as we did when we were teenagers, so there have been fewer new bands popping up.

     Having said that, we still have some really good bands in The Faroes, and 2020 is looking like a very strong release year for Faroese metal. I can recommend checking out the band Ótti, which features two Hamferð members. They just released their debut album, definitely worth a listen. Impartial and Asyllex have also released new stuff, and I know that Goresquad and Iron Lungs are releasing new stuff this year. So there's stuff happening, and hopefully 2020 will end up being a golden year for Faroese metal.



What (in your opinion) are the biggest challenges facing the new crop of metal bands coming up the ranks in the Faroes?

     "The challenges are the same as they have always been. The audience in The Faroes is limited, and it's harder than ever to find a rehearsal space which is a challenge for a lot of bands. However, the work that Upp Við Hornunum has done with local events and the Wacken Metal Battle competition has really helped. Bands have been given an incentive to perform live, and it has never been easier to get in contact with people from the international metal industry."


What plans for the year ahead do you have (COVID-19 depending); did you have before this pandemic?

     "We have a few shows coming up later this year, if that will be allowed by that time. But apart from that this year is set aside to write a new record. We can hopefully start recording that later this year or early next year. So that's where most of our focus lies at the moment."


Do you have any greetings or thanks you wish to send out? Any final words?

     "Stay safe out there everyone, wash your hands and we'll hopefully see all of you when this virus situation is over..."

https://www.facebook.com/Hamferd
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: Joe Crudgington from Drownd (England)

29/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

"The best part is when the sun drops and it turns to night - down-town L.A. completely changes and so do the people haha... "


Swapping the back streets of London / Essex for the sun-soaked pavements of Los Angeles should be an easy task surely? Well for Joe Crudgington it's worked out alright, although for the time being he's back in London. Being the frontman of Industrial Rock / Metal outfit Drownd brings it's own challenges as he goes on to explain during our interview with him, but things on the other hand are sweet too - a label signing, an album release later this year and a full live show to come... Joe talks to us about this rollercoaster ride and why metal is close to his heart.

Picture

Hi guys so firstly how does it feel signing to Armalyte Records?

     "Hi Rhys! Yeah man, it was a great thing to sign up to Armalyte at the start of last year. It's nice just for a bit of recognition that people are into your stuff and it's not just yourself grinding away thinking that you're writing good stuff. The guys that run it are great too - massive music fans that have been in the scene for ages so they know what they're talking about, plus their roster includes some pretty impressive artists (PIG, Cubanate, Chemlab, plus loads of others), so it's quite an honour to have my name, DROWND on there with them. They're just a really nice label to deal with and genuinely care about the quality and content of the finished product - the way to be as far as I'm concerned."


Given the nature of the band in terms of the line-up, you must be excited to finally showcase your music live at the end of the year?

     "Ah for sure - DROWND did it's debut show on the 10th December 2019 at The Black Heart in Camden with Riotmiloo supporting. It managed to pull a decent crowd for a first show, as really, no one had any idea what to expect - people had basically just put a load of faith in me and hope haha... It could in theory have been a total s**t show, but alas, as a debut, I think it went really well - sounded great thanks to all the hard work programming the live set, rehearsing it up and visually I think it came across pretty well. Definitely plenty of room for improvement, but a good first show to get under the DROWND belt. There will be big changes to visuals, stage attire and line up changes in the future too, so plenty of exciting stuff for the DROWND live shows if this pandemic bulls**t ever leaves us to crack on and pick up the pieces."


Given you're into Marilyn Manson, NIN and Gary Numan, etc were they artists/bands you grew up listening to, or was your music landscape totally different?

     "I've always been into heavy music since I was a kid - I mean I think I speak for a lot of people my age when I say that I was massively into the music that was on the soundtracks of games like Tony Hawks Pro Skater, Matt Hoffman's BMX, Dave Mirra's BMX etc... These tracks were like a gateway into Manson and NIN - I mean when I first listened to NIN and what Reznor was doing, it blew my f**king mind man - I'd never heard anything like it - the songwriting, the sound design, the production and engineering of the records, etc - just something else entirely.

     I still listen to these artists literally everyday, alongside a lot of soundtrack / score work (the American Beauty score has been being played heavily recently) and also since I found out about him a while back, I've been well into an artist called Ghostemane - I love his heavy, evolving, genre spanning music and he's got the images and visuals as well as a savage live show to back it all up. Skynd are another one - again, great sounding original, well produced music but with concepts, visuals and a live show to back it all up - the full package."



Last year you moved to California, what was the transition like from living in the grey streets of London to the sun-soaked boulevards of Los Angeles?

     "Whoa L.A. is a crazy ass place - that's for sure. It's worlds apart from other cities like London I think - people seem somewhat more inclined to help and collaborate out there. I mean I've been fortunate to meet some great and talented people in my time there and would consider to be good friends too. The weather out there helps massively, I mean, where I was, you'd get up in the morning, virtually guaranteed sunshine and crazy high temperatures, have a swim, have some breakfast and then crack on with writing music.

     The alternative music scene seems a lot bigger out there too with plenty of different gigs going on all over. It's quite an inspiring place to be too - I mean, I love down-town L.A. - a lot of people hate it, but it's so f**king weird and scary in certain areas that you can't help but be inspired. The best part is when the sun drops and it turns to night - down-town L.A. completely changes and so do the people haha... At the moment I'm back here in London which seems like an absolute world away from L.A. what with the current pandemic sticking its teeth in nicely, but fingers crossed this s**t will be over soon and I'll be back out there asap."


Picture
Los Angeles, California / Source: Marriott Hotels
Do you feel that in recent years the Industrial - Goth blend has had a resurgence of sorts? Or has it been chugging along nicely?

     "Hmm I'm not really sure - I think it's always been there and always will to a degree. I think every now and then an artist or two will make it big from kinda within that scene, but as far as my experience goes, the goth / industrial stuff has always seemed pretty insular - just my opinion. That said, the fans and people involved in the goth scene are HUGE supporters which is great and they are genuinely interested and care about the music that you put out."


Joe, you undertook red carpet duties at both The Heavy Music Awards and Metal Hammer Golden God awards - talk us through your emotions that night.

     "Haha yeah that was great for sure - it was bizarre. I mean, we would be knocking about backstage and then Ozzy Osbourne would just casually walk past... It was also the first time I met Skynd too who were there and involved with the event which was great."


Given the state of the world as it is with COVID-19, do you feel it's more important than ever for musicians and fans to engage together in any way they can?

     "It's a weird time to be in at the moment, isn't it? So much uncertainty. That's what is doing me in, the fact that I can't plan anything - we've already had one DROWND show pulled thanks to COVID-19 which was supposed to be at the Lounge in Camden which will be rescheduled at some point. The other band I play in, Sulpher, has had loads of dates cancelled and re-arranged which sucks - we literally played 2 shows in Toronto JUST before everything got shut down - we only just managed to get flights back to London haha! If I'm honest, I'm highly doubtful we're gonna be doing any live shows for the rest of 2020, I mean, I've basically resigned myself to it all kicking off again in 2021, but fingers crossed I'm totally wrong and we can get back to live shows and some sort of normality. But in the midst of this lockdown I have been writing like nothing on earth and it's the best sounding stuff I've written to date in my opinion, plus I've got tonnes of ideas for videos, images etc which we are currently filming and putting together as part of a real special release. Watch this space.


What are your plans for the forthcoming year? Do you have any greetings you wish to send out to friends, fans, etc?

     "I think I kinda rattled on a bit with the last question and semi-answered this one. But yeah, my plans are basically finish what I'm working on (which I'm very excited about) and see what people think of it. Then I'd like to see where we stand with live shows and get some worthwhile gigs booked up. There's also some exciting Sulpher dates lined up too with a few festival slots and a couple O2 shows and maybe some small tours later in the year, but it's all a bit hush hush for now and just waiting to see where we stand with this current pandemic. Time will tell.

Thanks for your time mate, Joe."


https://www.facebook.com/drownd
https://www.instagram.com/drownd_music/
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: V.I.T.R.I.O.L.: from Anaal Nathrakh (England)

20/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture


"In the end though, nepotism will always be the most effective tool. So be good friends with someone influential, butter up or pay the appropriate people to get into the frame for the big tours"


Arguably you can place Anaal Nathrakh in the same bracket as Australia's The Berzerker and Canada's sorely-missed Strapping Young Lad, for being pure fucking extreme metal. For a duo who have been serving up nihilistic and downright filthy albums since 1999, Anaal Nathrakh have shown no signs of slowing down and with the forged relationship between V.I.T.R.I.O.L.: and Irrumator, they are unbreakable; no matter how many pieces of equipment they go through by harnessing their beautifully dark minds in synchronicity.

Album no.11 will see daylight sometime this year but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is no clear cut release date, but what is clear cut is that it's destined to leave you needing fresh underwear. It was then only fair for GMA to interrogate V.I.T.R.I.O.L. about the unmovable partnership the band has, what he has been doing since the UK went into lockdown and how music distribution has changed in context with what challenges the band faced years ago to what newer bands could face these days... oh and having a question about the new wave of British Extreme Metal being answered in a unique way; the interviewee asking the interview; much love Dave :).

Picture

Album #11 is coming out this year, is there a definitive title yet or are some ideas being bounced around; what stage is the album at?


     "Hello. Yes, everything is completely finished, we handed the whole album over to Metal Blade Records a while back. But then immediately after we’d done so, the COVID-19 pandemic kicked off.  So we’re in limbo to some extent now, and we don’t know what’s going to happen next. Presumably MB want to continue to release music, because people out there in the world in lockdown can still seek out and listen to new music – in fact music might be a particularly important thing for many people at the moment. I’ve been listening more myself, certainly. But at the same time, presumably the people at the label, the pressing plants, the distributors and so on are mostly working from home or furloughed. So yeah, the album is complete, but we’ve no idea what will happen with it next."


What can you tell us about the new album that has no relation to the previous album? e.g. themes, differences between this and "A New Kind of Horror"?

      "Well the last album had a lot to do with the First World War because of the time we were writing it, which obviously isn’t the case with this one. So in terms of subject matter it’s very different in many respects. There’s a lot in it, but I suppose you could say that a lot of it focuses on the position of the person or individual – basically, you or I, or a person we could very easily have been – in the world. That’s especially the case with the cover art, too, which is particularly striking this time. I’ve been thinking a lot more about art over the last year or so, and in working with Mick [Kenney] on the artwork for this album, we’ve really outdone ourselves. 

     But art aside, in general, I think we humans are increasingly subject to manipulation, for example even to the extent that the Government’s responses to the coronavirus crisis here in the UK were initially dictated not by experts on viruses, but by behavioural scientists. And it’s turned out that in many respects, even though the album was written before the virus came along, it’s just as applicable in the new updated global context. Musically it’s more direct, I think. For the kind of music it is, I think it’s probably more accessible – obviously I don’t mean it’s pop music, and something filled with blast beats and screaming can only be accessible in a relative sense. But even by our standards as a band you can latch on to despite the viciousness of the music, I think it’s even more immediate than before. But we won’t know whether that’s borne out in other people’s experiences until the things is finally fucking released!"



As a band you've been going 21 years now, (how time flies) would you agree the British Extreme Metal is experiencing a new wave of bands?

     "Haha, I’m not sure how the two halves of that question go together! When you’ve been doing something for ages, it usually means you have less of an idea what’s going on with people who have just started doing it, not more! I think perhaps your question would be better answered by a journalist like you rather than by me."
[Rhys: Touche Dave, got me there; the UK Extreme Metal scene is amidst a new wave for sure]


As the UK is in lock down, what have you been doing at home both musically and in other hobbies?

      "It’s a weird mixture of intentions and inertia. I think a lot of people have found themselves expecting and fully intending to get on with all the little projects they’d not got around to, but then in reality sitting in their pants eating shit in front of the TV. My mental escape has always been games, so I’ve been playing quite a lot. I’ve also been thinking about some philosophical stuff – I recently finished a really big piece of work, and it’s possible that I could polish some parts of it and seek to publish them, so I’ve been thinking about some problems that I’d have to solve to get them to publishable quality. 

     It won’t make sense to many people, but if you’re into that sort of thing, basically it’s about the roles of cognitive vs. conative elements of a hybrid metaethical position. But mostly I’ve been sitting on my arse and festering into an ever greater loathing of my fellow humans and the twats on the telly and the radio who act like they know what they’re doing, but who are actually incompetent, self-serving, arse-covering fuckwits. Just like everyone else."


Picture
Birmingham skyline, England / Source: MeetBirmingham

Arguably you're one of the strongest metal duo's to be still active and so what is it that makes you both tick along nicely?

     "Tick along nicely? This is Anaal Nathrakh, not a long-running car boot sale or someone’s happily married grandparents. We do what we do together because when we get together and work on this stuff, the results excite us. We specifically don’t have a trick or formula that makes things smooth and easy. That would be boring, and alienate us from any creative satisfaction. There’s never any thought of ‘ok, back to the old job, and this time around…’, because every new thing we do is ad hoc and vital and expressive, not mechanistic. We have a significantly optimised approach to recording, for example, because we know what we’re doing, but despite that we haven’t recorded in the same place twice in a row in nearly a decade, we usually use different equipment, and the cares and concerns we have at any given time are fresh and immediate. 

     A band like Bolt Thrower could perhaps approach an album and say to themselves ‘OK, how do we talk in a slightly different way about war this time?’. And it worked brilliantly for them. But that’s just not how our minds work. Yes, when we work together on Anaal Nathrakh there’s a similarity or continuity with our previous stuff, because it’s us and it’s Anaal Nathrakh. But beyond that there’s no trick or method – we do what we do because we know who we are, we know we get on well, and we know if we focus and work as hard as we possibly can, we will think the results are fucking brilliant.  Even if nobody else did, haha!"



What (in your opinion) are the biggest challenges facing the new crop of metal bands coming up the ranks in the UK?

     "I have little idea, to be honest – you’d have to ask someone who’s in that position. If anything I’m sick of the solipsism that makes people feel entitled to comment on the predicaments of others without actually understanding the peculiar difficulties of others’ situations. It’s like an MP saying they could live on universal credit when they haven’t got a fucking clue about life outside their privilege.  Having said that, one of the big things must be how to adapt to the fact that the world has moved on in terms of distribution and performance channels. Nowadays a lot of music culture revolves around Instagram and so on in a way I find distasteful, but which is simply the norm to most people. That’s an issue for all bands, but it must be especially acute for those trying to build some initial recognition and rise among the plethora of others on Bandcamp or wherever. 

     It still applies if you have significant recognition among potential fans, of course, but if hardly anyone has ever heard your band name yet, it’s got to be harder. We had early success on mp3.com back in the day – it was more like an early YouTube kind of thing back then, not the corporate pop shit thing is it now – but nowadays you have to navigate a much more complex network of genre tagging, big-data-style keyword heuristics, game search results, all that kind of shit. In the end though, nepotism will always be the most effective tool. So be good friends with someone influential, butter up or pay the appropriate people to get into the frame for the big tours, and in the UK, be from London. Then you’ll soon be doing better than us and be more able to answer that question than we are."



What plans for the year ahead do you have (COVID-19 depending); did you have before this pandemic?

      "Well, it’s basically impossible to answer that question. As it happens, we were planning on keeping a somewhat lower profile in terms of shows, just playing key events. But now we don’t even know when the album is likely to come out, everything’s cancelled, and no one can book shows and tours at all. For example, just as the virus blew up in the West, we were in talks about a really big festival show in South America, possibly along with some tour dates on that side of the world. But that’s completely out the window now. Depending on how the prognosis for society develops, perhaps we’ll have to think of something innovative and unconventional to do. But for the time being, it’s a waiting game to see what will happen."


Do you have any greetings or thanks you wish to send out? Any final words?

"Thanks. Remain indoors."

https://www.facebook.com/Anaalnathrakhofficial
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: Cecrops and Nirah from Reptilium (Ecuador)

20/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
 
Having only released their second EP "Adrenochromacy" via Slam World Wide on April 17th, Ecuadorian Brutal Death Meta trio Reptilium are on course to cause some buzz in the underground. They will need it given the fragility of the Ecuadorian Metal scene as they went on to explain. Here we chat to the guys about the EP itself, their metal scene and why life in general is uncertain in Ecuador right now, with socio-political factors playing a huge part. Stepping up to be interrogated is vocalist / guitarist Nirah and drummer / lyricist Cecrops.

Picture

For those who have not heard of Reptilium can you tell us how you formed and came up with the band name?

Nirah:-

     "When everything started we used to play together in our youth. Years ago a gig brought us together again, and the atmosphere created was so complete the obvious idea came: "Man, we got to do something new, far more extreme than all previous projects."

Cecrops:-

     "Regarding the name and concept, it is about being aware of the reality in this world, we felt the need to focus this new musical project on exposing all of what is really going on behind the global facade of materialism and consumerism, from the point of view of the superior race that can achieve to be."


What made you want to play Brutal Death Metal and who are your main influences?

Nirah:-

     "We are lifelong extreme music fans from the start, with far too many influences to name. In this case Brutal Death Metal merges all things in the right way."


You just released your 2nd EP 'Adrenochromacy', what have you done differently in comparison to your debut EP?

Nirah:-

     "'Adrenochromacy' comes from the same writing process as its predecessor, "Conspiranoic" (2019). We saved some of the strongest tracks for this second one. it's simply heavier and darker in all aspects."


Tell us about the Ecuadorian Metal scene, how long has it been going, the challenges bands face, festivals, venues, media, etc?

Nirah:-

     "Ecuador is a small "nation" with no established scene as such unlike in other places. This has forced us to send our music as far as possible around the world, wherever similar minds are."

Picture
Quito with Cotopaxi in background, Ecuador / Source: Trekearth

Given the standards of living and socio-political climate in Ecuador, do you feel this adds 'fuel to the fire' for more extreme metal bands to emerge?

Cecrops:-

   "Hard times, "plannedemics" and media lies will bring piss on the people, and therefore the resurface of pissed off music and arts is close. Global fear can also be handy as a wake up call for the masses."


What do your parents think of your music, do they understand metal music?

Cecrops:-    

     "Peoples from Orion and the artificial moon don't judge free will in the same way as human beings do, support is always present among our circles."


For metalheads visiting Quito, what sights / attractions could you recommend (under normal circumstances) and what should they be wary of?

Cecrops:-

     "There are many fine micro breweries all around the city, for those interested in evil temples there are many cool ancient churches and catacombs in Quito's old down town. Be weary of poisonous alcoholic drinks, apes love their booze down here."


What plans do you have for the rest of the year (COVID-19 depending) and has any plans altered?

Cecrops:-

     "The first step has been achieved in releasing this brand new EP a few days ago, there's also plans for a video for one of the songs, depending on the police state. We tend to work in a studio / internet way, so quarantine is no obstacle."


Do you have any thanks or greetings you wish to send out?

Cecrops:-

     "A big shout out to our partners at "The Undernetwork", to the Reptilium Sect growing all around the world, and everyone who researches conspiracies and digs deep for the truth, never give up. Harass the 1% on top!"


Bandcamp: reptiliumsect.bandcamp.com
Instagram: @reptiliumsect
Facebook: @reptiliumsect
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: Heidi and Rikke from Konvent (Denmark)

19/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

"Don't think that you are anything, don't think that you're better than me, you're not special... that's the law of Jante."


Konvent are one of the newest and exciting metal bands to emerge from Denmark in recent years and having unleashed their thunderous album "Puritan Masochism" via Napalm Records back in January, it was only fair that GMA gave the ladies an interrogation... of course we played nice, after all their own brandished style of Death / Doom Metal should not be taken lightly, nor should the musicianship of this fearless foursome. Bassist Heidi Withington Brink and vocalist Rikke Emilie List spoke to us about the fortune they've had with the debut album, the label signing and the growing international fanbase they have. In addition to this they spoke about what the whole Jante law concept is about, why vinyl is a gemstone of Copenhagen and how the Danish Metal scene is embracing a new wave of bands.

Picture

Heidi, Rikke, can you tell us how the band name 'Konvent' came about?

    "It came about because Heidi suggested the Danish word 'kloster' which means 'monastery' or a 'convent', but that name was already taken by another band, but we really liked that word and we kind of fell in love with the 'k' in the beginning. Then I [Rikke] suggested what about the English word 'convent' and then just replace the 'c' with a 'k', we thought about it for I think about 3 months; we just tried to brainstorm band names and in the end Sara was like "what about that word 'Convent'"? I kinda like that and we all agreed that we actually like that, so yeah that's how the name came to be. I really like the idea that Heidi suggested because I think it's funny to have a word that indicates an institution; monasteries and convents, there's no storytelling in that word."


How did you choose Death / Doom Metal as your sound, what or who inspired you?

     "[Heidi] It was never something we decided upon, it was just when we got together; at the time Sara and I were jamming riffs together and this is what just sort of come out, we never decided that we're going to play Death / Doom Metal. We all knew that we wanted to play something heavy, something evil sounding and we wanted to use grow vocals, that was only the few things we thought about. So it was a little bit accidental that this is is what came out, Sara and I will always agree a lot when it comes to riffs, I feel like we've never been very against things when it comes to music; we agree a lot upon the genre, what we play and the different things we want to explore."


     Being an all-female metal band, do you feel there is as much stigma towards female musicians or has it lessened over the years?


     "[Heidi] I wouldn't know how it was before, I can only of course talk about how it is now and I feel like the stigma is the thing that people want to call it 'female" and put that in as a genre as well; but it doesn't really define the genre. A lot of people don't even know that we are girls when they listen to our music and I feel like maybe it's getting better because more women are getting out there and doing it; showing other women that it's normal and the more we normalise it, the more people hopefully won't see it as something special.

     But of course we as only most girl bands do, we were just on tour and I experienced a few times getting called some kind of sexist remark - trying to sell out my gear and stuff like that, that's annoying... that's really annoying because you're trying to do your job and what you love the most and it's kind of like, it hits you, gets you out of the bubble of how awesome it is being in doing this and then suddenly someone says something, and you just have to go out and just breathe and be like OK it's just one jerk and the rest of the audience is really nice, so you still have to go out and do your best, and not let it affect you.


     [Rikke] It is a hard question to answer, but I feel like personally I'm seeing more and more women in metal, mainly as the lead vocalist or bassist or keyboardist. But I think that more and more women are popping up on bands you would stumble upon through social media, metal blogs, whatever I think it's becoming more open, or I think that more women are thinking 'hey we can actually do this as well, this is not just a boys club'. So I think that we're seeing a slow but steady increase on women in the metal scene."


Having released your debut album 'Puritan Masochism' earlier this year through Napalm Records, this must have been a dream start for the band?

     "[Rikke] Absolutely and the album has been received so well, we've had a lot of positive reviews and have sold a lot of our records on tour this February and we honestly cannot believe it (laughs), it's been a very overwhelmingly positive reception of this album, so we couldn't be happier."


Can you tell us more about 'Puritan Masochism', how you came up with the title, the song titles, the creative process duration, etc?

     "[Heidi] Regarding how long it took to put together, it's been a process ever since the demo which was recorded back in 2017, back then we already had one extra song which was too new to put on the demo... I can't remember which one but it's one of the songs on the album, ever since the demo we've been working on and writing more material for an album, but it wasn't really before we got in contact with Napalm Records that we really started being more serious about 'OK we really now have to get started', even that took us a while because it's not always easy; especially if you're new to making music and you have to figure out 'how am I best creatively?'; what do I do when I feel a lack of creativity?

     So it's been a process, but I feel like the guitar and bass have gotten into a really good rhythm where we write riffs at home and then we send it to each other, trying to get a feel for it and then we try and record it into a program on the computer and then we send it to the guys, and then try and go into the rehearsal space and soon as we have a song it usually goes fast, because Rikke is very fast at writing very good lyrics and Julie is also good at finding drums when we're set. It's been... I'm excited for the next album, because I feel like we know each other better now, but regarding 'Puritan Masochism', the title would you like to talk about that Rikke?

    [Rikke] Initially it was just the title of the song, but we really really liked that and we decided that we also want to use that title as the album title and then maybe change the song title, but we couldn't just come up with another song title and so in the end we just keeping it as both. I think it's just us not being organised and taking the time to think about all these things (laughs), because you know when we were recording the album there were so many things to keep a track of and plan, suddenly you've reached your deadline and [panic]."



What do your parents think of your music?

     "[Heidi] They are very, very supportive; all of our parents and I think our parents are our biggest fans because they've been with us from the beginning. They were some of the first people to hear the first few songs, they're at our our shows. My mum and Rikke's dad have been with us on tour as drivers from the recent tour and we've had several of our parents as drivers heading to different gigs. So they're very, very supportive.

     [Rikke] As for them liking the music, my mum has been very open and was like... 'no' (laughs), but she still supports what we do so (laughs)...

     [Heidi] Actually the other day, my mum was sitting outside in the garden in the sun and she was listening to music and I just came out and thought she was listening to some of the music she likes listening to, then she took her earphones out and gave it over to me and she was listening to our album!!! So she likes it, I think she likes because she knows it's her daughter who made it because you wouldn't listen to it otherwise I think [her mum starts shaking her head]."



With that in mind do you feel that people who don't listen to metal, sometimes just don't understand it?

     "[Rikke] Absolutely, I think that a lot of people who don't usually listen to metal hear a song and they completely shut down because all they can hear is someone screaming, and that it's an uncomfortable noise, but the thing is with metal you need to invest time in listening to it and listening to it again in order to try and get into it. When you do, it just becomes great, not all the music I listen to now is from the first time I heard it, but you've just got to give it one more shot and one more shot again and suddenly you get it; that's how I feel about it. It's about giving it a chance." 

Picture
Copenhagen, Denmark / Source: Getbybus

Would it be easier to do Death / Doom Metal in Danish or English in your opinion?

     "[Rikke] Actually we're working on a new song right now where I've incorporated some Danish...

     [Heidi] What? I didn't know that.


     [Rikke] Yeah well maybe actually get with the programme? (laughs)

     [Heidi] I've been sick and doing my exams just for the record (laughs).

     [Rikke] But yeah so everything is kind of up in the air right now, maybe we'll change it, maybe we'll keep it, but that was just a feeling I got when I wrote the riffs for this new song and I was just like 'Ok I feel like singing to this in Danish, let's try it out', but yeah I feel like it depends on the song and not necessarily the genre."



Denmark has had a long history in metal with the likes of King Diamond, Hatesphere, etc., do you feel that we're nowadays experiencing a 'New Wave of Danish Metal'?

     "[Heidi] I definitely think so, I think that there are so many bands right now doing really great both in Denmark and outside of Denmark as well; I haven't seen a time like this since I've been listening to metal. I think it's unique and I think it's very, very and really cool that we're [Konvent] able to be a part of that because there are so many other great Danish bands right now... it's insane, so many different genres as well.

     [Rikke] Yeah I agree actually, I feel like we can really see new bands want to experiment and not fit into a certain genre, I think people are sick of seeing bands just trying to sound exactly like Cannibal Corpse or Slayer or whatever, so I feel like a lot of bands right now are really trying to do their own thing and are succeeding in doing a really good job. It's a great time to be in Denmark, except for when there's a lockdown and you can't actually go to concerts."



With that in mind, are you discussing new music and merch ideas for Konvent frequently during the lockdown?

     "[Rikke] Yeah I think we're in touch almost everyday, talking about new riffs and keeping each other updated on what we're working on at home, trying to plan as much as we can; getting inspiration and seeing how much we can do from home. It's very frustrating at not being able to be at our rehearsal space.

     [Heidi] Yeah we actually just last night, Sara and I updated our riff library where we share the riffs that we have made and we just updated it with all the new riffs that we've had on our phones and it was actually quite long all of a sudden, all different riffs and was almost like an album that we have here, we just have to like put the puzzle together; that's the hard part. But yeah it's going to be fun to get to play together and try some new things out, because 2 weeks before the lock down I was at home and not in the rehearsal space because I had an exam. So I really, really are longing to get out there again because the other guys started doing a new song and I really wanted to be there as well, it's going to be good."



Have you had any instances where you've had fans reach out to you from unsuspecting places?

     "[Heidi] (laughs) yeah from all over the world, it's crazy. Especially, this is something we had happen a long time before the album, we would get contacted by several people from around the world but especially with the album we have gotten a lot of attention from North America because Napalm Records has a base out there who are really good at doing PR and getting reviews, interviews, etc., so we're getting a lot of attention from over there. But also South America, Asia, Russia, Australia, all over Europe."


For metalheads visiting Copenhagen, in your opinion what are the best sights, attractions and venues to go to?

     "[Heidi] Loppen in Christiania is a very good venue for music, they have put on a lot of metal as well, then there's Pumpehuset where we played our release show and then there's a lot of smaller venues also - places like Amager Bio, Basement, Vega... [Rikke] - you can go for the building alone, it's just so beautiful (around the 14th-15th century) and is protected by the Government, meaning it cannot be knocked down.

     [Rikke] I've seen a lot of concerts at Vega, such as Gojira, pop bands also play there, it's a venue you can go to for everything. But when it comes to the sights, I feel like that there's a lot of craft beer, bars in Copenhagen and it's like, just pick one and its going to be great (laughs)."



Could you please explain to non-Nordic people the concept of Jante law?

     "[Rikke] That's if you feel like another person is showing off, or bragging and you get a feeling inside that they shouldn't do that or that they should be humble, I think that that's what it means. Or it's a feeling that you can't yourself be ambitious or aim for the stars, it's about knowing your place and staying humble, not bragging, keeping quiet I think.

    [Heidi] Which can be good and bad in different settings, it's kind of like don't think that you are anything, don't think that you're better than me, you're not special... that's the law of Jante."


Is Jante law still very much engrained in Danish society?

     "[Both] Yeah.

      [Heidi] Of course there's always going to be people who like to tell the world how great they are, you will always have those kinds of people, but most people in Denmark I would say are pretty humble, you don't think about how much you make, you don't really speak about it if you have a lot of wealth - you keep that to yourself because you don't want to try and make the other people feel bad or inferior. So we're like the opposite of the USA, here it's like don't think you are anything.

     [Rikki] But I think it can also apply to bands as well, like some people think it's not OK to go out and say 'I want to go play on the other side of the world, I want to do this where I am living, travel the world and tour and be a professional musician and just aim for the stars, go 100% out on this idea - this could result in bands holding things back in case they're concerned about what other people might think. So they're lowering their own ambitions because they don't want people to think that they're bragging, when you look at the band Volbeat - they have made it, they're doing this for a living and are touring the world; people worldwide love their music, when you hear Danish people talk about them, sometimes it can be a bit negative and you just want to feel like, is it because of the music? Do they not like it or have you actually not heard of the music, but you just don't like the idea of them succeeding, which one is it? I think there is a bit of Jante law when we're talking about a band like Volbeat."



Your debut album "Puritan Masochism" was released on Vinyl, are you into Vinyl yourselves and are you used to it?

     "[Heidi] Yeah we're all so used to it because, I feel especially in the metal genre here in Copenhagen, vinyl is a pretty big thing if you're into this genre, I have collected vinyl since I started getting into the music business since 2013, I don't have a lot but I always used to buy the ones from the bands I was always putting on as a promoter and I used to have a vinyl club, where I would meet up with 3 of my friends; we would have some vinyls with us and discuss about music, so it's definitely not a new thing to me."


Do you have any greetings or thanks you wish to send out to friends, family, fans, etc?

     "[Rikke] Since we played in the UK about a month ago (around February), we just want to say thank you to the people who gave us a warm reception in the UK; we're so surprised that people actually showed up, yes OK we played along with a bunch of local bands, but it was packed when we got up on stage and people were just awesome. I think we just want to say thank you to everyone who showed up, we can't wait to come back and see more of the UK.

     [Heidi] Yeah we're coming back in November to play in Sheffield at the HRH Vikings Festival, somehow we ended up playing a Viking festival (laughs), but the UK was so much fun. Other than that we would like to send thanks to all of our colleagues at Napalm Records because they've done such a great job, we know they must be having a lot of work these days with the cancellations and everything so, keep up the good work."


https://www.facebook.com/konventband/
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: Ardek from Carach Angren (The Netherlands)

17/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

"the water... was real and so cold that we had to stop in between shots to try and warm up... I remember at some point I was like 'OK I'm going to pass out'" (on the 'Charles Francis Coghlan' music video)


In truth the Dutch Metal scene is as complex as it's train network - remember that a 'Sprinter' train service is slower than 'InterCity' and oh that most trains are double decker, the quiet zone at the top and the trains as quiet as Black Metal... anyway moving on from the differences in train services and onto one of the most prominent metal exports in Carach Angren, who are gearing up to release their latest offering 'Franckensteina Strataemontanus' on 26th June 2020.

But what is it exactly that makes this band run along smoothly, is it their inept ability to conjure up songs that are designed to make you sweat profusely or make you lose sleep at the rate of a thunderstorm's lightning strike? Whatever it is, it works and their own 'Horror Metal' style is not one for the faint hearted as Ardek explained to GMA.

We spoke to him about how Carach Angren got to where they are now, the forthcoming album (guts, bones, the lot), the eloquency behind the outfits and the torture the band endured in filming 'Charles Francis Coghlin'.... prepare for some serious goosebumps reading this.

Picture

Carach Angren has been going 17 years or so, what is it that has kept the line-up so strong?

     "It always has been very natural, I remember when I started I played in a couple of bands and I started to write the composing part which was more than anything else, so with other bands I had to compromise of which sometimes would lead to really great stuff. But with Carach Angren I had my place as a main composer where I could make up compositions and Seregor, is really good at the guitar when it comes to the melodies and coming up with his act on stage; visuals, lyrics, but my brother was good with rhythm so all these things together were a natural combination; like a machine without discussion of who's doing what.

     This developed and I remember when we made the first release it would be cool to make one story and build everything around that - this stuck with us whenever we did research for a concept album. Unfortunately he (my brother) decided to leave this year, it's sad but I always say you have to like what you do, especially when it comes to music."



Focusing on the lyrics, were these all researched or were some based on stories you heard / learned over time?

     "It differs per album I know that, for example "Lammendam" is a story that actually took place near Seregor's place where he lives in Schinveld, it's a very small town and the legend was really unknown, but it always has fascinated him, he even wrote one song about it in previous bands. So when we got the opportunity to sign with a record label in 2007 (Maddening Media), the idea of a full length came up immediately and this story was right in front of us; that's why we picked that one.

    After that I read about the story of Van Der Decken (Death Came Through A Phantom Ship) which came through on a completely different album, it felt completely liberating to do something different and so with all of our albums they connect with us through maybe a movie, or a book or an idea and that's the cool thing about our band - we can do whatever we want within the ghosts or horror genre, story-telling of course and sure it's not easy, because you cannot just pick something random and do it, it has to connect with you and focus upon something inside ourselves as a band.

     This echoes with the new album 'Franckensteina Strataemontanus' whereby Frankenstein has been done so many times in so many different ways, it's so popular that for me it wasn't the case of 'lets do an album about Frankenstein', you know? That's not going to cut it. But through a really great way, I found a connection to the story via a nightmare where I was floating in a house and I heard distant piano sounds so I walked towards what seemed to be a portrait of an old-looking man, he was really angry (laughs) and then I woke up and I wrote that down, I was fascinated by this dream; I even made a drawing of the face that I saw and basically ignored it, until later when when I started to read about Frankenstein and was fascinated by it.

     So much so I researched it and came up with this theory that Mary Shelley originally was inspired by Johann Conrad Dippel, so I googled this guy and a portrait showed up in google images of him and he looked exactly the guy I dreamt of (haha). So that for me and Seregor became a lead, you need a lead that pulls you instead of pushing yourself, this was something interesting what we had - no one knew who Johann Conrad Dippel was, so we started making up stories connected with Frankenstein. This is usually how it happens with every album, but I have to say every album becomes a bigger challenge as you've already done so much and it's easy to go in the same direction, so I like a challenge (haha)."



Arguably with Carach Angren you've created your own sound in 'Horror Metal', do you hope that other bands will follow the same style?

     "That's a good question, I don't know but I see sometimes people are inspired by us and do covers, stuff like that which is really cool. The reason we choose 'Horror Metal' is because we didn't feel completely good with the 'Symphonic Black Metal' genre because especially to me, that genre has always felt like a big container of different kinds of things and bands. I felt we do several different things so 'Horror Metal' isn't really a genre in that sense, but if you have to give it a name then it's 'Horror Metal', but yeah we were inspired by bands and so we hope we inspire other bands and people, be it music, art, paintings, photography - there was no ultimate cause or effect, we invent all the time - art in that sense."


Arguably bands say their next / latest album is their best or favourite, out of all of Carach Angren's albums, which is your favourite?

     "It's cliche but it's the upcoming one (haha) because it feels closest to your personal development as a musician, because we always give everything when we write. When I was working with the music for 'Lammendam' I was a different person, I was like 23 years old and now I'm 36. I'm proud of every album and I thing that we've really done everything we could possibly do at that point, but of course when you listen back you will always do things differently; but that would be wise things because probably you would f*ck up and I think that every album has it's charm. "Death Came Through A Phantom Ship" was nautical, it has an adventurous tone to it and so the production was more film-score like, "This Is No Fairytale" is much more in your face-like, complex and raw but they're super different in that sense.

     But yeah what makes me proud of the new one is that basically, we took almost like an extra year to work on it, because usually it's a two year cycle - play play play, writing an album, releasing it and now I felt like this is too soon, it would not be fair to hurry an album... I felt like I need that extra time as sometimes you feel that you've lost that perspective, sometimes you need time away from it to gain new ideas."



Given that extra year, did that help you in researching ideas for the song titles too? How was the process?

     "It was a really in-depth process with what I did in 2018 and 2017, I started reading the book and other gothic novels and got fascinated by Frankenstein, the funny thing is in 2018 it was exactly 200 years ago that Mary Shelley wrote the book, so I found it to be my investigation. I went to a museum called Boerhaave Museum in Leiden, it's like a science museum and they had an exhibition about Frankenstein in an historical context; it was written in about Mary Shelley and also about the future of robotics, basically a projection of Frankenstein in this day of age and there was also a little exhibition of a woman called Ana Maria Gomez Lopez, she's a scientist but also a performing artist and she was planning an art performance of taking an organ out of her own body and bury it.

     This fascinated me so I wrote down her name and contacted her, had an interview with her discussing all these kinds of things and I got on a really deep trail; I started investigating laboratory experiments where they decapitated mice to find out brain functioning in the moment after death and I definitely found out that the separation between death and life is something that is mostly cultural, medically we say that the moment of death is when the heart stops beating and yet we see some cells in organ systems multiply after death; that was kind of fascinating that there's no clear line and that inspired me in the song-writing process in that I started writing some ideas, some fictional ideas - some ended up on the album like 'Operation Compass' and it was in that time that we slowly started gathering musical ideas and these ideas, but I never at the time had an idea of what this could become."



Are you surprised about how global metal has become and seeing bands from the likes of Syria, Botswana, Indonesia emerge?

     "I think that's really great that we are as a world, since the internet and everything going to more globalisation, it has some worrying sides maybe, but there is a very good side and music... if you see how accessible music is these days from bands in difficult regions, who are outreaching to global audiences, it's really great. So I'm excited about that and it's a fantastic thing."


The new album 'Franckensteina Strataemontanus' is to be released on black and glow-in-the-dark vinyl, was this your idea or Season of Mist's idea?

     "We worked together on these things and we will have a silver one on our web store, we also have a limited edition vinyl where we hand make little bottles of oil and I always try to come up with ideas to give the release something special, almost a four-dimension like we did with the last album - pitch black box, so we really try that but it's like an exploration because everything is possible, but not everything is a good idea, I think I have very good ideas but the label is like some of these aren't going to work commercially - we always have to find some kind of balance, but I am very happy what we have come up with altogether. By coming up with a great album it enables teams around us to come up with great ideas to match it - such as the artwork which is done by Stefan Heilemann, he's a brilliant guy and artist - I emailed him the entire concept story and before we even started recording he came up with this artwork."


Some people on YouTube have commented that Carach Angren should do their own horror movie, or music should be included in one, what are your thoughts on this?

     "Well the cool thing is that it already happened, there was a Canadian horror film called "Pyewacket" and they licenced one of our tracks 'There's No Place Like Home' and it's in the movie, so that's really cool; there's also some key visuals from us in the movie, so that's something to definitely check out, so what you see is it's already happening. Some Dutch people ask us do you want to make your own movie and to be honest I really like what we do, I like to make sound for non-existent movies in our heads and to make a movie would be something completely different, so why not, but it's not something that we are trying to do."


On the topic of videography, how demanding was it to make the music video 'Charles Francis Coghlan'?

     " (laughs) I want to forget about this, it was extremely demanding for everyone, we did it with Rick Jacops who is a film-maker from The Netherlands and a really great guy. But he is like us in his field, a perfectionist, it never ends with him nor us and basically we had to build everything ourselves; what you see there is built by the band, we did have some help from friends and family but besides that we did it over a period spanning 2 months. Literally the recordings you see we are in the water, that was actually real and was so cold that we had to stop in between the shots and try to warm up... I remember at some point I was like 'OK I'm going to pass out', like what are we doing here, we're crazy.

     To give you an example we had these shots like all day and then in the afternoon I was going to the other scene, to bury a hole for the grave because we needed to put a coffin and water in there and was also recorded in May - the weather was really nice and we only had very little time to record because we had to record at night as it was outside, so we were literally recording from like midnight to like 5am, stop and sleep for the next couple of hours and then wake up because we had to rebuild the set - it was basically horrible, I was dead at the end from sleep deprivation and all the crap. But I mean we were very proud of the end result, I don't know if we would do it again though, looking back at it it was too extreme, like a movie with a couple of people."

Picture
Maastricht at night, The Netherlands / Source: Consilium Europa
It seems with each new album comes new on-stage outfits, what inspires you each time?

     " (laughs), I could come up with a very elaborate story but a lot of things we do in the band happen naturally, I'll give you two examples like first we have a story in The Netherlands where we love to go to check out clothes... which we have done since the beginning as we go there, we check out what's there and for some reason there's always something really cool and during the latest years Seregor has been getting better at customising some of the clothes that we get, so his touch is definitely on there. What is really funny is that people always contact us asking where do we have it made, where do you get this stuff? The funny thing is just it's commercially available, but we know very well what we connect with.

     I remember when Seregor and I once went to the store and there were these PVC / latex pants and we looked at each other and we were like 'I think this could be cool' but at the same time we said we wouldn't have done this four years ago, we would be like 'this is too much' and for some reason we tried them and felt like OK this is weird and not a Black Metal purist look, but it worked with what we were doing and that also made us move in different ways live... like almost Michael Jackson kind of moves. But it all happened in a natural way, another example is like last year we needed something to promote the headline tour - something for an instagram video.

     I had no idea and was literally out of ideas and Seregor called me and said well come over and let's try something, so I came over to his and he had a couple of masks and was fooling around and also said he had this fake tongue, so I said yeah why don't you just cut it or something and so we were just goofing around and filming with my phone and it turned out to be really something strange. So I took it home and made it a little bit darker, adding sound effects and it turned into this gross kind of thing, I put it online and it went viral. I said why don't you do that live, everyday you cut your tongue on stage, OK so we ordered like 38 tongues (laughs) and we had ordered the wrong ones because they were too sticky and so had to order different ones - nowadays like the mouth piece crisis we had a tongue crisis."



Regarding the masks we see around the 'Lammendam' and 'Death Came Through A Phantom Ship' era, are they still being made?

     "Yeah Seregor makes them and has his own web store, he sells them there and makes all kinds of masks - usually horror and that's like a little side business. He's extremely good at it and always comes up with new ideas in life and for the band as well sometimes, in the visual area he's very talented"


Given the COVID-19 situation, looking towards the back end of 2020, what plans do you have?

     "We're working on touring plans for the Autumn, USA hopefully after that Europe, we already have Mexico's Metalfest confirmed so with the virus it creates a lot of uncertainty, but we have really great booking agents and management who would try to be on that; making plans which I am really happy about, because that was the initial plan, we are really lucky that the album is coming out. But some bands had tour plans which they've had to cancel which is really bad, but music is now a secondary problem and sits behind personal welfare, societal health, etc., but our tour plans are definitely being drafted right now and hopefully we can be a bit more precise when this is all over."


For those metalheads visiting Landgraaf, what sights / attractions could you recommend?

     "This is actually a funny thing, Landgraaf is a town where we used to have rehearsals and our previous band, none of us actually live there. So somehow that name made it onto our Wikipedia page. But we are located in the province of Limburg. In general you have the town of Maastricht which is nice to visit, it's a nice town, that is something I would recommend."


Where there any ghost / horror stories you were told as a child?

     "Well I always remember our father would tell us fairytales and stories, but I have a funny memory as a child, I was sitting in the bathtub and I called out to my mother that someone was under the water by my feet; I have a vague memory of that so it was a cool ghost story."


"Franckensteina Strataemontanus" is out 26th June 2020 via Season of Mist on CD, vinyl and tape.

http://www.carach-angren.nl/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carach-Angren/289371466833
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: Heri Joensen from Týr (Faroe Islands)

14/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture


"When radio was the way to hear new music there were enthusiasts with powerful receivers tuning in to English and Dutch channels, so all the latest music came to the Faroes as soon as it was out.
"


They are the Faroe Islands' most successful metal band and released their latest offering 'Hel' last year to critical acclaim. As a part of an interview series we are doing under lockdown, GMA spoke to Heri Joensen about the history of the Faroese Metal scene, what he has been up to under lockdown and what his most memorable and funniest moment during the band's touring career was.

For a band who has been going 22 years as of this year, nothing will stop Týr any time soon

Picture
2020 started badly for the world with COVID-19, but for Tyr also the departure of Attila Vörös, what happened and have you found a replacement guitarist?

     "We didn't agree on a few fundamental things, so we reached the mutual decision to discontinue the co-operation. There are two or three guys on the short list to replace Attila, but these days it's impossible to meet and get to know anyone. It will have to wait until travel is less restricted."


What so far have been the funniest and most memorable times during the countless tours you have done?

     "The funniest and most memorable time was probably our tour with Sirenia and Unleash The Archers. It was just a tour full of good company and good times. No real problems and very relaxed attitudes. Not to mention I met my girlfriend on that tour, so good memories there all around."


Heri, can you tell us roughly or exactly when Metal music first arrived on the Faroe Islands? What Faroese bands did you listen to whilst growing up?

     "Metal music was popular in the Faroes as soon as it emerged in England. Led Zeppelin has been very popular in the Faroes, as has Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, since those bands began. The Faroes don't look so isolated when seen from the inside. Back when radio was the way to hear new music there were enthusiasts with powerful receivers tuning in to English and Dutch channels, so all the latest music came to the Faroes as soon as it was out. When I began listening to Metal in the mid to late 80s it was Mötley Crüe and Iron Maiden, soon followed by TNT, Europe, Judas Priest, Def Leppard and some similar bands."


As the Faroe Islands are in lock down, what have you been doing at home both musically and in other hobbies?

     "I live in Prague, in Czechia. We're under lock down like anywhere else. I've been making a few videos for my YouTube channel, writing music for Týr and Heljareyga, spending some time on improving my physical shape, watching series on Netflix. We've been working on improving our social media presence, a new website with a webshop this time. Please go to www.tyr.fo/merch

Picture
Kallurin, Faroe Islands / Source: Visit Nordoy

What (in your opinion) are the biggest challenges facing the new crop of metal bands coming up the ranks in the Faroes?

     "The biggest challenge for anyone trying to make it in music, not just metal, is how to make enough money to make ends meet, and I suspect that will be the biggest problem for all upcoming musicians for decades to come. This may be worse in countries where the cost of living is very high, and that definitely includes the Faroe Islands."


For metalheads visiting the Faroe Islands, what would you recommend seeing and doing (in normal circumstances)?

     "See the natural scenery. Go to Vestmannabjørgini, Sjeyndir, Beinisvørð, Kallurin and other places. Those are scenes like you will see nowhere else on this planet."


What plans for the year ahead do you have (COVID-19 depending); did you have before this pandemic?

     "It looked like we were going to have a very good year touring wise, with Týr and with Surma. But now all tours and festivals are off. We were going to go to the US and on a long EU tour, and even to Australia and parts of Asia. And the Surma album will be released in the fall, followed by a tour that has now been postponed like everything else."


Do you have any greetings or thanks you wish to send out? Any final words?

     "Stay safe, everybody. I hope we all get through this in good health. Don't touch surfaces everybody else touches, door handles for example, wash your hands and don't touch your face. And I hope to see you on the road somewhere someday soon."


https://tyr.fo/
https://www.facebook.com/tyrband
0 Comments

Interview Interrogation: Numa from Two Face Sinner (Peru)

14/4/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

Put the date in your diaries... 24th April. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Peruvian Black / Death Metal outfit Two Face Sinner unleash their third torrent of barbaric and bestial compositions through Non Serviam Records. The group has been around since 2006 and have had a few line-up changes, most recently the recruitment of bassist Set, but with each new member comes a new lease of life.

For Two Face Sinner, they feel that they are ready to smash the international metal market wide open and let the world know that the Peruvian Metal scene is alive and kicking. With their impending album, they hope to push onward and break new ground, GMA spoke to vocalist / guitarist Numa about the new album, what support they have in their national metal scene and the challenges Peruvian Metal bands tend to face.

Picture
Guys for those who have not heard of Two Face Sinner, could you give us a brief history of the band?

     "Everything started in 2006, recording stuff that we were writing since 2004, after several rehearsal sessions we entered the studio to record and release a digital demo through MySpace at that time. After listening to 3 songs that we had posted, we received a proposal from this local producer to release our first record, after some changes in the line up, we completed 10 songs that would be included in our debut album. We had our debut show in 2008 supporting Rotting Christ and several local dates followed that, like some great supporting shows for Belphegor, Nargaroth and God Dethroned. Our debut album was released in 2010, we had an uninterrupted path since the beginning, with two more releases to our credit."


Your set to release your 3rd album "Spiritual Nemesis” at the end of the month, what did you do differently compared to your previous album?

     "I think we have reached the sound level needed to hit the worldwide market, musically it is a challenging album because we tried to be as darkest, melancholic and brutal as possible; you will notice that as soon as the first song starts playing on the CD - I feel our past album is like strong tentacles, but "Spiritual Nemesis" would be the main carcass. This album took two years to be created, we faced a lot of difficulties and we learned a lot about musical production facts, it was a very enriching experience."


Tell us more about the Peruvian Metal scene, what challenges are there, when did it start, what venues, labels, distro's, festivals, etc are there?


     "We have good bands in Peru, some of them have toured Europe over the past few years. I think the most challenging aspect is the lack of empathy in the scene, most of the bangers are divided, we are not a too big scene and all that division is not good for us. We have labels such as, Austral Holocaust, Gate Of Horror, Thrashirts and many more, two of them released our past albums. We have this metal zine called Cuero Negro, that comes from the 80’s and some big festivals like Lima Metal Fest or Metal Worldwide."


What are the challenges that Peruvian Metal bands face nowadays (excluding COVID-19)?

     "There are a lot, the main one would be that there will be no shows in Peru this year, plus some rehearsal rooms are not opening due to this social distancing thing, like all is being reduced to social media exposing, releases, sales and propaganda."

Picture
Machu Picchu, Peru / Source: Forbes

It seems that the more extreme styles of metal are popular in Peru, what is your opinion on that?

     "Peruvian metalheads are very traditional when it comes to metal, I believe it is because of the huge influence that South America had in early worldwide extreme metal, it’s more like a collective subconscious."


For metalheads visiting Lima, what sights or attractions could you recommend (under normal conditions)?

     "I would recommend the Catacombs, Machu Picchu and Chan Chan ruins, fully historical places."


What are your plans for the rest of the year (COVID-19 dependant) and were there any plans postponed / cancelled?

     "We planned a couple of videos, we had already planned a release concert for the new album that will not be possible at least for 2020, we are already writing new music in this lockdown period, and this tear marks a decade since our debut album so we plan to do something special too, let's see what it could be."


Do you have any greetings / thanks you wish to send out to friends, family, etc?

     "We mainly have to thank Ricardo Gelok at Non Serviam Records for honouring us with this great opportunity to reach the world across his label and you, for putting your interest in the band, it means a lot to us, we appreciate it, thank you so much. Ave Sathanas."

http://www.twofacesinner.com
https://www.facebook.com/twofacesinner/
www.instagram.com/twofacesinner
www.youtube.com/numa2fs

https://www.facebook.com/nonserviamrecords
https://www.instagram.com/non_serviam_records/
https://non-serviam-records.bandcamp.com/
0 Comments
<<Previous

    © 2011-2022
    Global Metal Apocalypse



    If you enjoy reading this content, please consider a donation

    Donate


    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    October 2021
    August 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    December 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    Albania
    Algeria
    Alternative
    Atmospheric
    Australia
    Bangladesh
    Beautycore
    Belarus
    Belgium
    Bhutan
    Black Metal
    Bloodstock
    Brazil
    Brutal Death Metal
    Bulgaria
    Burma (Myanmar)
    Cambodia
    Cameroon
    Canada
    Cello
    Celtic
    Chile
    China
    Christian
    Cinematic Metal
    Classical
    Colombia
    Costa Rica
    Croatia
    Crossover
    Crust
    Cuba
    Cyber Metal
    Cyprus
    Czech Republic
    Dance Metal
    Dark Metal
    Deathcore
    Death Metal
    Denmark
    Djent
    Djentcore
    Documentary
    Dominican Republic
    Doom Metal
    Drone Metal
    Dsbm
    Ecuador
    Egypt
    Electronic
    England
    Epic Metal
    Estonia
    Eswatini
    Eurovision
    Experimental Metal
    Extreme Metal
    Faroe Islands
    Female-fronted
    Festival
    Fiji
    Film Score
    Film-score
    Finland
    Folk Metal
    France
    Funeral
    Gabon
    Germany
    Gibraltar
    Glam Rock
    Golden Gods
    Gospel Metal
    Gothic Metal
    Grindcore
    Groove Metal
    Grunge
    Guam
    Hardcore
    Hard Rock
    Hard Rock
    Heavy Metal
    Horror Metal
    Hungary
    Iceland
    India
    Industrial
    Instrumental
    International
    Iran
    Iraq
    Ireland
    Israel
    Italy
    Japan
    Jordan
    Kazakhstan
    Kenya
    Kosovo
    Kuwait
    Label Video
    Latin Metal
    Latvia
    Liechtenstein
    Lithuania
    M2TM
    Madagascar
    Malawi
    Mali
    Malta
    Medieval Metal
    Melodic
    Metal
    Metalcore
    Metal Hammer
    Mexico
    Modern Metal
    Moldova
    Music Video
    Namibia
    Neo Classical Metal
    Neo-Classical Metal
    Nepal
    Netherlands
    New Caledonia
    New Zealand
    Nicaragua
    Norfolk Island
    Northern Ireland
    Norway
    Nu
    Nu Metal
    NWOBHM
    Operatic
    Oriental Metal
    Pagan Metal
    Pakistan
    Panama
    Parody Metal
    Peru
    Pirate Metal
    Poland
    Pop Metal
    Portugal
    Post Hardcore
    Post-Hardcore
    Post Metal
    Power Metal
    Prog Metal
    Punk Metal
    Ragga Metal
    Rapcore
    Record Label
    Rock
    Romania
    Russia
    Samurai Metal
    Scotland
    Screamo
    Serbia
    Shred
    Singapore
    Slam Metal
    Slovenia
    Sludge Metal
    South Africa
    Southern Metal
    South Korea
    Spain
    Sri Lanka
    Stoner Metal
    Suriname
    Sweden
    Switzerland
    Symphonic Metal
    Syria
    Taiwan
    Technical Metal
    Thailand
    The Bahamas
    Thrash Metal
    Tour
    Trance Metal
    Uganda
    UK
    Ukraine
    USA
    Vanuatu
    Vatican City
    Vedic Metal
    Vietnam
    Viking Metal
    Violent Pop
    Visual Kei
    Wales
    Yemen
    Zambia
    Zimbabwe

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly